Catherine O'Hara
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Catherine Anne O'Hara, born March 4th, 1954, is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She launched her career in sketch and improvisational comedy, gracing both film and television before fearlessly venturing into dramatic roles. Her talent has been recognized with numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Her journey began with the sketch comedy series *Second City Television* from 1976 to 1984, where she clinched a Primetime Emmy Award. She later captivated audiences in films like *After Hours*, *Heartburn*, *Beetlejuice*, and the iconic *Home Alone* films. A frequent collaborator with Christopher Guest, she shone in his mockumentary masterpieces: *Waiting for Guffman*, *Best in Show*, *A Mighty Wind*, and *For Your Consideration*. Her versatile voice has also breathed life into characters in animated features such as *The Nightmare Before Christmas*, *Chicken Little*, *Over the Hedge*, *Monster House*, *Frankenweenie*, and the recent *Elemental*.
A career resurgence came with her unforgettable portrayal of Moira Rose in the beloved CBC sitcom *Schitt's Creek* (2015–2020). This role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. Previously, she garnered an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Temple Grandin's aunt in the HBO film *Temple Grandin* (2010). Her television work extends to the HBO drama series *Six Feet Under*, the Netflix series *A Series of Unfortunate Events*, the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series *The Studio*, and the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series *The Last of Us*, both slated for 2025.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Catherine O'Hara grew up as the sixth of seven children, embracing her Irish heritage and Catholic upbringing. She is the elder sister to musician and actress Mary Margaret O'Hara.
O'Hara's comedic roots were firmly planted in 1974 as a cast member of The Second City in her hometown. She even understudied the legendary Gilda Radner before Radner's leap to *Saturday Night Live*. Two years later, this troupe birthed the sketch comedy show *SCTV*, where O'Hara became a regular. The late 1970s saw her lend her voice to numerous cartoons, a craft she continued throughout her career. During a brief hiatus for *SCTV* in the early 1980s, she was tapped to replace Ann Risley on *Saturday Night Live* when it underwent a retooling in 1981. However, she departed before appearing on air, choosing to return to *SCTV* when it secured a deal with NBC. While rumors of conflict with writer Michael O'Donoghue circulated, O'Hara clarified that her departure stemmed from a dislike for living in New York City.
Her television expansion began in the mid-1970s with a small sketch role as a maid in a 1975 Wayne and Shuster special. She also appeared in the 1976 television film *The Rimshots*, the children's series *Coming Up Rosie*, and television specials like *Witch's Night Out* and *Intergalactic Thanksgiving*. Her performances on *SCTV*, which gained national and international recognition, earned her significant fame. She returned to the show for its NBC run as *SCTV Network 90*, where her writing contributions garnered an Emmy Award and two nominations. She departed again before the fifth season in 1982 but made occasional guest appearances until the show's conclusion in 1984. O'Hara has continued to grace television series and films, including guest spots on *Tales from the Crypt*, *Oh Baby*, *Morton & Hayes*, and *The Larry Sanders Show*, and even served as actress and director on *Dream On* and *The Outer Limits*.
She's guest-starred on top-rated series like *Six Feet Under* and *Curb Your Enthusiasm*. In 2008, she signed on for the ABC dramedy *Good Behavior*. Her role in the 2010 television film *Temple Grandin* earned her three award nominations: a Primetime Emmy, a Satellite Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
O'Hara's film career is equally impressive. Her feature debut was in the 1980 film *Double Negative*, alongside her *SCTV* co-stars. Throughout the 80s and 90s, she delivered memorable supporting performances in films such as Martin Scorsese's *After Hours* and *Heartburn*, and notably as Delia Deetz in the horror-comedy *Beetlejuice*. In 1990, she appeared in *Dick Tracy* and *Betsy's Wedding*, before starring as Kate McCallister in the blockbuster comedy *Home Alone* and its sequel.
Her prolific filmography continued through the 1990s and into the 21st century, with roles in *The Paper* and *Wyatt Earp*. She garnered acclaim for her work in four of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, including *Waiting for Guffman*, *Best in Show*, *A Mighty Wind*, and *For Your Consideration*. Her performance in *The Life Before This* earned her a Genie Award. She also graced the tenth series of the British *Whose Line Is It Anyway?* and appeared in *Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events* and the fantasy film *Penelope*.
As a voice artist, O'Hara has been a part of *The Nightmare Before Christmas*, *Bartok the Magnificent*, *Chicken Little*, *Over the Hedge*, *Monster House*, *Brother Bear 2*, *Where the Wild Things Are*, *Frankenweenie*, *The Addams Family*, *Extinct*, *Elemental*, and *The Wild Robot*.
Her starring role as Moira Rose in *Schitt's Creek* from 2015 to 2020, alongside her long-time collaborator Eugene Levy, brought her widespread acclaim. She swept the major TV awards for the final season, securing a TCA Award, a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She also portrayed Dr. Georgina Orwell in the Netflix series *A Series of Unfortunate Events*, with two episodes directed by her husband, Bo Welch. O'Hara also reprised her role as Delia Deetz in the 2024 sequel, *Beetlejuice Beetlejuice*.
Starting in 2025, O'Hara is set to star in the Apple TV+ satirical comedy series *The Studio*, for which she received a Primetime Emmy nomination. She also guest-starred as Gail Lynden in the second season of HBO's *The Last of Us*.
In 1983, O'Hara described herself as "pretty much a good Catholic girl at heart." She met production designer Bo Welch on the set of *Beetlejuice*, and they married in 1992, raising two sons, Matthew and Luke. Her sister, Mary Margaret O'Hara, is a singer-songwriter, a talent Catherine also possesses, having written and performed songs in *A Mighty Wind*.
O'Hara was named honorary mayor of Brentwood, Los Angeles, in 2021. She lives with situs inversus, a condition where major internal organs are reversed. She maintains a close friendship with *Home Alone* co-star Macaulay Culkin and holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.
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Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She started her career in sketch and improvisational comedy in film and television before expanding her career taking dramatic roles. She has received several accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She started her career in the sketch comedy series Second City Television (1976–1984) where she won the Primetime Emmy Award. She gained acclaim acting in films such as After Hours (1985), Heartburn (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). She collaborated with Christopher Guest acting in his mockumentary films Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). She also voiced roles in films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Chicken Little (2005), Over the Hedge (2006), Monster House (2006), Frankenweenie (2012), and Elemental (2023).
She gained a career resurgence for her role as Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek (2015–2020), earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. She was previously Emmy-nominated for her portrayal of Temple Grandin's aunt in the HBO film Temple Grandin (2010). She also acted in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2003–2005), the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017–2018), the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio (2025), and the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2025).
== Early life ==
Catherine Anne O'Hara was born on March 4, 1954, and she grew up in Toronto, Ontario, the sixth of seven children. She is of Irish descent and was raised Catholic. She is the older sister to musician and actress Mary Margaret O'Hara.
In 1974, O'Hara graduated from Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute.
== Career ==
O'Hara started her comedy career in 1974 as a cast member of The Second City in her hometown, Toronto. She was an understudy for Gilda Radner until Radner left for Saturday Night Live. Two years later, this theatre troupe created the sketch comedy show SCTV, for which O'Hara became a regular performer. In the late 1970s, she provided voice-overs for a number of cartoons, work which would continue throughout her career. During a short time in the early 1980s when SCTV was in between network deals, she was hired to replace Ann Risley when Saturday Night Live was being retooled in 1981. However, she quit the show without appearing on air, choosing to go back to SCTV when the show signed on with NBC. She was long rumored to have left SNL due to conflicts with volatile writer Michael O'Donoghue, but O'Hara denied these claims and said she left the show due to her dislike for living in New York City.
O'Hara expanded her career on television in the mid-1970s. She appeared in a small sketch role as a maid in a 1975 Wayne and Shuster special on CBC. She appeared in the 1976 television film The Rimshots, the children's television series Coming Up Rosie for a season (1976–77), and television specials, such as Witch's Night Out and Intergalactic Thanksgiving. Her performances on SCTV, which began airing locally in Southern Ontario in the fall of 1976, earned her fame in Canada. The show gradually built up a national and then international following in syndication. O'Hara left SCTV for a time, missing the 1980–81 season, but returned to the show in time for its pickup by the NBC television network in the US, when it became known as SCTV Network 90. O'Hara's work as a writer on the show earned her an Emmy Award for outstanding writing and two Emmy Award nominations. She left SCTV again prior to its fifth season in 1982, but did return for occasional guest appearances through the show's end in 1984. O'Hara has appeared in a number of television series and television films and continues to work in television. During the 1990s, she made guest appearances on Tales from the Crypt, Oh Baby, Morton & Hayes and The Larry Sanders Show. She served as actress and director on Dream On and The Outer Limits, the revival of the '60s series of the same name.
O'Hara has guest-starred on top-rated television series including Six Feet Under and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In May 2008, it was announced that she had signed on to star in the upcoming ABC dramedy Good Behavior. Her role in the 2010 television film Temple Grandin earned her three award nominations: a Primetime Emmy Award, a Satellite Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
O'Hara has a successful career in film. She made her feature debut in the 1980 film Double Negative, which also starred her SCTV co-stars John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Joe Flaherty. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, O'Hara appeared in many supporting roles, including Martin Scorsese's After Hours (1985) and Heartburn (1986). She appeared as Delia Deetz in the horror-comedy film Beetlejuice (1988). In 1990, O'Hara had roles in the films Dick Tracy and Betsy's Wedding. She then starred as Kate McCallister in the blockbuster comedy film Home Alone (1990) and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Also in 1992, O'Hara appeared in the comedy There Goes the Neighborhood.
O'Hara continued to appear in many films during the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century. In 1994, she appeared in the comedy-drama film The Paper and the Western film Wyatt Earp. She received roles in four of Christopher Guest's mockumentary films, three of which earned her awards and nominations: Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). Her role in 1999's The Life Before This won her a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. She appeared in the tenth series of the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? In 2004, she appeared with Jim Carrey in the black comedy film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and in 2006, she starred with Christina Ricci in the fantasy film Penelope.
O'Hara has served as a voice artist in a number of animated films, including The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Bartok the Magnificent (1999), Chicken Little (2005), Over the Hedge (2006), Monster House (2006), Brother Bear 2 (2006), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), Frankenweenie (2012), The Addams Family (2019), Extinct (2021), Elemental (2023), and The Wild Robot (2024).
From 2015 to 2020, O'Hara co-starred as Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek, alongside Eugene Levy, with whom she had worked on TV, in films, and as a Second City cast member on stage in 1974. Her performance in Schitt's Creek earned her six Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She swept the five major TV awards for the 6th and final season, winning a TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy, a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.
She appeared as Dr. Georgina Orwell in the first season of the Netflix black comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017. Two of her episodes were directed by her husband Bo Welch who served as production designer for the series. She was the only cast member from the 2004 film adaptation to be re-cast in the TV series as well. She appears on the revival of another Canadian sketch comedy staple The Kids in the Hall, in its second episode as Charlene, a Friend of the Kids in the Hall. O'Hara reprised her role as Delia Deetz in the Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in 2024.
Starting in 2025, O'Hara's had a main role in the Apple TV+ satirical comedy series The Studio. She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She guest-starred as Gail Lynden in the second season of the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us.
== Personal life ==
In 1983, O'Hara told Rolling Stone, "I'm pretty much a good Catholic girl at heart." O'Hara met production designer Bo Welch on the set of Beetlejuice. They married in 1992 and have two sons: Matthew (b. 1994) and Luke (b. 1997). Her sister is singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O'Hara; Catherine is a singer-songwriter in her own right, having written and performed songs in Christopher Guest's film A Mighty Wind.
O'Hara was named honorary mayor of Brentwood, Los Angeles, for 2021.
She has situs inversus, a condition where major internal organs are reversed from their normal positions.
O'Hara maintains a close friendship with Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin, and was present when he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
=== Television ===
=== Music videos ===
=== Video games ===
== Awards and nominations ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Catherine O'Hara at IMDb
Catherine O'Hara at Northernstars.ca
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