Cathrine O’Hara, who died in January at 71, was honoured at the 78th Emmy Awards by her former co-stars Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy.
O’Hara and Culkin starred in the 1990 Christmas classic “Home Alone. She starred with Murphy and Levy in the CBC sitcom “Schitt’s Creek.”
O’Hara’s death was announced by her agency, CAA. She died in her Los Angeles home following a brief illness.
Catherine O’Hara is honored by Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy in an emotional tribute at the #Emmys: “She was our mama.”
(via NBC/EMMYS) pic.twitter.com/jeTsKMAG1n
— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2026
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Her five-decade career in Hollywood began on the Canadian sketch comedy series “Second City Television.” The show, which she co-created with her future “Schitt’s Creek” co-star Eugene Levy, earned her an Emmy in 1982. She went on to star in films like O’Hara went on to star in films such as “After Hours,” “Beetlejuice” and the first two “Home Alone” movies, in which she played Culkin’s mother.
O’Hara also starred in several of Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Best in Show,” “For Your Consideration,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “A Mighty Wind.”
While O’Hara largely started her career in film, she experienced a career renaissance on TV in her 60s. It began with her role as Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.” She got her second Emmy for the part. The recognition led her to roles on HBO’s “The Last of Us” and Apple TV’s “The Studio.” The latter saw O’Hara play a storied Hollywood exec opposite Seth Rogen’s studio head.
While speaking to Variety about “The Studio” in 2025, O’Hara discussed how Hollywood has changed throughout her career. “It must be a much more nervous business now than in the past,” she said. “The internet and streaming must have opened up a world of good and horrific possibilities for people.”
From Variety US