Canadian-born O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness”, according to a statement from her agency, CAA.

O’Hara was an alumnus of Toronto’s Second City Theatre and was one of the creators of the sketch comedy show SCTV.

Her career was launched at Second City in the 1970s. It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator – and her Schitt’s Creek co-star.

O’Hara was born to a family of Irish descent in Toronto, Canada.

She was previously honoured at the Oscar Wilde Awards in 2018 in Santa Monica in California.

Speaking at the event of the importance of her Irish heritage, she said: “Who doesn’t want to be associated with people known for their deep and undying love of the land, the letter, romance, family, laughter – at themselves, almost as much as at others – music and any lovely thing that brings a tear to the eye.”

Catherine O’Hara attends the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

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She also joked that the Irish “mock us for wandering through your graveyards, searching for someone, anyone, with our last names”.

O’Hara’s dramatic turn in HBO’s The Last Of Us earned her an Emmy nomination, as did her recent role as a Hollywood producer in The Studio.

In 2024 she reprised her role as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, having starred in the first film in 1988.

Speaking about returning to the character, she said: “I just wanted to do the movie justice, but do my character justice and be her this many years later.

“We all just kind of eased into it together – or jumped in, I guess (is) more like it.”

O’Hara also starred in the second season of The Last Of Us, alongside Pedro Pascal, who paid tribute to her in an Instagram post, saying: “Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always.”

She starred in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio as Patty Leigh, for which she received both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

O’Hara is survived by her husband Bo Welch and sons Matthew and Luke, and her family will hold a private celebration of her life.

Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a labour union for Hollywood actors, has paid tribute to the actress.

In a statement it said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Catherine O’Hara. A beloved actor and comedian, she was a two-time Actor Award winner and a current nominee. Our condolences to her family, colleagues and legions of fans.”

She was made famous for her role in Home Alone and speaking at the induction into the the Hollywood Walk of Fame of Macaulay Culkin, who played her son in the film series, she said: “Thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice, to share in this happy occasion,” she said. “I’m so proud of you.”

With additional reporting from PA…