Renowned actress Catherine O’Hara, celebrated for her roles in Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek, has passed away at the age of 71.
The beloved Canadian-born actress died at her Los Angeles residence after a brief illness, as confirmed by her agency in a statement.
Early on Friday morning, at 4:48 am (11:48 pm AEDT), the Los Angeles Fire Department was called to O’Hara’s home. She was transported to the hospital in serious condition, as reported by Page Six.
Paramedic dispatch audio indicated that O’Hara was experiencing breathing difficulties. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead a few hours later at the hospital.
The specific cause of her death remains undisclosed.
The cause of her death has not been revealed.
O’Hara had been starring in the hit sitcom The Studio, which was just about to launch its second season after scooping a number of Emmys last year on debut.
The two-time Emmy-winning actor, who was born in Toronto, was known for comedic roles in a career spanning five decades â from Kevin’s beleaguered mum in Home Alone to the iconic Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek.
O’Hara’s career was launched at the Second City in Toronto in the 1970s, an improvisation and sketch comedy theatre group.
It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator – and her Schitt’s Creek co-star.
The two would be among the original cast of the sketch show SCTV, which would help launch the careers of other top Canadian comedians, like Martin Short and Andrea Martin.
It also gave O’Hara the first of her Emmy Awards in 1982, her second coming from Schitt’s Creek in 2020, a sitcom that won her a new legion of fans.
Her role as matriarch Moira Rose also earned her a Golden Globe and two Actor Awards (formerly known as SAG Awards).
O’Hara also frequently collaborated with director Christopher Guest, starring in many of his iconic mockumentaries, including Waiting for Guffman, For Your Consideration and Best in Show.
She also starred in Tim Burton’s 1988 hit Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, alongside Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.
O’Hara’s dramatic turn in HBO’s The Last of Us earned her an Emmy nomination, as did her recent role as a Hollywood producer in The Studio.
The actor is survived by her husband of 33 years, Bo Welch, and sons Matthew, 31, and Luke, 29.
A private celebration of life will be held by the family, according to her agency.
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