‘Beetlejuice’ actress Catherine O’Hara dies at 71
Catherine O’Hara, remembered as the award-winning star of “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice,” and “Schitt’s Creek,” has died at the age of 71.
Hollywood is reeling from the shocking death of Catherine O’Hara, who starred as the eccentric Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek for six seasons.
“Schitt’s Creek” aired on CBC Television in Canada from 2015 to 2020, but gradually gained a devoted following in the United States when the comedy series began streaming on Netflix. A Fish Out of Water follows a wealthy family who loses their fortune and are forced to move to a motel in a small town.
The show won nine Emmy Awards during its run, including Best Comedy Series. O’Hara, Annie Murphy and Dan and Eugene Levy, who co-created the hit sitcom, also won individual acting awards.
Dan Levy paid tribute to his TV mom and real-life friend on Instagram, sharing a selfie of the two of them.
“What a gift it has been to dance in the warm light of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for so many years,” he wrote in the caption of the post. “Having worked with my father for over 50 years, Catherine was part of my extended family even before playing my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her. I will cherish all the funny memories I was lucky enough to make with her.”
O’Hara, who died on January 30 at the age of 71, was remembered by her co-star Karen Robinson, who played Ronnie Lee in Schitt’s Creek.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Robinson said, “I will forever treasure the immeasurable good fortune of sharing work and laughter with Catherine O’Hara’s genius.” “My heart breaks for her family and her friends and loved ones. Oh, Canada, I am so sorry. Katherine, thank you for everything you gave us before you left us. So much and so timeless that a part of you will always be with us.”
Jennifer Robertson, who played Jocelyn Schitt, recalled O’Hara’s “magical gift.”
“I am so sad to hear of the loss of Catherine. Being in Catherine O’Hara’s orbit was a beautiful and magical gift,” Robertson said in a statement to USA TODAY. “She was an absolute star and I never understood why people made such a fuss about her. Her death is a loss to everyone who knew and loved her. My deepest sympathies go out to Beau, her sons and the O’Hara family.”
Chris Elliott, who played Roland Schitt alongside Eugene Levy and O’Hara, said the world was shocked and saddened by the news of her death.
“Working with her and Eugene was a dream come true for me, made even more special because Katherine was such a warm-hearted, generous and humble human being,” Elliott said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “I will always remember the laughs we shared on and off screen, and I will never forget the fun shopping experiences we had at Joe Fresh.”
Variety and Deadline reported that O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles after a “brief illness,” according to her agency CAA.
O’Hara was beloved by many for her comedic performances in “Schitt’s Creek,” as well as Christopher Guest’s films “Waiting for Guffman,” “For Your Convention,” “Best in Show,” and the series “Beetlejuice” and “Home Alone.” Last year, she received Emmy nominations for her work on both the Apple TV+ comedy “The Studio” and the HBO drama “The Last of Us.”
Contributors: Kelly Lawler and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
