Catherine Anne O'Hara

Catherine Anne O'Hara was a Canadian-American actress and comedian whose career spanned more than five decades. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she rose to prominence through the sketch comedy troupe SCTV in the late 1970s and early 1980s, where her gift for physical comedy and character work quickly marked her as one of the most naturally gifted performers of her generation. Hollywood discovered her through a string of unforgettable roles. She was the harried mother Kate McCallister in the blockbuster franchise Home Alone, the eccentric wedding singer in A Mighty Wind, and the voice of Sally and the evil scientist's wife in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Each performance was different; every one was indelible. It was her portrayal of Moira Rose in the hit Canadian comedy series Schitt's Creek that introduced her to a new generation of fans. Moira — extravagant, dramatic, devoted in her own impossible way — became a cultural icon. O'Hara earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the role and helped the show become one of the most beloved comedies of its era. She died on January 30, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. She was 71. The entertainment world lost one of its most singular voices — an artist who proved that comedy, done well, is the most honest kind of truth.