What Catherine O’Hara wanted to be remembered for most before her death at 71

Catherine O’Hara, the Canadian and American actress and comedian who died on January 30 at age 71, once said the achievement she cherished most.

O’Hara’s career spanned decades and included unforgettable performances in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek. She won multiple Emmys and a Golden Globe, and her work continued into recent years with acclaimed roles in The Studio and The Last of Us.

Despite her success on screen, O’Hara told interviewers that her proudest role wasn’t a role or award, but the life she built with her family. She said being “mother of my children” was what mattered most to her. She placed great value on her family life with her husband, Bo Welch, and their sons, Matthew and Luke.

O’Hara met Welch on the set of Beetlejuice in 1988, and they married in 1992. 

In her later years, O’Hara continued working and earning honours, including an Emmy win in 2025 for The Studio and a career achievement award at TIFF. She died after being taken to the hospital in serious condition on January 30 after a medical emergency at her Los Angeles home.