Facts for Kids

Catherine O'Hara was a talented actress, comedian, and writer from Canada. Born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, she brought laughter and joy to people around the world for more than 50 years. With her funny faces, silly voices, and clever jokes, she starred in movies, TV shows, and cartoons that families love.

She won big awards like two Emmy Awards—that's like getting gold stars for the best TV writing and acting. Catherine also earned a Golden Globe and other honors. Her movies made billions of dollars and touched millions of hearts. In 2017, Canada gave her a special title, Officer of the Order of Canada, for her amazing work.

Catherine's career showed how one person's creativity can brighten lives everywhere.

Catherine shone in many hit movies. In 1988, she played spooky mom Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, a funny film about ghosts and a striped-suited monster. Two years later, in 1990, she was busy mom Kate McCallister in Home Alone, chasing her mischievous son Kevin. She returned as Kate in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.

She lent her voice to Sally and Shock in the creepy-cool The Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993. Catherine teamed up with director Christopher Guest for mockumentaries like Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), and A Mighty Wind (2003), pretending to be quirky characters at dog shows and music festivals.

Later, she voiced fun roles in animated movies like Over the Hedge (2006), Elemental (2023), and The Wild Robot (2024), plus reprised Delia in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

Catherine O'Hara has won many shiny awards for her amazing acting and writing. Early in her career, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for writing funny sketches on *SCTV*. She has picked up two Emmy Awards overall, plus a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Her role in *Schitt's Creek* brought even more honors. In the final season, she swept top prizes like the Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, and TCA awards. She also won six Canadian Screen Awards for that show.

In 2017, Canada made her an Officer of the Order of Canada for her talents. These awards celebrate how Catherine brings joy and laughter to audiences everywhere.

Catherine O'Hara grew up in a big, happy family in Toronto, Ontario. She was born on March 4, 1954, as the sixth of seven children. Her parents, Margaret and Marcus, came from Irish roots, and the family followed the Catholic faith. She even had a sister, Mary Margaret, who became a musician and actress too.

As a kid, Catherine loved making people laugh. She went to Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute and graduated in 1974. Growing up in a lively home probably helped her learn how to act silly and tell stories. This fun childhood set her on the path to comedy.

Catherine began her career doing sketch comedy—that's short, funny skits—and improvisational comedy, where performers make up jokes on the spot. In 1974, she joined The Second City, a famous comedy group in Toronto.

Soon, she moved to their touring show in Chicago and even filled in for comedian Gilda Radner. In 1976, she became a star on SCTV, a hilarious TV show full of pretend news, ads, and movie spoofs. Catherine played many wild characters and helped write the scripts. For her great writing, she won a Primetime Emmy Award.

She took short breaks from SCTV but always came back, staying until 1984. This show was her breakthrough, launching her into the spotlight.

Catherine O'Hara became a huge star playing Moira Rose in the funny TV show *Schitt's Creek*. From 2015 to 2020, she acted alongside Eugene Levy, who played her husband. Moira is a glamorous mom who moves to a tiny town called Schitt's Creek with her family. Catherine made Moira's wild outfits and dramatic voice so memorable that fans loved every episode!

She also starred as the sneaky Dr. Georgina Orwell in *A Series of Unfortunate Events* in 2017. Plus, she appeared in the special movie *Temple Grandin* in 2010, earning a big nomination. In 2025, Catherine had exciting roles in *The Studio* and a guest spot in *The Last of Us*, getting more nominations for her great acting.

These shows show how Catherine shines in comedy and drama alike.