Catherine O’Hara has played some of the most unforgettable mothers in television and film. From the frantic but loving Kate McCallister in the Home Alone series to the unique and dramatic Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, her characters have made audiences laugh for decades.
But for O’Hara, none of those roles comes close to the one she values most.
Outside of Hollywood, Catherine O’Hara is a mother in real life. She and her husband, Bo Welch, welcomed their son Matthew in 1994, followed by their son Luke in 1997. While her career continued, it never took precedence over her children.
She explained that choice clearly in an interview with 519 Magazine:
“I’m with my family as much as I can be. I’ve always…In deciding what work I might get involved in for my whole working life, my family’s always come first. I have two sons, and when they were babies, I thought what’s the point? What’s the point of having children if I’m not going to be with them, so that was always number one consideration and always will be.”
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That mindset stands in sharp contrast to the message pushed on so many women today. Our culture often tells women to delay motherhood, or avoid it altogether, in order to chase professional success. Children are framed as obstacles, inconveniences, or dreams that can always be postponed until later. And yet, many women speak openly about the regret that follows. Even popular music reflects this reality, like Kelsea Ballerini’s song “I sit in parks,” which mourns the children she does not have.
Catherine O’Hara chose a different path. She welcomed children, slowed her career during their early years, and returned to acting more fully when they were older. Her success did not disappear because she chose motherhood. If anything, it endured and flourished, just on a timeline that honored her family first.
That decision says something powerful in a world that often devalues motherhood. It reminds us that children are not a detour from purpose. They are part of it.
When a fan once asked O’Hara in an airport which of her many iconic roles she hoped to be remembered for, her answer was simple and telling: “mother of my children.”
In the Pro-Life movement, we affirm this truth every day. Motherhood is not something to fear or delay out of pressure or shame. It is meaningful, dignified, and worthy of honor. Catherine O’Hara’s life testifies to what so many women already know in their hearts. No award, role, or headline compares to the lasting legacy of loving and raising your children.
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