Actress, writer, singer, and one of Canada’s most celebrated comedians—Catherine Anne O’Hara has captivated audiences worldwide. Best known for her roles on SCTV (1976–79, 1981–83) and Schitt’s Creek (2015–20), as well as in films like Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), she has earned numerous accolades, including Emmy, Golden Globe, Gemini, Genie, and Canadian Screen Awards. An Officer of the Order of Canada and an inductee of Canada’s Walk of Fame, O’Hara received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2021. Read more about her remarkable journey on toronto-trend.
Early Life and Career
Catherine Anne O’Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto, as one of seven children. Her younger sister, Mary Margaret O’Hara, is a renowned singer-songwriter. Catherine attended Burnhamthorpe Collegiate High School, where she was classmates with future comedian Robin Duke.
After high school, O’Hara worked as a waitress at Toronto’s Second City Theatre. She became an understudy for Gilda Radner and joined the main cast when Radner left in 1974. By 1975, O’Hara was appearing in guest roles on CBC shows like Coming Up Rosie and The Wayne and Shuster Show. She became part of the inaugural cast of SCTV in 1976, where she quickly earned acclaim for her comedic versatility.
O’Hara’s iconic SCTV characters include lounge singer Lola Heatherton, sultry Lolee Falana, and clueless comedian Dusty Towne. Her impersonations of celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Taylor, and Katharine Hepburn also became fan favourites. Known for her physical comedy and emotional depth, O’Hara demonstrated her ability to bring dramatic nuance to comedic roles.
O’Hara briefly left SCTV in 1980 to join Saturday Night Live, but departed after one week. She returned to SCTV for a season in 1981.
Film Career
While still working on SCTV, O’Hara began appearing in films such as Rock & Rule (1983), After Hours (1985), and Heartburn (1986), starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. She gained widespread recognition as Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988).
Catherine O’Hara reached one of her greatest milestones by playing the mother of Kevin McCallister (portrayed by Macaulay Culkin) in Christopher Columbus’s blockbuster Home Alone (1990). The film grossed nearly $500 million worldwide, particularly resonating with audiences during the holiday season. Its massive success inspired the creation of a sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), in which O’Hara reprised her role.
O’Hara’s work as part of Christopher Guest’s acting and directing ensemble, including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006), exemplifies her versatility as both a brilliant comedian and an exceptional performer.
Fans often speculate about her relationship with fellow SCTV and Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy. It’s easy to see why. O’Hara and Levy play an eccentric suburban couple devoted to their terriers in Best in Show and former folk singers/lovers Mitch and Mickey in A Mighty Wind. Their heartfelt performance in the latter led them to perform the Oscar-nominated song “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” during the 2004 Academy Awards ceremony.
In the satirical awards-season comedy For Your Consideration, O’Hara delivered one of her finest performances as Marilyn Hack, an actress yearning for an Academy Award nomination while industry buzz portrays her as merely a contender. O’Hara modeled Hack’s sharp voice and lifted eyebrows on CBC broadcasters, and critics unanimously praised her nuanced performance, describing it as worthy of an award itself.
Catherine O’Hara’s filmography spans a wide range of genres, including roles in Dick Tracy (1990), Wyatt Earp (1994), and The Life Before This (1999) with Sarah Polley—a performance that earned her a Genie Award. Other notable films include Speaking of Sex (2001), Orange County (2002), Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) with Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep, Penelope (2006), Good Behavior (2008), Away We Go (2009), Killers (2010), Temple Grandin (2010)—for which she received Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations—and The Right Kind of Wrong (2013).
As with many of her SCTV peers, O’Hara has lent her voice to numerous animated films, including Chicken Little (2005), Over the Hedge (2006), Monster House (2006), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), A Monster in Paris (2011), and When Marnie Was There (2014). Particularly noteworthy are her roles in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Frankenweenie (2012), where her vocal talents helped bring beloved characters to life.
Television Career
Catherine O’Hara, beyond her performances on SCTV, has an extensive television career spanning both comedies and dramas. While her film career primarily flourished in Hollywood, O’Hara has appeared on both American and Canadian television. In 1995, she received the Earl Grey Award for her contributions to Canadian television at the Gemini Awards. Her television work includes the animated series The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley (1988), based on Martin Short’s popular SCTV character, the miniseries Morton & Hayes (1991) with Christopher Guest, Tales from the Crypt (1994), The Outer Limits (1997), for which she directed an episode in 1998, Twice in a Lifetime (2001), Six Feet Under (2003, 2005), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2009), the animated series Odd Job Jack (2003), Glenn Martin, DDS (2009–10), as well as appearances on 30 Rock (2012) and Modern Family (2015).
In 2015, O’Hara reunited with Eugene Levy for the CBC sitcom Schitt’s Creek, where she portrayed the eccentric soap opera star Moira Rose. The series follows a wealthy couple, played by O’Hara and Levy, who lose their fortune and relocate to the small town of Schitt’s Creek, which they had jokingly purchased years prior. Schitt’s Creek became one of CBC’s most critically acclaimed shows in recent years, averaging over a million viewers in its first season. It also became CBC’s most-watched online comedy. Catherine won five consecutive Canadian Screen Awards for her role in Schitt’s Creek. In 2016, O’Hara and her co-star Eugene Levy were honored with the Legacy Award at the Canadian Screen Awards.
Music Career
O’Hara is also a talented singer and songwriter. She contributed to the Grammy-nominated album A Mighty Wind, wrote songs for The Last Polka (1985), and was part of the charity single Tears Are Not Enough by Northern Lights. She also lent her voice to soundtracks for The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Best in Show (2000).
Personal Life
Catherine met her husband, production designer Bo Welch, on the set of Beetlejuice. They married in 1992 and have two sons, Matthew and Luke.
Catherine O’Hara’s unparalleled talent, versatility, and charm have made her a beloved figure in Canadian and global entertainment.
