Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, star of Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone, dies at 71
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved Hollywood and television star whose career spanned decades and generations, has died at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy defined by fearless comedy, warmth and remarkable versatility. Best known to global audiences as the frazzled but unforgettable mother in the Home Alone films and the flamboyant Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, O’Hara remained creatively active and deeply admired until the very end of her life.
True to her lifelong dedication to her craft, O’Hara was working almost until her death. Just last year, she starred in Seth Rogen’s critically acclaimed Hollywood satire The Studio, where she played Patty Leigh, a long-serving studio boss whose firing at the start of the series sets the story in motion. The role once again showcased O’Hara’s ability to balance sharp satire with humanity, as Patty later reinvents herself as a successful producer behind some of the industry’s biggest hits.
Beyond her iconic turn as Kevin McCallister’s overwhelmed mother in Home Alone, O’Hara carefully built a zany, self-aware persona that became one of the most delightful fixtures in Hollywood. With roots in improvisational comedy, she brought spontaneity and intelligence to every performance. Whenever the Canadian star stepped onto an awards-show stage, even the most jaded viewers could expect something memorable.
One standout moment came during the socially distanced 2020 Canadian Screen Awards, when O’Hara joked about “enjoying the great indoors” and delivered her acceptance speech from home. Fully committing to the gag, she played herself off with music — then continued singing her speech to the tune, embodying the eccentric charm fans had come to adore, particularly through her portrayal of Moira Rose.
That same year, when she won the Emmy for lead actress in a comedy, O’Hara celebrated the chance to portray “a woman of a certain age — my age — who gets to fully be her ridiculous self.” Appearing from a Toronto viewing party during Covid restrictions, she turned a virtual ceremony into an intimate, joyful moment. The following year, her reunion onstage with Schitt’s Creek co-stars Dan Levy, Eugene Levy and Annie Murphy was warmly received, especially as the group lovingly teased Eugene Levy in front of a global audience.
O’Hara continued to steal the spotlight in later years. At the 2024 Emmy Awards, she memorably delayed presenting an award by asking, “Must we really choose one winner?” before theatrically ripping up the envelope. At the Oscars that same year, she reunited with her Beetlejuice co-star Michael Keaton to present the make-up and hairstyling awards, joking that “the last thing we want is for anyone to know what we actually look like or the squalor in which we actually live.”
Her partnership with Seth Rogen also extended beyond The Studio. Last year, the pair presented together at the Golden Globe Awards, delivering a rambling, self-aware routine about Canada’s imaginary awards shows that ran long but earned plenty of laughs, particularly for its affectionate digs at Americans and the excesses of awards culture.
In The Studio, O’Hara’s Patty Leigh shone brightest during an episode set entirely at the Golden Globes, where her character effortlessly schmoozed a room full of Hollywood stars and power brokers. The performance earned O’Hara a Golden Globe nomination earlier this month, and she is also nominated for best female comedy performance at the forthcoming Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards). That honour, now awarded posthumously, carries a bittersweet poignancy.
Catherine O’Hara’s death marks the loss of a rare talent — an actress who embraced age, absurdity and reinvention with joy, and who consistently elevated every project she touched. While she is gone, the laughter she created, the characters she embodied and the generosity she brought to her art ensure that her presence will continue to be felt, celebrated and cherished for many years to come.
Two concerts in Russia by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, have officially been cancelled after weeks of uncertainty.
West had been scheduled to perform at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on 10 and 11 October.
However, there had been confusion over whether the concerts would take place after the stadium said it would not host the rapper for what would have been the biggest performance by a Western artist in Russia since the country invaded Ukraine in 2022.
In a post on the messaging app Telegram, concert organisers Say Agency confirmed the shows had been cancelled with “sincere regret”.
“The Ye concerts in St Petersburg will not be able to take place on the scheduled dates,” the Moscow-based agency said.
“We will issue an official statement regarding the status of the project and our plans in the near future.”
Gazprom Arena said in August that it had not signed a rental agreement with the concert promoters, meaning the concerts could not take place at the venue.
Say Agency had previously said it was working to resolve the issue with the stadium before confirming that the shows could not go ahead.
The stadium also acknowledged that it had received complaints about West’s planned performance.
West has recently apologised for a series of antisemitic and pro-Nazi comments he made in the past, saying he had “lost touch with reality” as a result of his bipolar disorder.
Celine Dion has kicked off Paris Fashion Week with a surprise performance at L’Oreal’s annual show.
The Canadian singer, who was diagnosed with the rare neurological condition stiff person syndrome in 2022, took to the runway at the end of the show.
Dion wore a ruched, full-length black velvet gown before being joined by several famous ambassadors for the French beauty brand, including Viola Davis, Simone Ashley, Aja Naomi King and Eva Longoria.
The singer recently performed a comeback show in Paris earlier this month, her first since a 2020 concert in New Jersey. That was the final show of her tour before the Covid-19 pandemic brought it to a halt.
Paris Fashion Week, which is showcasing women’s spring/summer collections, runs until 6 October.
Actress Viola Davis was greeted by cheers from the crowd as she joined Dion under the stars in the French capital.
Kendall Jenner also walked at the show, wearing a sheer black halterneck dress with a thigh-high split and an ivory corset underneath.
Supermodel Cara Delevingne, meanwhile, appeared on the runway in a sparkling red sheer dress with a train.
Pop star Rihanna also brought her fashion credentials to Paris on the opening day, wearing a shimmering copper two-piece over sheer black lingerie.
She attended the Matières Fécales fashion show from the front row. The label was behind Zendaya’s angel wings dress at The Odyssey premiere in New York this summer.
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo was also in the French capital for an event hosted by Tiffany and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
Taylor Swift has become the most successful artist in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards after winning the video of the year award on Sunday.
The singer entered the ceremony tied with Beyoncé on 30 VMA wins but moved ahead after taking home the night’s top prize for the visuals for her track The Fate of Ophelia.
The song is taken from her 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl.
The original Queen of Pop, Madonna, won artist of the year, best dance and best collaboration alongside Sabrina Carpenter for their dancefloor-filler Bring Your Love.
The song was the lead single from Madonna’s 2026 album Confessions II.
Swift also received the inaugural artist director award after writing and directing the Ophelia music video herself.
She dedicated the new award to the “ultimate showgirl”, saying: “I think we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time.”
The 36-year-old also debuted the music video for her new song Patient Zero, starring actors Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson, during the Los Angeles ceremony hosted by rapper Snoop Dogg.
The dark gothic thriller is Swift’s first music video since she married NFL player Travis Kelce.
The song is one of four new tracks featured on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, which was released last week.
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