The world is saying goodbye to a woman who made millions laugh — often while reminding them of something deeply human underneath the comedy.

Catherine O’Hara, the beloved Canadian actress best known for her work in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt’s Creek, has died at the age of 71. Her manager confirmed the news to PEOPLE on Friday, January 30. No cause of death was shared. TMZ was the first outlet to report the news.

Born in Toronto in 1954, O’Hara grew up in a large family as the second youngest of seven children. Her father worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and her mother was a real estate agent. Long before she became a comedy icon, her very first acting role was portraying the Virgin Mary in a Nativity play — a small but fitting beginning for someone who would go on to bring warmth and heart to every role she touched.

After high school, O’Hara took a job as a waitress at Toronto’s legendary Second City Theatre, where she quietly studied the greats. “I was lucky enough to watch everybody,” she told PEOPLE in 2024, referencing performers like Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, and family friend Gilda Radner. When she first auditioned for the company, Flaherty famously dismissed her. “He said, ‘Keep up the good work. Your day job, I mean: waitressing,’” she recalled. She didn’t listen — and soon earned her place.

In 1974, O’Hara officially joined Second City, where she met one of her closest collaborators, Eugene Levy. Though she admitted early stage fright, she found her footing through fearlessness. “My crutch was, in improvs, when in doubt, play insane,” she once said. “Because you didn’t have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth.”

Her breakout came on Second City Television (SCTV), where she became known for sharp impressions and unforgettable original characters. Despite the show’s success, the work was inconsistent. “Our producer would get a deal with a network, and we’d have a show for a season or two, and then that deal would go away,” she said.

O’Hara famously walked away from Saturday Night Live when SCTV was revived, a decision she later said was guided by instinct and values. “Do I want my parents to see this?” she once asked herself. “I’d just rather stay home than do something I know is bad and have to defend it later.”

Her film career flourished in the years that followed, including iconic roles as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice and the fiercely devoted mother in Home Alone. “It’s a perfect movie, isn’t it?” she reflected in 2024.

In 2015, O’Hara reunited with Levy for Schitt’s Creek, playing the unforgettable Moira Rose. What began as a small show became a cultural phenomenon. “I’ve never gotten this kind of attention in my life. It’s crazy,” she said. In 2020, she won an Emmy for the role, saying, “I will forever be grateful… for the opportunity to play a woman of a certain age, my age, who gets to fully be herself.”

Off-screen, O’Hara found joy in family life. She married production designer Bo Welch in 1992, and the couple shared two sons, Matthew and Luke. “We do a lot of [communication] with jokes,” she said of their marriage. “Sarcasm helps!”

Catherine O’Hara leaves behind a legacy of laughter, humility, and heart. She is survived by her husband and children — and by generations of fans who will always remember how she made them feel.