Catherine O’Hara and Maureen O’Hara are two of the most celebrated actresses in Hollywood history, but are they related by blood? Many fans have wondered if the two stars share a family connection, especially since they have the same surname and both have Irish roots. However, the truth is that Catherine O’Hara and Maureen O’Hara are not related at all, and their similarities are just a coincidence.
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Who is Catherine O’Hara?
Catherine O’Hara is a Canadian-American actress, comedian and screenwriter who was born in Toronto, Ontario, on March 4, 1954. She is best known for her comedy work on Second City Television (SCTV) and Schitt’s Creek, and for her roles in films such as Beetlejuice, Home Alone, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Best in Show. She has won numerous awards, including an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and six Canadian Screen Awards.
Catherine O’Hara is one of seven children of Basil O’Hara, a businessman of Irish descent, and Annette O’Hara (née Malone), a housewife. She has dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship and is married to Bo Welch, a production designer. They have two sons, Matthew and Luke.
Who is Maureen O’Hara?
Maureen O’Hara was an Irish-born naturalized American actress and singer who was born in Dublin, Ireland, on August 17, 1920. She died in Boise, Idaho, on October 24, 2015. She was known for playing passionate but sensible heroines, often in Westerns and adventure films. She worked with director John Ford and actor John Wayne on numerous projects. She appeared in films such as How Green Was My Valley, The Quiet Man, Miracle on 34th Street and The Parent Trap. She received an honorary Academy Award in 2014 for her contributions to cinema.
Maureen O’Hara was born as Maureen FitzSimons, one of six children of Charles Stewart Parnell FitzSimons, a businessman of Irish descent, and Marguerite Lilburn FitzSimons (née Price), an actress and singer. She became a U.S. citizen in 1946 and was married three times: to George H. Brown, Will Price and Charles F. Blair Jr. She had one daughter, Bronwyn, with her second husband.
The rumor that Catherine O’Hara and Maureen O’Hara are related may have originated from their shared surname, which is a common Irish name that means “descendant of Eochaidh”, a legendary king of Ireland. However, there are many different branches of the O’Hara family tree that are not necessarily connected to each other.
Another possible source of confusion is that Catherine O’Hara played the role of Kate McCallister, the mother of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), in the Home Alone films. In the first film, Kevin watches an old movie called Angels with Filthy Souls on TV, which features a character named Johnny who resembles James Cagney. In the second film, Kevin watches the sequel Angels with Even Filthier Souls on TV, which features a character named Snakes who resembles Humphrey Bogart. These movies are actually parodies of classic gangster films that were created specifically for the Home Alone franchise. However, some fans may have mistaken them for real movies and assumed that Maureen O’Hara starred in them as Johnny’s girlfriend or Snakes’ wife.
Conclusion
Catherine O’Hara and Maureen O’Hara are not related by blood or by marriage. They are both talented actresses who have made their mark in Hollywood with their distinctive styles and personalities. They share a common Irish heritage and a common surname, but they have different family backgrounds and histories. They never met or worked together in their careers. The rumor that they are related is just a myth that has no basis in fact.