‘Schitt’s Creek’ star Catherine O’Hara passes away after ‘brief illness’

LOS ANGELES — Two-time Emmy-winning actor Catherine O’Hara, who starred in “Home Alone” and “Schitt’s Creek,” passed away aged 71 following a brief illness. 

O’Hara’s manager confirmed to variety.com. According to her agency CAA, O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.

Her career in Hollywood spanned five decades, beginning with the Canadian sketch comedy series “Second City Television,” which she created with Eugene Levy, and for which she earned her first Emmy and earned four nominations. O’Hara went on to star in films such as “After Hours,” “Beetlejuice” and the first two “Home Alone” movies, in which she played the mother of Macaulay Culkin’s character, Kevin.

She maintained a close friendship with Culkin and honored him at his Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.

She was a frequent collaborator of Christopher Guest’s, appearing in his mockumentary films “Best in Show,” “For Your Consideration,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind.” She had also voiced roles in animated features such as“The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Chicken Little.”

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O’Hara’s recent roles also included the legacy sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” in which she reprised her role as Delia Deetz, and the Apple action film “Argylle.”

The actress experienced a career renaissance in her 1960s, starting with her role as riches-to-rags housewife Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom “Schitt’s Creek,” in which she starred opposite Eugene and Dan Levy and Annie Murphy, reports variety.com.

She won her second Emmy for “Schitt’s Creek,” which helped her into other major TV roles in “The Last of Us” and “The Studio.”