Beetlejuice star and prolific actress Catherine O’Hara has passed away.
Born on March 4th 1954 in Toronto, Canada, O’Hara began her career in 1974 with a stint in an improv comedy group overseen by Gilda Radner.
Discovering a natural gift for comedy, O’Hara found regular work on Canadian television, beginning with 1975’s Coming Up Rosie.
1976 would see O’Hara take on the role that would propel her to much greater heights. The actress boarded the television sketch show SCTV. Canada’s “answer” to Saturday Night Live, O’Hara remained with the show for eight years, before departing in 1984. O’Hara also served as a regular writer for SCTV, further honing her comedic talents.
Hollywood came calling in 1985 when O’Hara was cast in Martin Scorsese’s After Hours. This would open the door for O’Hara to earn roles in films like Heartburn opposite Meryl Streep, Dick Tracy with Warren Beatty, and the biographical western Wyatt Earp, among countless other credits.
O’Hara would earn one of her most recognisable roles in 1988, when up-and-coming filmmaker Tim Burton cast her in the comedy-horror Beetlejuice. O’Hara’s turn as the eccentric matriarch Delia Deetz became immediately iconic, with the actress being instrumental in multiple key comedic scenes. After 36 years, O’Hara returned for the long-anticipated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in 2024.
In 1990, O’Hara played Kate McCallister in Chris Columbus’ legendary holiday comedy Home Alone. Alongside Beetlejuice this role cemented O’Hara as one of Hollywood’s most beloved supporting players. Her turn as a frantic mother travelling cross-country was almost entirely improvised, turning a thinly written character into a holiday icon. The actress would reprise the role in the 1991 sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Supporting roles and ensemble pieces continued, with O’Hara appearing in the likes of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and Frankenweenie among other credits.
In more recent years, the actress garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards for her turn as Moira Rose in the satirical sit-com Schitt’s Creek. The role endeared O’Hara to a new generation of fans, and added another iconic character to her roster.
O’Hara’s final appearance on screen was a supporting role in HBO’s horror-drama The Last of Us.
Catherine O’Hara passed away on January 30th 2026 after suffering “a short illness.”
She is survived by her husband Bo Welch and their two sons.
Rest easy, Catherine, we’ll miss you.
