Catherine O'Hara: The Mother Of Memories
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I’ve been scrolling through all the social media tributes to O’Hara every night. Processing celebrity deaths is tricky in the digital age, but what of the rare stars that made us feel like the sky? Rahul Desai writes.
| MOST INDIAN PARENTS traumatised their kids by comparing them to other kids. I used to be one of the kids used as a point of reference: the playful but studious son with good manners and an annoyingly adult work ethic. My parents were proud of this; they liked hearing their friends pepper their lectures to their own sons and daughters with a “be like Rahul”. My mother, in particular, enjoyed the parent-teacher meetings where the teachers would have no complaints. Not even an abusive marriage could wipe the smile off her face on those evenings. Since my parents never compared me to anyone, I subconsciously started to compare them to other parents. I’d see other dads as fitness freaks, doctors and prosperous family-business heirs — and wonder why mine sounded so cocky, never exercised and refused to eat healthy. I’d see other moms organising households and managing careers — and wonder why mine didn’t work, threw parties and looked like a fish out of water. The only time my mom became a different person — assertive, urgent, sharp, protective — was when her only son fell into trouble. Nothing could stop her if I were sick, upset, vulnerable, or in a crisis. Nobody (not even a husband with main character energy) could mess with her then. I loved this side of her, craved it even. So while children across the world went nuts for Kevin McCallister and his Christmas exploits in the Home Alone movies, my favourite moments featured his mother’s frantic cross-country journey to reach him after ‘accidentally’ leaving him behind. Seeing a guilt-riddled Kate McCallister move mountains and drop those chaotic vacations in a heartbeat made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. In all the reruns, I’d always pause to tear up at the sight of her face when she’d reunite with Kevin at the end. I remember wanting to experience that feeling in real life. Stream the latest films and shows with OTTplay's Power Play monthly pack, for only Rs 149. |
I didn’t know the actress’s name back then. And just like that, I saw the best version of my mother in Catherine O’Hara : a flawed parent, not entirely ready, but an empathetic force of nature for the boy she strived to rear. She bridged the gap between unconditional love and conditional care. Not once did I question how irresponsible the lady is for making the same mistake, not once, but twice. Kate’s volume was derived from a home packed with loud and entitled males, but O’Hara framed her as a superhero who discovered her cape. Through her performance, I learned how to miss my mother. I realised that no matter how smart and spirited and adventurous I felt on those picnics and school trips, the separation anxiety eventually kicked in. As much as I crafted the language of survival in her absence, it’s the certainty of her presence that empowered me. She left so that I could return. So that I could get a glimpse of her beaming face when the bus rolled in. She would hug me tight, and I would often imagine a glowy Christmas tree in the background. |
CATHERINE O'HARA FILMS/SHOWS ON OTTPLAY |
| | Moira Rose Is Catherine O'Hara’s Definitive Legacy |
Through her towering performance as Moira Rose, O'Hara realised the possibility of what women can be when allowed to take up the whole room and, in the process, uncovered the gift of excess, writes Ishita Sengupta.
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ON January 30, Catherine O'Hara passed away . The news was followed by a pall of sadness and a deluge of obituaries. Fans and colleagues were in mourning. The 71-year-old actor had had a five-decade career, dotted with all-round classics (Home Alone , Beetlejuice) and momentous creative partnerships. At the time of her passing, O'Hara was still widely relevant and actively working (she remains nominated at the Actor Awards for her performance in The Studio). That she had to bow out at a time when the stage was still warm with her presence is tragic, but the collective grieving that has ensued would make one person exceedingly happy: Moira Rose. Moira Rose from the series Schitt's Creek is one of O'Hara’s most triumphant creations; a scintillating late-career swerve capable of resurrecting one’s filmography, which, in the actor’s case, only sealed her prowess. Through the character, O'Hara brought her signature unhingedness, the ability to elevate words and names by the sheer act of pronouncing them (“ David”, “Alexis” have not sounded the same since) and sustained a largesse in her portrayal that felt defiant in its refusal to seek permission for it. |
Created by Eugene and Dan Levy, Schitt's Creek centres on the Roses, a family of four, who lose all their wealth only to find their feet again. During the process, they are forced to live in the titular town, once bought as a joke but which remained as the last asset. The six-season series dropped in 2015, and by 2020, it had spawned a legion of fans. Schitt's Creek continues to enjoy a thriving afterlife in pop culture through unending memes and reels. The lines are legendary (“'What you did was impulsive, capricious, and melodramatic. But, it was also wrong ,'” says a mother to her son); the repartees are iconic (“eat glass,” says a brother to his sister), and the character wardrobes are distinct. Even then, Moira Rose stands out. |
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