Catherine O'Hara's Enduring Talent Transcended Even a Box Office Disaster
The sudden passing of beloved actress and comedy icon Catherine O'Hara at age 71 has left fans worldwide in mourning. With a remarkable career spanning over five decades, O'Hara possessed a rare talent for bringing unique interpretations to her roles that became embedded in popular culture.
A Legacy of Memorable Characters
Everyone has their favourite O'Hara performance. For many, it's her fantastically nuanced portrayal of Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek, a character that became a cultural phenomenon. Others might point to her deliciously sour Delia Deetz in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel, her sweetly haunting voice work in The Nightmare Before Christmas, or her frazzled mother Kate McCallister in the Home Alone films.
Her extensive filmography includes numerous highlights: the mole-hiding mother in fantasy rom-com Penelope, her creepy turn as hypnotist Dr Georgina Orwell in Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and all her hilarious work in Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Best in Show. We must also acknowledge her groundbreaking early work on Canadian sketch series Second City Television alongside comedy legends John Candy, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis and Martin Short.
Shining Brightly in Troubled Waters
Perhaps the greatest testament to O'Hara's talent was her ability to shine brightly even when the material didn't match her capabilities. One of her final onscreen movie roles demonstrated this perfectly in Matthew Vaughn's 2024 spy comedy Argylle.
The film arrived with tremendous hype thanks to its star-studded cast including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Dua Lipa and Samuel L. Jackson, backed by an eye-watering $200 million budget. Yet it proved to be a significant disappointment, belly-flopping at the box office with reported earnings of just $96.1 million against estimates suggesting it needed around $500 million to break even as a traditional studio release.
Critical Reception and O'Hara's Standout Performance
Argylle was savaged by critics who described it as messy, bloated, tedious and even 'Arg-vile'. The film scraped just a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences were slightly more generous with a 70% score. Director Matthew Vaughn admitted being taken aback by the vitriolic reception, telling Empire magazine he didn't find the film offensive despite acknowledging its imperfections.
Yet amidst the criticism, reviewers consistently highlighted O'Hara's performance as a bright spot. Playing Ruth, the mother of Bryce Dallas Howard's character Elly, O'Hara brought her signature blend of supportive yet overbearing maternal energy to the role. Alongside co-star Bryan Cranston, she seemed most aware of the type of film she was in, amping up her performance at every opportunity.
Though she didn't have the snappiest dialogue - a problem affecting the entire cast - O'Hara was determined to make audiences chortle nonetheless in what marked her action film debut. The role featured a delicious plot twist when her seemingly supportive mother character was revealed to be a master manipulator and undercover villain, allowing O'Hara to showcase her range.
O'Hara's Enthusiasm for New Challenges
Offscreen, O'Hara's enthusiasm for her work remained undimmed. During press for Argylle, she revealed that appearing in her first action film 49 years into her career had inspired her to consider another first: a nude scene. 'Now I'm going to do a nude scene!' she told Good Morning America. 'I think it's time for a nude scene now. I've done the action, that's off the wish list. Now I think my body's ready for a big nude scene.'
Her co-star Bryce Dallas Howard enthusiastically endorsed the idea, responding: 'Oh the world deserves it Catherine, please!' Tragically, we will never see O'Hara embrace this particular challenge, but her willingness to explore new territory even in her later career speaks volumes about her artistic spirit.
A Lasting Legacy of Delight
While Argylle may be remembered as a box office disappointment, Catherine O'Hara's performance within it serves as a powerful reminder of her extraordinary talent. She could elevate material through sheer force of personality and skill, finding moments of brilliance even in projects that didn't fully succeed. Her legacy encompasses a truly delightful body of work across both acclaimed successes and less successful ventures, all marked by her unique comic genius and commitment to her craft.
