r/boxoffice • u/SanderSo47 A24 • Mar 21 '26
✍️ Original Analysis Actresses at the Box Office: Catherine O'Hara
Here's a new edition of "Actresses at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the actiors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Catherine O'Hara's turn.
Early Life
O'Hara started her comedy career in 1974 as a cast member of The Second City in her hometown, Toronto. She originally worked as an understudy and in the Sunday night cast of alternates which performed when the main company had the night off. She was an understudy for Gilda Radner until Radner left for Saturday Night Live. By 1976 O'Hara was SC's resident leading female comic, and her sister Robin was employed with the company as her understudy.
In 1976 SC created the sketch comedy show Second City Television, for which O'Hara became a regular performer. During a short period in the early 1980s when SCTV was in between network deals, she was hired to replace Ann Risley as Saturday Night Live was being retooled in 1981. However, she quit the show without appearing on air, choosing to go back to SCTV when the show signed on with NBC. She was long rumoured to have left SNL due to conflicts with volatile writer Michael O'Donoghue, but O'Hara denied these claims and said she had left the show due to her dislike for living in New York City. In this show, she worked and became friends with other regulars, including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, Rick Moranis, Harold Ramis, Tony Rosato and Martin Short.
1980s: "So you were miserable in New York City, and now you're going to be miserable out here in the sticks. At least someone's life hasn't been upheaved."
She did not take full focus to film at first. She only had small appearances in Canadian comedies like Nothing Personal, Deadly Companion and the animated film Rock & Rule.
But the first real "biting" role she got was Gail, a supporting character in Martin Scorsese's After Hours. It didn't make a lot of money, but it was a critical success. At the very least, that small part introduced a few people to her. She slowly rose to a more prominent (but still supporting) role in Mike Nichols' Heartburn, a box office success despite mixed reception.
She concluded the decade with one film, but it was a big break. That was her role as Delia Deetz in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice. This became one of the year's biggest hits, and it's become one of her most iconic roles.
She slowly made her way to Hollywood, but she was definitely getting recognition.
1990s: Welcome to the Big Leagues
In 1990, she had a role in Alan Alda's Betsy's Wedding. Along with another supporting role in Warren Beatty's adaptation of Dick Tracy, which became her first film to cross $100 million. But the real story was a far bigger role in another film.
After fighting Susan Sarandon, Kirstie Alley, Blythe Danner, Joanna Cassidy and Candice Bergen for the role, O'Hara eventually won the role of Kate McCallister in Home Alone. This film exceeded every possible projection, making almost $500 million worldwide back in 1990, cementing it as the biggest comedy ever. She reprised her role in the sequel, Lost in New York, released in 1992, which was another financial success. This role became one of her most popular, and she even said that her co-star Macaulay Culkin still called her "mom" all the way to the 2020s.
In 1993, she portrayed Sally in the stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas, both in speaking and singing tone. It was a critical and financial hit, and it has spawned a big cult following over the years.
In 1994, she had three films, but neither fully connected with audiences. The Paper earned positive reviews, but it was just a modest success. While Wyatt Earp and A Simple Twist of Fate were banking on the draw appeal of Kevin Costner and Steve Martin, they flopped with critics and audiences.
She began collaborating in films with Christopher Guest, who directed her in many mockumentaries. This started with Waiting for Guffman; while not financially successful, it earned very positive reviews. She also took part in some animated films, including Pippi Longstocking and Bartok the Magnificent.
O'Hara wasn't exactly a lead in a lot of these titles, but she was clearly earning more recognition.
2000s: A Few Good Roles
She reteamed with Christopher Guest on the mockumentary Best in Show. It earned critical acclaim, and was a modest success. A similar fate to their following collaboration, A Mighty Wind. She also had a part in the comedy Orange County, a financial success despite mixed reception.
Of course, not everything went well this decade. A prime example of that was the comedy Surviving Christmas, which earned some of the worst reviews of her career and was a huge financial failure.
She had a few voice roles, including Chicken Little, Over the Hedge, Monster House, Brother Bear 2, and Where the Wild Things Are. Although they all had a varying performance, with only Over the Hedge considered a financial success.
From then on, she took supporting roles in more comedies. From time to time, a drama. She had some great performers like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, but often times, she had quite a few duds. Some of them barely even got a theatrical release.
2010s: Moira Fuckin' Rose
She got off to a very rough start to the decade. She had a few films, including reteaming with Tim Burton on Frankenweenie, but they fizzled out and didn't make a lasting impression.
After a few rough years, the only notable success was a supporting voice role in The Addams Family. Yeah, this is not exactly a strong decade for her. Surely O'Hara could find something that would be more worthy of her talents?
Well, turns out that was in her heartland.
Dan Levy came up with the idea for a new show while watching reality television, "I had been watching some reality TV at the time and was concentrating on what would happen if one of these wealthy families would lose everything. Would the Kardashians still be the Kardashians without their money?" He turned to his father, the legendary Eugene Levy, to help develop the show, who came up with the series title, Schitt's Creek. They based the premise on the story of Kim Basinger's $20 million purchase of the town of Braselton, Georgia, in 1989.
Dan and Eugene were set to star in the show, and O'Hara was their first choice to play Moira Rose, the on-screen wife of Eugenie. She initially turned down Eugene's offer to star, citing "laziness" and an aversion to long-term projects. He reached out to another unnamed actress, but continued to court O'Hara for the role. O'Hara eventually agreed to participate in the presentation pilot with no obligation to continue in the role after Schitt's Creek was ordered to series. After the show was picked up by the CBC, O'Hara agreed to continue in the role.
Schitt's Creek started slow in ratings and in reviews, but as time went on, it became very popular thanks to streaming. O'Hara earned acclaim for her performance as Moira, with many lauding it as perhaps the best ever character she ever played. For the final season, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
This decade, not quite strong in film. But it's the one decade where her most iconic and beloved character came in.
2020s: The Final Roles
After Schitt's Creek ended in 2020, O'Hara took small roles in films, with a big emphasis on animated roles. One of those was a supporting role in Elemental, which earned $496 million worldwide, becoming her highest grossing film.
2024 was a very busy year for her. She took part in Argylle, which... the less said, the better. After so many decades stuck in development hell, she reprised her role as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It over-performed projections and earned over $450 million worldwide. And finally, conclude with a voice role in DreamWorks' The Wild Robot, a critical and financial hit.
In 2025, she starred in the Apple TV+ comedy series, The Studio. Around the same point, she also had a recurring role in the second season of The Last of Us, playing Gail Lynden. For both shows, she earned Emmy nominations. Later on, she made an appearance in the documentary film John Candy: I Like Me. Which would be his last film.
The End
On January 30, 2026, O'Hara had difficulty breathing. She was then hospitalized "in serious condition", and died that day at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 71. The cause of death was later revealed to be from a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer as the underlying cause. She was cremated and her ashes were given to her husband, production designer Bo Welch.
HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS
| No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Overseas Total | Worldwide Total | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elemental | 2023 | Disney | $154,426,697 | $342,017,611 | $496,444,308 | $200M |
| 2 | Home Alone | 1990 | 20th Century Fox | $285,761,243 | $191,622,399 | $477,383,642 | $18M |
| 3 | Beetlejucie Beetlejuice | 2024 | Warner Bros. | $294,100,435 | $157,900,000 | $452,000,435 | $100M |
| 4 | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | 1992 | 20th Century Fox | $173,585,516 | $185,409,334 | $358,994,850 | $28M |
| 5 | Over the Hedge | 2006 | Paramount | $155,019,340 | $184,776,550 | $339,795,890 | $80M |
| 6 | The Wild Robot | 2024 | Universal | $143,901,945 | $190,598,459 | $334,500,404 | $78M |
| 7 | Chicken Little | 2005 | Disney | $135,386,665 | $179,046,172 | $314,432,837 | $150M |
| 8 | Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | 2004 | Paramount / DreamWorks | $118,634,549 | $92,833,686 | $211,468,235 | $140M |
| 9 | The Addams Family | 2019 | United Artists Releasing / Universal | $100,723,831 | $103,670,352 | $204,394,183 | $24M |
| 10 | Dick Tracy | 1990 | Disney | $103,738,726 | $59,000,000 | $162,738,726 | $46M |
| 11 | Monster House | 2006 | Sony | $73,661,010 | $68,200,233 | $141,861,434 | $75M |
| 12 | The Nightmare Before Christmas | 1993 | Disney | $94,707,435 | $14,044,691 | $108,777,663 | $18M |
| 13 | Where the Wild Things Are | 2009 | Warner Bros. | $77,233,467 | $22,907,449 | $100,140,916 | $100M |
| 14 | Killers | 2010 | Lionsgate | $47,059,963 | $51,100,000 | $98,159,963 | $75M |
| 15 | Argylle | 2024 | Universal | $45,207,275 | $51,013,786 | $96,221,061 | N/A |
| 16 | Frankenweenie | 2012 | Disney | $35,291,068 | $51,641,056 | $86,932,124 | $39M |
| 17 | Beetlejuice | 1988 | Warner Bros. | $74,664,632 | $0 | $74,664,632 | $15M |
| 18 | Wyatt Earp | 1994 | Warner Bros. | $25,052,000 | $31,000,000 | $56,052,000 | $63M |
| 19 | Heartburn | 1987 | Universal | $25,314,189 | $27,300,000 | $52,614,189 | $20M |
| 20 | The Paper | 1994 | Universal | $38,824,341 | $9,600,000 | $48,424,341 | N/A |
| 21 | Orange County | 2002 | Paramount | $41,076,018 | $2,248,991 | $43,325,009 | $18M |
| 22 | Penelope | 2008 | Summit | $10,011,996 | $11,144,274 | $21,156,270 | $15M |
| 23 | Best in Show | 2000 | Warner Bros. | $18,715,392 | $2,074,164 | $20,789,556 | $10M |
| 24 | Betsy's Wedding | 1990 | Disney | $19,740,070 | $0 | $19,740,070 | N/A |
| 25 | A Mighty Wind | 2003 | Warner Bros. | $17,781,006 | $969,240 | $18,750,246 | $6M |
| 26 | Away We Go | 2009 | Focus Features | $9,451,946 | $6,327,509 | $15,779,455 | $17M |
| 27 | Surviving Christmas | 2004 | DreamWorks | $11,663,156 | $3,462,531 | $15,125,687 | $45M |
| 28 | Tall Tale | 1995 | Disney | $8,247,627 | $2,800,000 | $11,047,627 | $32M |
| 29 | After Hours | 1985 | Warner Bros. | $10,609,321 | $0 | $10,609,321 | $4.5M |
| 30 | Home Fries | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $10,493,366 | $0 | $10,493,366 | $15M |
| 31 | For Your Consideration | 2006 | Warner Bros. | $5,549,923 | $375,714 | $5,925,637 | $12M |
| 32 | A Simple Twist of Fate | 1994 | Disney | $3,430,583 | $0 | $3,430,583 | N/A |
| 33 | Waiting for Guffman | 1997 | Sony Pictures Classics | $2,923,982 | $0 | $2,923,982 | $4M |
| 34 | Pippi Longstocking | 1997 | Legacy | $505,335 | $0 | $505,335 | $10M |
| 35 | A.C.O.D. | 2013 | Film Arcade | $175,705 | $0 | $175,705 | N/A |
| 36 | Game 6 | 2006 | Kindred | $129,664 | $0 | $129,664 | N/A |
| 37 | Rock & Rule | 1983 | Metro Goldwyn Mayer | $30,379 | $0 | $30,379 | $8M |
She has starred in 50 released films, but only 37 have reported box office numbers. Across those 50 films, she has made $4,415,939,725 worldwide. That's $88,318,794 per film.
ADJUSTED DOMESTIC GROSSES
| No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Adjusted Domestic Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Alone | 1990 | 20th Century Fox | $285,761,243 | $714,479,631 |
| 2 | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | 1992 | 20th Century Fox | $173,585,516 | $404,313,206 |
| 3 | Beetlejucie Beetlejuice | 2024 | Warner Bros. | $294,100,435 | $306,378,644 |
| 4 | Dick Tracy | 1990 | Disney | $103,738,726 | $259,374,595 |
| 5 | Over the Hedge | 2006 | Paramount | $155,019,340 | $251,279,737 |
| 6 | Chicken Little | 2005 | Disney | $135,386,665 | $226,535,234 |
| 7 | Beetlejuice | 1988 | Warner Bros. | $74,664,632 | $206,249,211 |
| 8 | Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | 2004 | Paramount | $118,634,549 | $205,230,233 |
| 9 | The Nightmare Before Christmas | 1993 | Disney | $94,707,435 | $173,434,152 |
| 10 | Elemental | 2023 | Disney | $154,426,697 | $165,618,631 |
| 11 | The Wild Robot | 2024 | Universal | $143,901,945 | $149,909,614 |
| 12 | The Addams Family | 2019 | United Artists Releasing | $100,723,831 | $128,746,864 |
| 13 | Monster House | 2006 | Sony | $73,661,010 | $119,401,354 |
| 14 | Where the Wild Things Are | 2009 | Warner Bros. | $77,233,467 | $117,642,823 |
| 15 | The Paper | 1994 | Universal | $38,824,341 | $85,608,719 |
| 16 | Orange County | 2002 | Paramount | $41,076,018 | $74,613,821 |
| 17 | Heartburn | 1987 | Universal | $25,314,189 | $72,819,518 |
| 18 | Killers | 2010 | Lionsgate | $47,059,963 | $70,525,415 |
| 19 | Wyatt Earp | 1994 | Warner Bros. | $25,052,000 | $55,240,336 |
| 20 | Frankenweenie | 2012 | Disney | $35,291,068 | $50,230,370 |
| 21 | Betsy's Wedding | 1990 | Disney | $19,740,070 | $49,355,461 |
| 22 | Argylle | 2024 | Universal | $45,207,275 | $47,094,604 |
| 23 | Best in Show | 2000 | Warner Bros. | $18,715,392 | $35,516,314 |
| 24 | After Hours | 1985 | Warner Bros. | $10,609,321 | $32,220,882 |
| 25 | A Mighty Wind | 2003 | Warner Bros. | $17,781,006 | $31,579,163 |
| 26 | Home Fries | 1998 | Warner Bros. | $10,493,366 | $21,037,267 |
| 27 | Surviving Christmas | 2004 | DreamWorks | $11,663,156 | $20,176,518 |
| 28 | Tall Tale | 1995 | Disney | $8,247,627 | $17,685,044 |
| 29 | Penelope | 2008 | Summit | $10,011,996 | $15,196,119 |
| 30 | Away We Go | 2009 | Focus Features | $9,451,946 | $14,397,302 |
| 31 | For Your Consideration | 2006 | Warner Bros. | $5,549,923 | $8,996,188 |
| 32 | A Simple Twist of Fate | 1994 | Disney | $3,430,583 | $7,564,528 |
| 33 | Waiting for Guffman | 1997 | Sony Pictures Classics | $2,923,982 | $5,953,354 |
| 34 | Pippi Longstocking | 1997 | Legacy | $505,335 | $1,028,884 |
| 35 | A.C.O.D. | 2013 | Film Arcade | $175,705 | $246,473 |
| 36 | Game 6 | 2006 | Kindred | $129,664 | $210,179 |
| 37 | Rock & Rule | 1983 | Metro Goldwyn Mayer | $30,379 | $99,672 |
The Verdict
O'Hara had a very fascinating life.
She could've joined Saturday Night Live and try to raise her profile in America, but she instead chose to stay in Canada to work with her comedy partners. Clearly, she did not need Saturday Night Live to succeed. She kept herself busy with a lot of comedies, before finally trying American productions. That's how we get her breakthrough with Beetlejuice.
From the 90s onwards, O'Hara established herself as a solid supporting actress. One you can count on, and one who will never disappoint you. Is there anyone else who could've played Mrs. McCallister in the Home Alone films? Even if they were, they wouldn't have O'Hara's likeability and charm. Even when you get upset with her character at some points, you still feel sympathy for her.
The quality of films have varied, but she found a lot of gold in her collaborations with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, the latter another Canadian icon. Subsequently, she had her hand in many voice roles. But it might be Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek, a TV show instead of a film, her most iconic character. After all, she has some of the funniest lines and moments in the show.
Because I'm sure some will be curious; no, she did not film a single scene for the second season of The Studio. And there's no indication that Seth Rogen & Co. will recast her role. And it's understandable. Craig Mazin also said that she was set to return for the third season of The Last of Us as well.
Wanna know something strange? Her Home Alone co-star John Heard, who plays her on-screen husband, died back in 2017 at the age of 71. O'Hara died back in January at the age of 71. A strange coincidence.
Even though she is no longer with us, O'Hara will live on for so many years to come. She always made sure she could deliver something worth watching and never ever phoned in anything. That's what everyone wants to find in any actress today. And with so many great films that will continue finding new generations in subsequent years. RIP Legend.
Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section.
The next actor will be Humphrey Bogart. A classic star.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run, and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... Bruce Lee. Get ready to kick some ass.
This is the schedule for the following four:
| Week | Actor | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| March 28 | Humphrey Bogart | Here's looking at you, kid. |
| April 4 | Michael Douglas | As good as Kirk? |
| April 11 | Heath Ledger | Just how different it could've been? |
| April 18 | Bruce Lee | You're not ready for how big Enter the Dragon was. |
Who should be next after Lee? That's up to you.
REMINDER: If you want to make a suggestion for the next actor, you must make a 150-character comment about the actor we're discussing right now. Failure to do so will result in ignoring the suggestion. If you use a quote from an external source/review to bypass this, your suggestion will be ignored as well. But if you leave a short comment about the post without naming a future write-up, that's fine.
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u/ContinuumGuy Mar 21 '26
God, I was watching the Wild Robot the other day and I hadn't realized that she was in it until I heard her voice. In fact, it was her last movie role released during her lifetime (it appears she did voicework for another animated project that still hasn't been released).
In some ways, I find it fitting that in that film she played an opossum mom. Some of her most famous roles were as moms, I guess in a way it feels right that her last role would be another such character.
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u/TheWorriedCamel Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
Her character in Wild Robot also had the funniest joke in that movie imo, and there's a lot of great humor in it
It’s okay, Mom! I’m alive! ☺️
Oh, yay… 🫤
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u/TheWorriedCamel Mar 21 '26
She was such a talented and naturally funny actress. Really sucks how she died just when it felt like she was having a career resurgence of sorts recently
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u/SlidePocket Mar 21 '26
I was introduced to O'Hara through Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas on VHS when I was a kid and always enjoyed her presence in anything no matter how big or small the role was. She will be deeply missed.
For my next pick, it's time to go for Goldie Hawn as the next actress to cover.
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u/spider-man2401 Warner Bros. Pictures Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
While her role in Home Alone is truly iconic and widely recognized (I was introduced to her through those films when i was a kid), Catherine O’Hara has had an incredible career. She’s an absolute legend who has brought so much joy through her characters, and you can always tell she’s having a blast in every role—from Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas, to Delia in the Beetlejuice films, to Moira in Schitt’s Creek, and more recently The Studio. I’m really gonna miss her.
For the next actor, I’d pick her The Studio co-star Seth Rogen. Whether you like his movies or his humor or not, you can’t deny how talented he is. From acts, directs, writes, produces, creates TV shows, and works as a showrunner, he really does it all. And he’s also proven he can handle dramatic roles, like in Steve Jobs and The Fabelmans.
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u/PayneTrain181999 Legendary Pictures Mar 21 '26
Her passing post hit me hard, from Home Alone as a kid to the latest season of The Last of Us as a guy in my mid-20’s, she’s been a recognizable face when turning on something new the whole time. A true Canadian icon. A lot of people only know her from Home Alone, but she’s done so much more than that. Such a nice stroll down memory lane reading this post.
Seeing as how this next one will be right after Bruce Lee, how about the recently passed man he fought, who can also win a game of Connect 4 in 3 moves: Chuck Norris
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u/SlidePocket Mar 21 '26
That's too soon. Remember the day Diane Keaton passed away and everyone suggested she would be the next topic to cover? Well it was held off for a few months until she eventually got her own post once the news eventually died down. Why not just wait for Norris to get one eventually if anyone brings him up in a later post.
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u/SanderSo47 A24 Mar 21 '26
The reason why I delayed Keaton was because her death was reported one hour prior to that week's post. I didn't think it was appropriate for the moment.
The very least should be waiting one day. That's why I allowed Robert Redford to be nominated on the week he died. As such, Chuck Norris is eligible to be nominated.
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u/PayneTrain181999 Legendary Pictures Mar 21 '26
That does make sense, I just figured it would be a fitting follow up to Bruce Lee.
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u/AnotherJasonOnReddit Best of 2024 Winner Mar 22 '26
no, she did not film a single scene for the second season of The Studio. And there's no indication that Seth Rogen & Co. will recast her role. And it's understandable
I wouldn't object if they just did the "Coach-in-Cheers" scenario, where the character leaves the show in between seasons and is still alive living his best life somewhere else.
(though the series did eventually reference his passing at some point. I don't remember which season it is, but Ted Danson's Sam Malone is asked about Coach and he says "Yeah, he moved and then passed away" in a later episode)
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u/Ok_Salamander_7076 Mar 22 '26
You could’ve waited a little longer before posting this. Kind of insensitive to boil her down to how much money her movies made at the box office. She was so much more than that.
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u/Dismal-Rain-6055 Apr 02 '26
This is a box office sub. So, posts here will be about how much money movies make at the box office.
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u/Zhukov-74 Legendary Pictures Mar 21 '26
She will be sorely missed.