Catherine O Hara

Monday, March 1, 2010 at 10:11 am under U.S. News

Catherine O Hara Catherine Anne O’ Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone and Home Alone 2, and The Nightmare Before Christmas; as well in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.

A naturalized U.S. citizen, she married production designer/director Bo Welch in 1992 and has two sons, Matthew (b.1994) and Luke (b.1997). She is the sister of critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara, though she is a singer-songwriter in her own right, having written and performed songs in Christopher Guest’s film A Mighty Wind. She has a condition known as Situs Inversus with Dextrocardia meaning that among other things, her heart is on the right side of her body.

Canada then brought out its star power, with actors William Shatner, Catherine O’Hara and Michael J. Fox following Rogge with a series of humour-tinged monologues.

“I’m sorry you thought Canada was one great big frozen tundra,” said O’Hara, mocking the world’s shock that British Columbia isn’t always winter wonderland.

Fox celebrated his Canadian roots, saying even though he has lived in the United States for 30 years, if he’s watching the two countries play hockey, “I’m sorry, but I’m wearing a maple leaf on my sweater.”

Singer Michael Buble, starting out wearing Mountie gear, sang a patriotic, tongue-in-cheek tune playing off Canadian clichés — giant inflated beavers, moose, Mounties, table-hockey players and maple leafs circled through BC Place, pulled by lumberjacks.

The satirical act of uber-Canadiana was followed by yet another series of Canadian clichés — including Nickelback, Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan.

They were followed by Alanis Morissette, who performed a moving version of Wunderkind, as athletes hugged each other and waved their flags.

Performances from pop-rock group Hedley, Quebec singer Marie-Mai and hip-hop artist k-os rounded out the closing ceremony, which was capped with a fireworks display.