Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

IN MEMORIAM: Catherine O’Hara Remembered for Iconic Roles and Timeless Comedy

Release Date: January 31, 2026
Podcast Host: Willie Geist
Guest: Catherine O'Hara

Episode Overview

This special re-release episode honors the late, great Catherine O’Hara, focusing on her legendary career in comedy across film and television. Originally recorded in early 2024 during her press tour for “Argylle,” the conversation spans O’Hara’s journey from her comedic roots in Canada to her most beloved roles, including “Schitt’s Creek,” “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice,” and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries. The episode is affectionate and insightful, providing a heartfelt portrait of O’Hara’s singular talent, wit, and legacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Argylle” Experience: Comedy, Action, and Spycraft

• Setting: Interview conducted at the New York Spy Museum, creating a tongue-in-cheek connection with “Argylle’s” spy theme.
• O’Hara’s Role:
  • O’Hara plays the mother of a famous spy novelist (played by Bryce Dallas Howard); she jokes about being typecast as “the mom” ([06:14]).
  • "I guess I think Matthew Vaughn hired [me] because I’m known as a mother. My own kids would argue with him." – Catherine O'Hara ([05:58])
• On the Film’s Energy:
  • Praises Matthew Vaughn’s “amazing team of stunt artists – They’re artists. They’re geniuses… watching them up close required no editing. It really looked like they were killing each other. Beautiful men and women... That was fun. I’ve never been on a set with action like that.” ([07:00]–[07:38])
  • Notes Vaughn’s improvisational direction style, adapting action sequences on set for character beats ([07:49]).
• Cast Chemistry:
  • Highlights working with Bryan Cranston and others, recounts Cranston’s comedic talents off-screen ([09:43]-[10:05]).
  • On Cranston: “He’s just nuts funny—but not like somebody like, stop. It’s like, yes, more please.” ([10:02])
• Audience Impact:
  • “It really is a big fat beautiful piece of entertainment, isn’t it?... And I’m not a good liar, so I’m telling the truth, I swear.” ([10:59]–[11:12])
  • Desires to see the film with a live crowd, especially the interactive New York audience ([12:25]–[13:02]).

2. The Phenomenon of "Schitt’s Creek"

• Cultural Impact:

  • O’Hara reflects on the show’s initial cult status in Canada, its explosion globally thanks to Netflix during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its unique resonance with families quarantined together ([13:28]–[15:16]).
  • Geist: “It's just one of the best shows ever made. For my money.” ([13:18])

• Emotional Reception:

  • The live shows after the series ended provided cathartic reunions for fans who felt a deep communal bond ([15:24]-[16:30]).

• Surprise Second-Wind Success:

  • “It was the next day when Netflix put it out to the world… [people said] I just started watching it last week and I’ve watched three seasons in one night.” ([16:16])

• Award Season Stories:

  • Won Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG – all after the show had wrapped ([17:09]).
  • Shares a comedic story of her “playoff music” bit at the Golden Globes and the viral misunderstanding it caused online ([18:17]-[19:23]):
    • “‘The comments afterwards... the most selfish, jealous husband… he got on his phone to talk to friends. I was like, nobody understood what we were doing. Maybe two people.’” – Catherine O’Hara ([19:08])

• Moira Character Deep-Dive:

  • Construction of Moira Rose’s accent and look was intentionally inconsistent and ever-evolving, inspired in part by Madonna’s chameleon personas and by real women O’Hara knew ([19:39]-[23:52]).
  • “The mistake most people make is being consistent. It’s like, no, don’t. Don’t try to be one thing. I kept changing.” ([21:31])
  • Describes the collaborative process with Eugene and Daniel Levy, and the wardrobe team's dedication ([23:31]-[23:52]).
  • The wedding episode’s “officiant look” was a hush-worthy moment on set ([23:57]), with O’Hara and Geist sharing laughter and awe.

3. Early Life & Roots in Comedy

• Irish Heritage and Family Humor:
  • Comedy was “demanded more than encouraged” at her busy family dinner table; her parents, especially her mother, were comedic performers at home ([27:12]-[28:41]).
  • “You better have something at least funny to say, if not interesting.” ([28:14])
• Path to Performance:
  • High school theater ignited her interest ([29:55]).
  • Her brother introduced her to Gilda Radner, who became a role model and inspiration ([30:02]-[31:35]).
    • “She was so lovely and fun and the way you’d want to think she is from watching her. She was really that. She was just sweet and giving…” ([31:36])
  • Joined Second City at 19, learning directly from future icons like John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Dan Aykroyd ([32:22]-[32:53]).

4. TV & Film Legacy: SCTV, SNL Decision, Cult Hits

• SCTV:
  • Looks back with fondness at the camaraderie of SCTV, and how its late-night time slot made fans feel like they were in on a secret, similar to Monty Python ([33:00]-[33:55]).
  • Credits SCTV and Second City as perfect training grounds for improvisational thinking ([34:08]).
    • “You learn to think on your feet… and to listen to others. Sorry.”
• SNL Experience:
  • Tells the story of nearly joining Saturday Night Live but returning to SCTV; admits to a faux pas in criticizing an SNL segment on Bob Costas's show, maybe burning a bridge ([35:01]-[36:15]):
    • “I think I burned that bridge, though… Never been on again, never been asked back... It’s a bad thing to get defensive—you can’t blame others.”

5. Iconic Films & Enduring Influence

• Early Movies & Beetlejuice:
  • Before Beetlejuice: Worked with Martin Scorsese (“After Hours”), Mike Nichols (“Heartburn”) — both fans of Second City and SCTV ([38:20]-[38:39]).
    • “You never know who’s watching, right?” ([38:39])
  • Beetlejuice as a breakthrough—met her husband on set; describes filming the sequel with the same sense of fun ([39:05]-[39:54]).
    • Pleads with Tim Burton to “digitally youth-enize” her character for the sequel ([39:14]).
• Home Alone:
  • Forever linked with the “Home Alone” franchise; still teased by children about “abandonment” ([42:23]-[43:12]).
    • “Isn’t that called abandonment?” – anonymous child fan to Catherine O’Hara ([43:10])
  • Remembers presenting Macaulay Culkin’s Hollywood star, and how his performance is the true lasting memory of the film ([41:33]).
• The Christopher Guest Mockumentaries:
  • Describes the unique, fully-improvised process on films like “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and the joy of working with so many comedic writers and actors ([45:38]-[47:16]).
    • “To watch all those people like John Michael Higgins… I would accuse him all the time of writing ahead of time. He goes, ‘How would I write ahead? I don’t know what they’re gonna say.’ …It was beautiful to watch all those people in person.”
  • Emphasizes the value of being both a comedy performer and a writer within improv.

6. Legacy, Impact, and What’s Next

• Dan Levy & the Future:
  • Welcomes the idea of a “Schitt’s Creek” movie, but wants it to be worthy of the show’s legacy:
    • “…the people who watched our show were so kind and so supportive and so with us, that you want to honor that by doing something good as opposed to just taking advantage… I hope, I hope he comes up with a great idea and that we’re able to do it.” ([48:11])
  • “I miss everybody. I really do.” ([48:42])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Moira’s Accent:

  “The mistake most people make is being consistent. …I kept changing.”
  — Catherine O’Hara, (21:31)

• On Home Alone’s Lasting Appeal:

  “He is the enduring legacy of that movie. That child, that face, that natural acting, just, like, what are you all doing in my home?...”
  — Catherine O’Hara, (41:33)

• On Improv in Mockumentaries:

  “People always say, was there some ad-libbing? All the dialogue. I mean, there’s great ideas, beautiful inspiration in the script… but all the dialogue is improvised.”
  — Catherine O’Hara, (45:38)

• On Comedy and Family:

  “In my upbringing, [humor] was encouraged and we were fortunate enough to be able to laugh… It was demanded more than encouraged in our home. When you have that many people at the table, you better have something at least funny to say, if not interesting.”
  — Catherine O’Hara, (28:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Remembrance of Catherine O’Hara, career overview — [01:06]–[03:08]
• Argylle & the spy genre, working with Matthew Vaughn — [03:08]–[09:28]
• Working with the cast (Bryan Cranston, etc.) — [09:28]–[10:21]
• Dedication to the film’s fun & O'Hara’s “mom” archetype — [10:59]–[12:36]
• Audience interaction, NYC movie crowds — [12:25]–[13:02]
• “Schitt’s Creek,” pandemic popularity, live shows — [13:16]–[16:30]
• Awards for Schitt’s Creek, viral Golden Globes moment — [17:09]–[19:28]
• Moira Rose: the accent, the wig process, character creation — [19:39]–[23:31]
• Early years—family, Gilda Radner, Second City — [26:56]–[33:47]
• SCTV, improv training, SNL decision — [34:04]–[36:15]
• Film breakthroughs, Beetlejuice, Home Alone — [38:07]–[43:10]
• Mockumentaries, improv with Christopher Guest’s troupe — [45:38]–[47:48]
• On possibility of “Schitt’s Creek” movie — [47:50]–[48:42]

Final Reflections

This episode serves as a celebration of Catherine O’Hara’s artistry, kindness, and impact on generations of comedy fans and collaborators. Through Geist’s insightful questions and O’Hara’s open, self-deprecating humor, listeners are reminded why she remains an icon: endlessly creative, generous in spirit, and synonymous with joyous entertainment.

For fans and newcomers alike, this conversation is a loving farewell and a testament to O’Hara’s timeless place in the world of comedy.