Kate McCallister's Final Curtain: Catherine O'Hara Dies at 71 (5 photos + 1 video)
On January 30, 2026, Catherine O'Hara, a Canadian-American actress and screenwriter whose career spanned more than five decades, died in Los Angeles. 
She died at her private residence in Brentwood. Preliminary reports indicate the cause of death was a short illness complicated by respiratory failure. Her representatives confirmed that she passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. 
Catherine Ann O'Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto to an Irish Catholic family. Her journey into the entertainment industry began in the mid-1970s with the improv troupe The Second City. There, she developed a unique style that combined eccentricity and subtle psychological insight. This later led her to television, where she starred in the cult sketch show SCTV, where she not only acted but also wrote, for which she received her first Emmy Award in 1982.
The actress gained international fame in 1990 with the release of Chris Columbus's family comedy Home Alone. The role of Kate McCallister, the main character's mother, became central to her filmography. Initially, the character could have been relegated to the background, but O'Hara's performance added the necessary emotional weight to the film. Her character embodied the image of a modern mother, who goes from panic and guilt to decisive action to save her child.
The airport scenes and the famous cry of "Kevin!" have become part of popular culture, but professionals noted the dramatic quality of Katherine's performance. She developed many of the nuances of her character's behavior herself, including the dialogue in the truck with John Candy's character (her longtime colleague from SCTV). Her success was cemented in the 1992 sequel, after which Kate McCallister became the benchmark mother in Hollywood Christmas movies.
Besides family comedies, O'Hara became director Tim Burton's muse, starring in Beetlejuice (1988) and voicing Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). She was also a regular participant in Christopher Guest's mockumentary projects (such as Winning in Show), where she demonstrated her talent as an improviser.
A new surge in popularity occurred in 2015 with the release of the series "Schitt's Creek." Her role as former soap opera actress Moira Rose, with her distinctive accent and collection of hundreds of wigs, earned Catherine all the major US television awards, including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Her work on this project was critically acclaimed as a masterclass in comedic transformation.
Catherine O'Hara's personal life was considered one of the most stable in Hollywood. In 1992, she married production designer Beau Welch, whom she met on set. The couple have two adult sons, Matthew and Luke. The actress led a relatively private life, rarely appearing in tabloids, and was known for her philanthropy, supporting homeless charities in Canada and the United States.
Catherine O'Hara and her husband, Bo Welch, at the 2024 Academy Awards.
The actress's final big-screen role was in the 2024 sequel "Beetlejuice," where she reprised the role of Delia Deetz. O'Hara's career includes dozens of roles that remain relevant to audiences across generations.
