Catherine O’Hara’s passing at 71 closes a chapter on one of comedy’s most distinctive, generous voices. From her early days in Toronto to becoming a fixture on screens worldwide, she built a career on characters who were both absurd and achingly human. Whether as the panicked, determined mother racing home in Home Alone or the gloriously eccentric Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, she made people feel seen even while they laughed.

Colleagues remember a performer who showed up prepared, humble, and kind, always lifting others around her. Off camera, she guarded a quiet, grounded life with her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, keeping family at the center of everything. As audiences return to her films and shows, the shock of her absence slowly gives way to gratitude. Her work remains, a gallery of unforgettable characters that will keep sparking joy, comfort, and laughter for generations.