Catherine O’Hara was the best part of any scene

Catherine O’Hara’s death at age 71 marks the end of a remarkable career that transformed comedy across generations. Known for her fearless performances and distinctive characters, O’Hara leaves behind a legacy that blended outrageous comedy with surprising emotional depth.

The Canadian-born actress brought humanity to even her most eccentric roles. From her unforgettable portrayal of the linguistically innovative Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek” to her panicked mother Kate McCallister screaming “KEVIN!” in “Home Alone,” O’Hara consistently elevated material through her commitment to finding the truth within absurdity.

“She changed how so many of us understand comedy and humanity,” fellow comedian Kevin Nealon remarked, succinctly capturing her unique ability to balance humor with heart.

At the time of her death, O’Hara was still breaking new ground professionally. Her recent role as ousted studio executive Patty Leigh in “The Studio” demonstrated her continued relevance and ability to reinvent herself decades into her career.

Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, who worked with O’Hara on “The Studio,” paid tribute on social media: “She was the kindest and the classiest. How could she also have been the funniest person in the world?”

O’Hara’s journey to stardom was far from guaranteed. Born into a large Catholic family with no entertainment connections, she discovered her passion for comedy in high school, developing an obsession with Monty Python. Her entry into the industry came through Toronto’s renowned Second City comedy troupe, where she initially worked as a server before joining the cast in 1974 after being rejected in her first audition.

By 1976, O’Hara had become an essential cast member of “SCTV,” the groundbreaking Canadian sketch comedy show where she honed her skills alongside other future stars. “My crutch was, in improvs, when in doubt, play insane,” O’Hara told The New Yorker in 2019. “You didn’t have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth. It didn’t have to make sense.”

When “SCTV” ended in 1984, O’Hara sought more substantial acting challenges, turning down opportunities like “Saturday Night Live” in favor of film work. What some perceived as lack of ambition was actually selective judgment. After a modest debut in the Canadian thriller “Double Negative,” she secured roles in Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours” and Mike Nichols’ “Heartburn,” where she appeared alongside Meryl Streep.

Throughout her career, O’Hara demonstrated remarkable range while maintaining a consistent approach to character development. “You have to try to make this person a real person,” she explained in a 1986 CNN interview. “When I first read it, I thought oh this woman does nothing but gossip. But then I started seeing her as a human being, like myself.”

This philosophy enriched her performances across varied genres. In “Home Alone,” O’Hara balanced comedic moments with genuine maternal desperation. As Delia Deetz in “Beetlejuice,” she delivered an iconic possessed dance sequence while making her character’s artistic frustrations relatable. Her collaborations with director Christopher Guest in mockumentaries like “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind” showcased her improvisational genius and emotional authenticity.

“Schitt’s Creek” brought O’Hara to a new generation of fans late in her career. Her portrayal of former soap opera star Moira Rose became a cultural touchstone, with viewers adopting her distinctive pronunciation of “bébé” and other idiosyncratic vocabulary. O’Hara revealed that Moira’s unplaceable accent was “in defense of creativity,” inspired by women she’d met who reinvented themselves out of insecurity and pride.

O’Hara’s comedic sensibility was distinctly Canadian in its self-awareness and compassion. “I think that Canadians have not only a sense of humor about others but about themselves, which I think is the healthiest and best kind of sense of humor to have,” she told Rolling Stone in 2020. “There’s an edge to it but with a compassion and love.”

This balance of edge and heart defined O’Hara’s artistry. In “A Mighty Wind,” she and frequent collaborator Eugene Levy performed the mock folk song “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” with such genuine tenderness that audiences found themselves unexpectedly moved despite the inherent satire.

As tributes pour in from colleagues and fans, O’Hara’s legacy stands as a masterclass in finding the humanity beneath comedy’s surface—proving that the greatest laughs often come from the most authentic places.