On January 30, renowned actress and comedy legend Catherine O’Hara passed away at the age of 71.
Famously known for her roles in “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice,” “Best in Show,” O’Hara also recently starred in critically acclaimed series like “Schitt’s Creek” and “The Studio.”
A Canadian star beloved by her Hollywood peers, O’Hara is now being remembered for her warmth, generosity, and quick wit.
“Oh, genius to be near you,” her “Last of Us” costar Pedro Pascal wrote on Instagram. “Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always. Always.”
Outside of acting, O’Hara did extensive philanthropic work.
Image via City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 200, Series 1281, File 2251.
For years, O’Hara supported the Terry Fox Foundation, a charity that has raised over $950 million for cancer research since 1981. The foundation is built in memory of Terry Fox, a young athlete who was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma at just 18.
After his right leg was amputated, he ran across Canada in 1980 with his prosthetic leg to spread cancer awareness. He covered 3,338 miles in 143 days before cancer spread to his lungs, and he was forced to stop. O’Hara, a long-time supporter, often partnered with the foundation as a spokesperson for their annual Terry Fox Run.
“Keep Terry’s dream alive,” O’Hara said in March 2024, while wearing a Terry Fox shirt with a slogan that read: “No Matter What.”
In May 2020, Catherine O’Hara competed in a celebrity episode of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” and won $250,000. She donated every cent to Upward Bound House, a nonprofit that provides housing assistance to families experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.
“They stay in touch with other homeless shelters, organizations, and agencies in Los Angeles to find homeless families with children,” O’Hara explained backstage before the show. “So instead of separating children from their parents — as if they need that in those moments — they set them up in an apartment.”
“They provide them not only a home, but all of their specific needs for that family, for those children, work, school, any kind of counseling, and meals! And within a year, in most cases, they have moved the families out to their own permanent homes.”
In November 2024, O’Hara partnered with the University Health Network of Canada to raise funds for the hospital’s advanced Parkinson’s research.
“I’m Catherine O’Hara, a proud Canadian. I currently reside in the U.S., but that doesn’t stop me from bragging about Canada’s health care,” she joked in the video.
“University Health Network is Canada’s number one hospital,” she said. “They are world-class, thanks to their life-changing innovations like implanting devices that stimulate the brain and reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s.”
The procedures used at the University Health Network’s Krembil Brain Institute help minimize the symptoms and side effects of Parkinson’s disease.
You can still donate to the cause at the university’s website.
Header image via John Sears (CC BY-SA 4.0)
