Legendary actress Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek, Home Alone, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas) has joined the cast of The Last of Us Season 2, in a currently undisclosed role. The news was officially announced by HBO on Twitter / X following credible rumours, although the announcement remains light on details.
Current speculation is that O’Hara will be playing an original character for the show, as there doesn’t seem to be an obvious character in The Last of Us Part 2 that fits her description and talents – but we’ll have to stay tuned to see what HBO has planned.
While O’Hara does have a history with dramatic roles, in recent years, she’s become more known for her comedic chops – endearing herself to a new generation through her flamboyant, iconic portrayal of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek.
Read: HBO’s The Last of Us casts Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
The Last of Us Season 2 will likely provide opportunity for a more serious, subtle turn for O’Hara. Notably, the first season of The Last of Us featured an Emmy Award-winning performance from comedian Nick Offerman in an entirely serious (and heart-breaking) role, so there’s certainly precedent here. That said, there is always room in the post-apocalypse for more light-hearted humour.
At this stage, The Last of Us Season 2 is reportedly set to begin filming in the coming month, with original stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey being joined by a number of fresh faces, including O’Hara. As previously announced, this season will introduce Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, and Isabela Merced as Dina, amongst others.
There is no air date for the upcoming season yet, but we’re likely to see the return of HBO’s The Last of Us in 2025.