Catherine O'Hara

Written by Mariane Tremblay

Catherine O’Hara! Where do you even begin when it comes to Catherine "The Great" O’Hara? 

Born in Toronto in 1954, our proud Canadian started her comedic career with The Second City (SC) before they created a sketch comedy show, Second City Television (SCTV) in 1976. O’Hara became a regular performer, starring in the six seasons, which are now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, alongside John Candy, Robin Duke, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Harold Ramis, Tony Rosato, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas.

In the 1970s-1980s, O’Hara also expended her career in television starring in numerous sketch shows and television specials like The Wayne & Shuster Show (1975), Coming Up Rosie (1975-1977), Intergalactic Thanksgiving, or Please Don’t Eat the Planet (1979), I, Martin Short, Goes to Hollywood (1979) or Saturday Night Live (1988,1991-1992), only to name a few. And she pursued this career in television until the end, starring and guest starring in many iconic series such as Curb Your Enthusiasm (2009), 30 Rock (2012), Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020), Modern Family (2015), The Studio (2025) and The Last of Us (2025). 

In the 1980s, Catherine O’Hara started carving her place in cinema, once again starring in numerous movies, including some that became cult classics over the years, such as Beetlejuice (1988), Home Alone (1990), and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). And it’s important not to forget her amazing work as a voice actor, having lent her voice to animated characters in more than ten movies, including The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), The Wild Robot (2024), and Monster House (2006). 

Catherine O’Hara has always been, and will forever remain, one of the greatest—we are incredibly lucky she has given us so many exceptional characters and performances over the years. And what is most incredible about O’Hara is her constant and meaningful presence in the industry for five decades, representing something so incredibly special for more than one generation. From my baby boomer grandparents to my younger Gen Z siblings, everyone knows who she is, and that is rare and precious. 

But I understand that it’s not necessarily everyone, on a larger scale, who knows Catherine O’Hara, so to cite Seth Rogen at the Actor Awards on March 1, 2026: "If you have people in your lives who don’t know her work, show them […], and tell people as they’re laughing, that that’s Catherine O’Hara, and we were so lucky that we got to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us." So if you do have people in your lives who don’t really know her work, here are my personal recommendations to start diving into her work!

Beetlejuice (1988) and Beetlejuice (2024)
Directed by Tim Burton

After dying in a car accident, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis) struggle to adjust to their new existence as ghosts, especially since they are forbidden from leaving their house. When a New York family, Charles and Delia (Jeffrey Jones, O'Hara), along with Charles’ daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder), moves in, the Maitlands are forced to summon a deranged “bio-exorcist,” Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), to try to scare them away. 

Beetlejuice was one of the first films in which I saw Catherine O’Hara, and I remember being completely obsessed with Delia. She’s an eccentric, slightly hysterical artist—bizarre, but in the best possible way. Her character and performance are undoubtedly among the key elements that helped turn Beetlejuice the cult classic that it is today, because when you think about the movie, O’Hara dancing to Harry Belafonte is probably one of the first images that comes to mind. And if you tell me otherwise, well, allow me to doubt it!

And honestly, everything about this movie is iconic. From Danny Elfman’s score to the soundtrack featuring Harry Belafonte’s Jump In The Line and Banana Boat (Day-O), as well as the production design, stop-motion animation, makeup, costumes, and performances. You will definitely have the best time (re)watching it with your friends and family!

Thirty-six years after its release, Tim Burton decided it was finally time for us to get the long-awaited sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, bringing back most of the original cast, while introducing us to delightfully new unhinged characters. After Charles's death, Lydia (Ryder) and her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), return to Winter River for his funeral. Lydia, now the host of a paranormal radio show, is still haunted by Beetlejuice (Keaton), who now runs a call centre in the afterlife and is still obsessed with marrying her. Meanwhile, Astrid befriends Jeremy Frazier (Arthur Conti), who eventually tricks her into opening the portal to the afterlife, causing utter chaos. And when I say chaos, I mean it. 

Although I’m not the biggest fan of this sequel, mainly because of its [messy] screenplay, which was going in all directions, I'm still happy we got these characters back and that I was able to experience the Beetlejuice universe on the big screen for the first time. The sequel opens just like the original movie, features Elfman’s iconic score, props from the original movie, and a new dance sequence with O’Hara and Ortega, which are great nods to the original, and something people who love it as I do will appreciate. So, I do believe that it’s worth watching at least once. 

O’Hara’s Delia is just as iconic in the second instalment, and even though she reminded me a little more of Moira Rose (Schitt's Creek) than Delia Deetz, her performance remains one of the highlights of this chaotic, but quite entertaining movie. And the fact that Catherine’s final scene in a feature film shows her walking into the afterlife is one of the most poetic things imaginable (thank you to whoever pointed that out). 

Available to rent or buy at home or to watch on Crave Canada, Netflix, and HBO Max

Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone: Lost in New York (1992)
Directed by Chris Columbus

After being forgotten at home by his family for the Christmas holiday, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) must deal with Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), or, as they call themselves, "The Wet Bandits," a pair of burglars who have been breaking into vacant houses in the neighbourhood. Realising mid-flight to Paris that Kevin has been left at home, his mom, Kate (O’Hara), embarks on a journey to get back to him as soon as possible. Flying back to Scranton, Pennsylvania, because all the flights to Chicago were booked, and unable to fly home from there for the same reason, she agrees to travel with a polka band that offers to take her home on their way to Milwaukee.

Home Alone has been the perfect family Christmas movie for almost four decades now, and I do believe that it will remain so, because they just don’t make movies like that anymore. You can rewatch it every year during the holidays and never get tired of it. Culkin’s performance as Kevin is just so great; he truly was a star as a child, and he, in fact, reminds me a lot of my little brother, who’s a blond, blue-eyed, silly and wise ten-year-old, which makes this movie even more special to me. 

But beyond that, there's O'Hara's portrayal of Kate, which is arguably one of the most famous mothers in cinema. And one of our favourites, even though she forgot and lost her son twice on the Christmas holiday. She’s just the best. Girlboss, wife, and mother of five, her devotion and determination don’t go unnoticed, as you know she would do anything for her family (and she did). 

Two years later, Columbus returned with a sequel just as fun as the first movie. This time, Kevin wasn’t really left home alone; instead, he got lost in New York after boarding the wrong plane. Still as resourceful, he succeeds in booking a room at the iconic New York Plaza and enjoys himself around the city before ultimately stumbling upon the "Wet Bandits" again, who have just escaped from prison. Once again demonstrating great creativity, he manages to prevent them from stealing the money from a toy store that was destined to be donated to a children’s hospital.

And once again, O’Hara’s Kate will make you laugh and warm your heart, as her bond with Kevin is truly a special one. So much so that she and Culkin have stayed quite close over the years and even continued calling themselves "mother and son." Their reunion in front of the Rockefellers’ Christmas tree at the end of the movie is sure to make you emotional, perhaps even more now than ever.

So, if you have children in your life who haven’t seen these movies yet, be sure to have them watch both as soon as they’re old enough. We have made sure the tradition is passed down through generations!

Available to rent or buy at home to watch on Disney+

Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003) and For Your Consideration (2006)
Directed by Christopher Guest

Movies directed by Christopher Guest are just the best. Whether you are feeling down and need a good laugh, or just want to watch something that’s unbelievably entertaining, I believe that’s what you should put on. Starring some of his most valuable players, such as O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge, Bob Balaban, and Ed Begley Jr., these movies are pure genius, and that’s not hyperbolic. 

The best thing is that barely anything is scripted, and they mostly rely on the actors' improvisation. In fact, the script for Best in Show was a 15–20-page outline establishing character backgrounds and the beginning, middle, and end of each scene. And the same applies to all four of them. So to think that everything else is from the actors’ minds is just everything, because I don’t think everyone realises how hard comedy is; you have to say the right thing at the right time with the perfect delivery, and I honestly think that it isn’t for everyone. But this ensemble is genuinely perfect together. 

Best in Show is amongst my favourite movies ever, and I just can’t get enough of it. What makes this movie so special is that it will make you laugh no matter how many times you watch it. It is that good. 

The movie follows five dog owners, all preparing for the prestigious Mayflower Dog Show: Winky, the Norwich Terrier owned by Cookie and Gerry Fleck (O’Hara, Levy), Hubert, the Bloodhound owned by Harlan Pepper (Guest), Beatrice, the Weimaraner owned by Hamilton and Meg Swan (Michael Hitchcock, Posey), Miss Agnes, the Shih Tzu owned by Scott Donlon and Stefan Vanderhood (John Michael Higgins, Michael McKean), and Rhapsody in White, the Standard Poodle owned by Sheri Ann Ward Cabot (Coolidge) and trainer Christy Cummings (Lynch). 

The fact that this movie is set in the world of canine competition is already hilarious in itself, but the whole cast is just hysterical, delivering some of the most unhinged lines. Though I fear nothing will beat O’Hara falling on the ground and hurting her knees. Peak Comedy! 

A Mighty Wind is just as good and as funny as Best in Show is, but it does have an extra emotional layer that will probably break your heart. Even more now.

Following the death of their managers, Irving Steinbloom, three eclectic, never-quite-famous folk bands: The Folksmen (Guest, McKean, Harry Shearer), The New Main Street Singers (Higgins, Lynch, Posey, Christopher Moynihan, David Alan Blasucci, Patrick Sauber, Steve Pandi), and Mitch & Mickey (Levy, O’Hara), come together for the first time in decades, to put together a memorial concert in his honour. 

I genuinely loved everything about this movie; the comedic timing and the line deliveries were once again spot on, but without any surprises, O’Hara and Levy were my favourite part of it. Their chemistry has always been palpable through our screens, and they truly are amongst the most iconic duos in the industry. But there's something even more special about Mitch and Mickey. The way they sing A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow, and Catherine's beautiful voice... it filled my heart, and broke it at the same time.

Just like the other two movies, For Your Consideration’s dialogues are mostly improvised by its cast, but its form is slightly different as it departs from the mockumentary-style and leans into a more regular movie.

Still relevant twenty years later, For Your Consideration follows a movie cast and crew, who are, after some actors generated Oscar buzz online, gripped by anxiety at the idea of ​​winning the prestigious award for their independent movie. Once again, O’Hara delivers an amazing performance, giving us many iconic scenes—drunk Marilyn Hack, you will always be famous. 

And the funniest part is how much it reminded me of The Studio. For Your Consideration walked, so The Studio could frantically run.

Do yourself a favour and watch those movies, you definitely won’t regret it!

Available to rent or buy at home or to watch on Netflix

Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

Dare I say one of the best sitcoms ever created? Yes, I do (thank you, Canada). Created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, the series follows the Rose family: businessman Johnny (E. Levy), his wife, and former soap-opera actress, Moira (O’Hara), and their children, David (D. Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy), who, after being defrauded by their business Manager, are forced to move to a remote town named Schitt's Creek somewhere in Canada; the only asset they have left after Johnny bought it as a joke for David’s birthday in 1991. The series aired from 2015 to 2020 and earned numerous awards, even sweeping all seven major comedy awards at the Emmy Awards in 2020. 

Over the years, Schitt’s Creek brought so much comfort and joy to so many people, me included. I couldn’t recommend it enough. In fact, every time someone’s looking for a new series to watch, Schitt’s Creek usually comes at the top of the list, because everyone can watch it, and no matter what you’re into, or how old you are, you’ll find something to love about this series, and it’ll never fail to make you laugh. 

Throughout the six seasons, there have been so many unforgettable moments and lines (now turned into memes)—even though you haven’t seen the series, I’m sure you’ve seen and know some of them. What if I say “Ew, David!” or “Fold in the cheese” or even “What’s your favourite season? Awards” and “Oh, I’d kill for a good coma”—if that doesn’t ring any bells, it truly is your sign to watch this series. 

For Schitt’s Creek, O’Hara created one of the most iconic characters ever put on screen. Moira Rose is the best, from the way she acts, moves, dresses and talks, there’s no one quite like her (apart from maybe Delia Deetz). I’m forever thankful Catherine agreed to continue with the role after the pilot was picked up by CBC, because this series wouldn’t have been the same without her, and no one could’ve portrayed Moira the way she did. 

Available to rent or buy at home or to watch on Netflix and CBC Gems

The Studio (2025)

“When it all comes together, and you make a good movie, it’s good forever.”

A satirical comedy television series created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, The Studio follows Matt Remick (Rogen), who’s newly appointed head of the film production company Continental Studios and who’s struggling to balance corporate demands with his own film production desires, because after all, he’s a cinephile. 

If you’ve been part of this industry or been near it in any way, you will definitely recognise its craziness, because this series is pure chaos in the best possible way. People rushing around, voices overlapping, and that nonstop sense of urgency—that’s production. That’s exactly how it feels. But beyond that, everything about this series is amazing, from its direction, to cinematography, ensemble and guests. 

The Studio is one of O’Hara’s last performances, and she gave one hell of a performance. I do believe that no one could’ve portrayed Patty as she did. On March 1, 2026, she won two posthumous Actor Awards: Female Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the series. And it was more than deserved. 

Available to watch on Apple TV+

Special mentions:

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004): One of my favourite movies as a kid! And even though she doesn’t have a big part in it, we always love a little Catherine O’Hara cameo in whatever we’re watching (and let’s be honest, the whole casting kinda slaps). And if you want, you can even take a look at the series released in 2017, as she appears in a few episodes. 

Penelope (2006): No one plays hysterical mothers like Catherine O’Hara, and that should be enough for you to watch it.

Over the Hedge (2006): A movie I loved as a child, and one I've probably seen far too many times. And another one to add to the Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy fictional married-couple universe.

Killers (2010): I’m not ashamed to tell you that this movie is bad, but that I’ll rewatch it again and again anyway because of her. Tag yourself: I’m O’Hara pouring herself a pitcher of Bloody Marys for Breakfast. 

Frankenweenie (2012)

But no matter what her screentime was, and which character she portrayed, her presence on screen was always unforgettable—she made us laugh, she made us cry, and turned even the smallest moment into pure, brilliant chaos. Her range was truly impressive—there’s no one like O’Hara, and there will never be anyone like her. And that goes beyond her acting: if you’ve ever watched her presenting an award, giving a speech, or doing an interview, you know just how delightfully unserious she could be.

Catherine O’Hara sadly passed away on January 30, 2026, which was a shock for everyone, me included. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever been this affected by the death of a celebrity before, and to be honest, I still can’t fully grasp the fact that she’s gone. It just doesn’t make any sense. Like many people, I grew up watching her movies and series, which have always had and will always have a special place in my heart. She’s one of those iconic actors we thought would always be there, and losing them, like Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, or Diane Keaton, just feels incredibly painful. But just like them, O’Hara leaves behind such an incredible legacy that only a few people will. Her career is so rich, even I still have so many things to watch and to learn about the amazing artist and person that she was. And it’s crazy because no matter what’s been written in this piece, I feel it will never be enough to pay her the homage she truly deserves. 

Now I'm off to watch six seasons of SCTV, see you all later!
And happy heavenly birthday, Catherine.

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