Catherine O’Hara is a Canadian actress, comedian, writer and singer who has made significant contributions to the entertainment industry over the years. Born on Mar. 4, 1954, in Toronto, Canada, O’Hara was raised in a large family and developed an early interest in performing. She attended Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute and later pursued her studies in fine arts at Centennial College.
O’Hara’s career in entertainment started in the 1970s when she joined the Second City comedy troupe in Toronto, where she honed her skills as a performer and writer. She later joined the ensemble cast of the popular sketch comedy show “SCTV,” where she played several memorable characters, including the famous talk show hostess, Lola Heatherton. This marked the beginning of a successful career in comedy that would lead to numerous accolades and recognition in the years to come.
Throughout her career, O’Hara has had a number of standout roles in films and television shows. She has worked with prominent directors like Tim Burton and has been featured in classic films such as “Beetlejuice” and the holiday classic “Home Alone.” O’Hara is also known for her work as a voice actress and has lent her voice to several popular animated films, and TV shows, including the Disney/Pixar hit “Monster’s Inc.” and the acclaimed Canadian-American television series “Schitt’s Creek.”
O’Hara has received numerous accolades for her work over the years. She has been nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards and has won two, in addition to being nominated for several other awards.
While looks will always remain a fixture in the entertainment industry, O’Hara has refused to be swayed by the newest cosmetic trends, instead relying on more tried and tested skincare regimes to keep her looking youthful.
One of O’Hara’s most memorable roles was as Kate McCallister, the mother to Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister in the classic 1990 Christmas movie “Home Alone.” While it’s hard to imagine the film without O’Hara playing the mother of five, she almost didn’t get the part.
According to Metro, O’Hara wasn’t the producers’ first choice for the role. That honor went instead to another talented actress, Elizabeth Perkins, also the partner of the hit film’s cinematographer, Julio Macat. In Dec. 2022, Macat revealed producers had to go with their second choice when Perkins shot the offer down.
“‘John Hughes asked her to be the Catherine O’Hara role, and she wasn’t able to do it, she was busy,” Macat said.
In an ironic twist, O’Hara also could’ve missed out on another role that’s brought her a lot of success today – the part of Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.” Again, it’s hard to picture the sitcom without O’Hara’s familiar face in it, but the show’s star and creator, Eugene Levy, revealed she initially turned down the role.
“She was the very first. We had nobody else in mind besides Catherine. The thing was, Could we actually get her to do it?” Levy told Buzzfeed. Though she had already said no, Levy convinced her to just do the pilot presentation.
“He knew what he was doing. He knew I’d be in,” O’Hara remarked in the same Buzzfeed interview.
O’Hara went on to win her first acting Emmy for the role in 2020. The show, which first aired on Jan. 13, 2015, ran for six seasons, with the finale closing out the series on Apr. 7, 2020.
O’Hara turned 68 in 2022. In a notoriously youth-centric industry, it’s far from uncommon to read about speculation of aging stars going under the knife or getting injections in a bid to retain their youthful looks and remain relevant. Therefore, it’s refreshing to hear O’Hara’s take on beauty in which she shuns the cosmetic procedures so ubiquitous in this day and age.
The star said she finds absolutely nothing wrong with growing older and that she counted herself blessed simply to still have her health.
“First of all, I’m lucky to be alive, so I don’t mind aging,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. She also thanked “Schitt’s Creek” creators Levy and his son Dan Levy for creating roles for mature women and entrusting her with one of them on the show. “I’m so grateful that, thanks to the Levy gentlemen, I’ve been able to stay in my career.”
O’Hara is clearly aware of Hollywood’s penchant for squeezing older women out but was adamant she would never head down the artificial road.
“I’m a freak in that I’ve never had anything done to my face,” she added. “I don’t want to get surgery and I don’t want to get needles, other than acupuncture needles. I believe we should embrace and respect age and love ourselves for it.”
O’Hara also told Today: “I’m afraid of needles, except acupuncture needles.”
This may, in part, explain why O’Hara practices self-care by going down a fairly more traditional path.
“I wouldn’t mind spending a little more time and effort and money on good skin care. And I’m sure they’ll come out with, as they are doing, with more and more treatments that are noninvasive and healthy ways to keep your face looking as good as it can,” she added.
We think O’Hara looks absolutely stunning sans cosmetic procedures! What are your thoughts? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to friends and family as well.
