Beloved Canadian actress and comedian Catherine O’Hara, celebrated for her unforgettable performances in Home Alone, Beetlejuice and the Emmy-winning series Schitt’s Creek, has died at the age of 71.
Her agent confirmed that O’Hara passed away on Friday at her home in Los Angeles following a short illness. Tributes have poured in from colleagues and fans who remembered her as a gifted performer, generous collaborator and one of comedy’s true greats.
Born in Toronto, O’Hara first honed her craft with the Second City improvisation troupe before becoming a standout star on the sketch series SCTV. She later broke through internationally with her role as Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice and as the frantic mother in the holiday classic Home Alone.
A new generation embraced O’Hara through her portrayal of the flamboyant and eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, a performance that earned her an Emmy and a Golden Globe and cemented her status as a television icon.
Throughout her career, she also collaborated frequently with filmmaker Christopher Guest on acclaimed mockumentaries such as Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, and continued acting into recent years with appearances in HBO’s The Last of Us and the comedy The Studio.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons. Her legacy as one of the most distinctive and beloved comedic voices of her generation will endure.

