Catherine O'Hara, beloved actress from 'Home Alone' and 'Schitt's Creek,' dies at 71

Catherine O'Hara, the Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian known for iconic roles in "Home Alone," "Schitt's Creek" and "Beetlejuice," died Friday at age 71. Her manager confirmed the death.

O'Hara was born in Toronto in 1954 and began her acting career in the 1970s as a cast member of The Second City, the improvisational comedy troupe. She went on to become one of the original ensemble members of the legendary Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV, where she worked alongside notable comedians including John Candy, Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy, who would later play her husband in "Schitt's Creek."

Her film career spanned decades and included prominent roles in "Home Alone," where she played the mother of Kevin McAlister, and its sequels. She appeared in Tim Burton-directed films including "Beetlejuice" (1988), "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) and "Frankenweenie" (2012). O'Hara also starred in Christopher Guest mockumentaries "Best in Show" (2000) and "A Mighty Wind" (2003).

In "Schitt's Creek," O'Hara portrayed Moira Rose across 80 episodes, a role for which she won an Emmy Award. She earned two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lead Actress for her work on the series. More recently, she appeared in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," reprising her role as Delia Deetz, and earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work in season two of the HBO Max series "The Last of Us" and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for "The Studio," a hit comedy series from Point Grey Pictures for Apple TV.

O'Hara was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honors, in 2017. She is survived by her husband and children. Her manager did not provide details about the cause of death or specify where she died, though sources indicate she passed away at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.