The actor who played Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek and Macaulay Culkin’s mum in Home Alone has died aged 71
When I met Catherine O’Hara, the most striking thing about her was how different—and yet oddly similar—she was from the television character with whom she would become inextricably linked, the ditzy, disenfranchised soap opera diva Moira Rose. Schitt Creek.
Of course, the two women were very different from each other in reality. Moira Rose was an absurd and ridiculous, completely fictional comedy construct designed to emphasize in every way that she had lost her wealth and fame and had become disconnected from the real world.
A much more worldly, down-to-earth, honest and deeply real personality was the actor and comedian Catherine O’Hara, who earned the respect of her peers and the admiration of film and television audiences everywhere throughout a career that spanned five decades.
But still, in our interviews, somewhere behind the sparkling eyes and disarming smile of reality, there were glimpses of the fictional madwoman. Catherine O’Hara was always there and her thoughts were clear. But somewhere in there, there were traces of all the women he played with.
O’Hara, who died at the age of 71 after a short illness, was perhaps proof that the greatest fictional performances of the time were grounded in a grain of reality. And all the great actors, despite their mastery, often play layers of themselves.
And somewhere behind the elegant, gentle appearance of the real woman lay a thousand other faces: Moira Rose, of course, but also Delia Deetz insect juiceKate McCallister Home Alone movies by Marilyn Heck For your consideration and Cookie Fleck is inside Best in Show.
O’Hara began his career in sketch and improv comedy; It was an education that underpinned everything he did. Characters like Moira Rose, whose accent is as inexplicable as cheese folding, and Cookie Fleck, whose sexual exploits are legendary, would not be possible without this.
When he and I talk about the growing internet popularity of the internet in 2020 Schitt CreekO’Hara, who has inexplicably become a cultural talisman in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, was struck by how something as trivial as a television comedy could be so powerful in the face of real horror.
“It was a sign of hope,” O’Hara said. “Not only can family members and friends grow together and grow in love, but also that the world can be better in how we treat each other. Of course, there are millions of good people spreading kindness in the world. But in these terrible days, you need anything to give you a little hope.”
strength Schitt CreekIt was also because it was more than just a television comedy. It was the story of a rich family who had never really interacted and ended up having to take care of each other. After all, this was a show about our common humanity. That’s why and why O’Hara’s performance resonated so strongly.
Remarkably, this was a role he delegated several times. Until the show’s creators and stars, Eugene and Dan Levy, decided to look for him once again. Why? O’Hara’s birth as a sketch actor left her indecisive when it came to anything resembling a potentially long-running role.
“Thank God I said yes,” O’Hara told me. “I’ve done films, but this is a three-month job at most. I think it was more fear-based. The concept of becoming attached to a single character.”
O’Hara was always charming in conversation. In an industry where many artists have mentors who try to impose rigid parameters or struggle to stay ahead of the headlines, O’Hara was relaxed and friendly, always speaking with sincerity and heart.
He was very proud of his Canadian heritage and credited it—and his early steps in comedy—for keeping his business solid.
“I grew up in a different time than now, there was no internet, so in my experience, we were very influenced by comedies like Monty Python and comedies from England, Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom rather than comedies from the United States,” O’Hara said.
“In my experience, we didn’t have such a strong sense of nationalism,” he added. “Our sense of humor was not just to make fun of the rest of the world, but to make fun of ourselves, which I think is the healthiest sense of humor you can have. It’s lovely. I hope we maintain the Canadian humility that we’re so proud of.”
Iconic acting instructor Stella Adler once said: “The play is not in the words, it is in you.” And in this sense, O’Hara’s true legacy is an extraordinary body of work.
As an actor, he leaves behind the rarest of gifts: his art has always been translated into films. The flesh-and-blood woman may pass away, but what remains is a collection of performances immortalized on film reels brought to life by the reflection of a single beam of light. Spell? Very likely.
“Gossip is the devil’s phone. It’s best to hang up.” “This wine is awful. Bring me another glass.” “It’s best not to count your poultry before they hatch.” “Who has time with all this chaos? Meetings and such are absolutely overwhelming me.” And of course: “Fold in the cheese.”
It was certainly funny, but O’Hara also showed off her talents with great dramatic performances, including her portrayal of the patient and supportive Aunt Ann. Temple Grandin (2010) and as the unstable, manipulative Carol Word Six Feet Under (2003-2005).
O’Hara’s work was recognized with two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards during her lifetime. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2017. She is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and two sons, Matthew and Luke.
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Michael Idato is general culture editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect with: X or email.
