Catherine O’Hara is one of Canada’s most celebrated and influential performers, whose career spans television, film, voice work, and sketch comedy. She began her career in Canadian television and advertising before joining Toronto’s Second City, where her distinctive comedic voice quickly set her apart.
In the late 1970s, O’Hara became a core cast member of the groundbreaking sketch series SCTV, where she emerged as a trailblazing presence for women in comedy and helped redefine ensemble television comedy. Her work on SCTV laid the foundation for a career marked by fearless creativity and enduring cultural impact.
O’Hara went on to build an acclaimed film career, appearing in a wide range of iconic titles including After Hours, Beetlejuice, Dick Tracy, Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and a series of celebrated collaborations with director Christopher Guest, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.
From 2015 to 2020, she starred as Moira Rose on the Emmy-winning Canadian series Schitt’s Creek, a role that introduced her to a new generation of audiences and became one of the most lauded performances of her career. Her work on the series earned multiple Canadian Screen Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Over the course of her career, O’Hara has received numerous honours, including a Primetime Emmy Award, multiple Canadian Screen Awards, ACTRA Awards, and international recognition.
