The world is grieving the loss of renowned actress Catherine O’Hara, who once shared the role she wished to be most remembered for.
O’Hara’s agent confirmed her passing at her Los Angeles home on January 30 following a brief illness. Throughout a 50-year career in film and television, she took on numerous memorable roles in classic films and television shows. Her performances included an iconic role in the 1980s horror-comedy *Beetlejuice*, the voice of rag doll Sally in *The Nightmare Before Christmas*, and the mother of Kevin in *Home Alone* and its sequel *Home Alone 2*.
Her portrayal of the eccentric Moira Rose in *Schitt’s Creek* marked a significant resurgence in her career. The comedy follows the formerly wealthy Rose family as they adjust to life in a motel in a town they once purchased as a joke. O’Hara’s depiction of Moira, a flamboyant former Broadway actor with an ever-changing accent and an impressive wardrobe saved from their financial downfall, stood out among a cast filled with strong performances.
Despite her varied and successful career, O’Hara once revealed, in an interview before her passing, the role she would most like to be remembered for.
When asked by a reporter, O’Hara simply stated: “Mother of my children.”
O’Hara was the proud mother of two sons with her husband Bo Welch. Her agent confirmed that the family plans to hold a private celebration of her life. Matthew and Luke, her sons, have both pursued careers in film and television as set designers. The actress even mentioned in Vanity Fair that she had the opportunity to work alongside her sons on *Schitt’s Creek*, with one as a set dresser and the other involved in set construction.
In a 2024 episode of the *Wiser Than Me* podcast, she spoke about the significance of family when contemplating a job offer in London.
“In deciding what work I might get involved in for my whole working life, my family’s always come first,” she explained.
“I have two sons, and when they were babies, I thought, ‘What’s the point?’ What’s the point in having children if I’m not going to be with them, so that was always number one consideration and always will be.”
Tributes have flooded in for the actress since her passing on January 30, with one notable tribute coming from her *Schitt’s Creek* co-star and longtime friend Eugene Levy.
Levy, who played Johnny Rose, Moira’s devoted husband and comedic straight-man, expressed his sorrow: “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today. I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years.
“From our beginnings on the *Second City* stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on *Schitt’s Creek*, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship.”