Catherine O'Hara

4 de marzo de 1954 — 30 de enero de 2026

The Eccentric Odyssey of Catherine O'Hara Imagine growing up in a Toronto household crammed with seven kids, all Irish Catholic energy and sibling chaos—that was the launchpad for Catherine O'Hara's comedic rocket. Born on March 4, 1954, she was the sixth child, sandwiched between the noise and nurturing that shaped her razor-sharp wit. Her younger sister, Mary Margaret O'Hara, would become a musician and actress, but Catherine? She was destined for the spotlight, graduating from Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute in 1974 and diving headfirst into The Second City improv troupe in Toronto. Here's a curious tidbit: she started as an understudy to the legendary Gilda Radner, stepping in when Radner bolted for Saturday Night Live. But O'Hara's own SNL stint? A hilarious non-starter. Hired in 1981 during a chaotic retooling, she quit before ever appearing on air, citing a deep dislike for New York City's hustle—proving even comedy icons have their limits. From there, O'Hara exploded onto screens with SCTV (Second City Television), a sketch show that became a breeding ground for legends like John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Rick Moranis. She wasn't just performing; she was writing, earning her first Emmy in 1982 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Series. Anecdote alert: during a brief hiatus in the early '80s, she dabbled in everything from voice-overs in cartoons like Witch's Night Out to small roles in specials, all while honing that signature blend of deadpan absurdity and heartfelt charm.The '80s and '90s were her Hollywood playground. She debuted in films with Double Negative (1980), but it was roles like the artsy Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice (1988) that showcased her flair for the bizarre. On set, she met Bo Welch, the production designer; they married in 1992 and welcomed sons Matthew (1994) and Luke (1997). Then came Home Alone (1990), where at age 36, she immortalized the ultimate mom-panic as Kate McCallister. Fun fact: in 2022, amid the pandemic, she recreated that iconic scream from Home Alone 2 as a tribute to director John Hughes, racking up 3.5 million views and proving her screams age like fine wine. O'Hara's versatility shone in Christopher Guest's mockumentaries—Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006)—where she improvised her way to cult status. But did you know she's got situs inversus, a rare condition where her internal organs are mirrored? It's like her body was built for comedy's unexpected twists. She voiced unforgettable characters in animations, from Shock in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) to Brook in Elemental (2023), and even narrated Disney's Canada: Far and Wide. Her renaissance came with Schitt's Creek (2015-2020), reuniting with Eugene Levy as the Rose family. As Moira, she delivered lines like "The world is a stage, and I am its most beleaguered understudy" with such panache that she swept awards, including six Canadian Screen Awards. Off-screen, she remained a "good Catholic girl at heart," a close friend to Macaulay Culkin (attending his Walk of Fame ceremony), and a singer who performed in music videos as late as 2024. Her later roles in The Last of Us (2025) and The Studio (2025) earned fresh Emmy nods, cementing her as timeless. O'Hara wasn't just funny; she was profoundly human, turning vulnerabilities into victories. With a net worth around $10 million in her later years and honors like the Order of Canada (2017) and Governor General's Performing Arts Award (2020), she proved that comedy could be both chaotic and cathartic. In a world that often forgets to laugh, Catherine O'Hara reminded us how.