Why Gail From The Last Of Us Season 2 Looks So Familiar

Including Catherine O’Hara in the cast of “The Last of Us” for its second season is a truly inspired choice. Known for her beginnings on “Second City Television” alongside comedy greats like Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Martin Short, O’Hara brings her extensive experience to the highly acclaimed HBO series. In the show, she will portray Gail, a character who also appears in “The Last of Us Part II,” the popular PlayStation game that follows the first installment. On the series, spearheaded by Neil Druckmann, the creator of the game, and “Chernobyl” showrunner Craig Mazin, O’Hara’s Gail is a therapist residing in the well-guarded settlement in Jackson, Wyoming, which we visited in season 1 when Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and his adopted daughter Ellie (Bella Ramsey) met Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna).

Have you chanced upon Catherine O’Hara before? She’s a familiar face, but if recognizing her exact roles is proving tricky, here are some of the most notable projects featuring this incredible actress, especially if you admire her portrayal of Gail. You may have missed them, so give them a watch!

Beetlejuice (1988) and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

In simpler terms, the 1988 film “Beetlejuice,” directed by Tim Burton, stands among the top comedy-horror movies ever made. For many viewers, this was their first encounter with Catherine O’Hara, who portrayed Delia Deetz, an unconventional mother and poor sculptor, in this whimsical tale. The story unfolds when the Deetz family, including husband Charles (Jeffrey Jones), daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder), and Delia herself, move into a house in Connecticut without realizing it’s already inhabited by its previous owners, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis). As ghosts, they watch as the Deetz family makes changes to their home. In a twist of events, Adam and Barbara seek aid from an unpredictable character named Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), billed as a “freelance bio-exorcist,” who instead of helping, causes more problems than solutions – quite significantly so.

In the 2024 sequel titled “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Keaton, O’Hara, and Ryder reprise their roles, with Burton directing once more. This time around, Ryder’s character Lydia is a mother to the sharp-tongued Astrid (played fittingly by Jenna Ortega). Lydia is struggling to maintain family harmony as Betelgeuse, who has an intense fixation on her, continues to stir trouble in the afterlife. The sequel may not quite match the brilliance of the first film, but it’s still a delightful watch, and O’Hara shines yet again in his performance.

Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

It’s undeniable that the “Home Alone” series is synonymous with Macauley Culkin, who portrays the character Kevin McAllister, a child often unintentionally left behind. However, it’s important to note that his brother Kieran Culkin also appears in the films as Kevin’s cousin Fuller. Catherine O’Hara shines in her role as Kevin’s mother, Kate, adding charm to the storyline.

The original film was released in 1990, under the direction of Chris Columbus. The McAllister family intended to travel to Paris for Christmas, but a massive snowstorm in Chicago caused them to rush to the airport, leaving Kevin behind. Given his young age of eight, this predicament would already be precarious. However, when burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), target their seemingly empty home, chaos ensues. It’s Kate who first realizes that Kevin is still at home while they’re actually in the air, and while the rest of the family waits for a new flight, she frantically swaps tickets and even accepts rides from strangers to return to her son.

Hey there! I’m thrilled to jump right back into the action with director Chris Columbus, O’Hara reprising her role as Kate, and the rest of the crew in the 1992 sequel, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” You know, it seems like Kevin, now a ten-year-old prodigy, keeps finding himself lost during family holidays. Perhaps they should consider a staycation instead?

Oh, and did you spot the notorious felon who apparently made a deal to appear in this flick, with the production taking place on one of his properties? Keep your eyes peeled!

The Christopher Guest Cinematic Universe (1996-2006)

Christopher Guest, an accomplished actor, writer, director, and producer, crafted a series of films across the 1990s and 2000s with a recurring ensemble cast. This unique approach resulted in an extraordinary collaboration where actors largely improvised scenes within humorous settings. Remarkably, this strategy proved successful on no less than four occasions, commencing with the 1996 mockumentary “Waiting for Guffman.” Set in the fictional town of Blaine, Missouri as it prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary, Catherine O’Hara delivers a remarkable performance as Sheila Albertson, a travel agent turned amateur actor. Her drunken behavior during a double date is a testament to some of the most convincing “intoxicated” acting you will ever witness. Subsequently, O’Hara teamed up with Guest again in 2000 for “Best in Show,” where she shines as Cookie Fleck (née Guggleman), a character who is married to Gerry (portrayed by Eugene Levy) and eager to showcase their dog Winky at a national competition. The film features one of the best recurring jokes in any movie, as Cookie and Gerry encounter a multitude of Cookie’s former lovers, causing Gerry to grow increasingly anxious. Additionally, O’Hara’s silly walk when Cookie “injures her leg” remains one of the most hilarious moments ever captured on film.

In 2003, O’Hara became part of Christopher Guest’s cinematic universe for the third time in “A Mighty Wind,” a film that follows three folk bands reuniting for a unique performance. In this movie, O’Hara portrays Mickey Crabbe, who teams up musically with Mitch Cohen (Levy once more), as part of the act “Mitch & Mickey.” Previously, they would conclude their performances with a distinctive kiss, but by the time the story unfolds, Mickey is remarried and appears to have moved on from their relationship, while Mitch remains unattached. Three years later, both O’Hara and Levy collaborated with Guest again in “For Your Consideration,” a mockumentary centered around a fictional film named “Home for Purim” that’s aiming for numerous prestigious awards. Here, O’Hara plays Marilyn Hack, an actress striving for an Oscar nomination who feigns nonchalance when her young and inexperienced co-star, Brian Chubb (Christopher Moynihan), is the only one to receive recognition from the Academy. All of these films are truly exceptional and should be on any fan of O’Hara’s watchlist.

A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004, 2017)

Two distinct adaptations of Daniel Handler’s popular children’s book series “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” penned by the quirky author Lemony Snicket, feature Catherine O’Hara in both. In the 2004 film named “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” directed by Brad Silberling, O’Hara portrays Justice Strauss, a gentle, compassionate, and utterly fair woman who resides next to the clearly villainous Count Olaf, played by Jim Carrey. The orphaned Baudelaire siblings, Violet, Klaus, and baby Sunny (Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, and Kara and Shelby Hoffman), are compelled to live with Olaf. Immediately, they strike up a friendship with Justice Strauss, despite her desire to adopt them and protect them from Olaf’s plots to seize the Baudelaire family fortune. Unfortunately, this plan is thwarted due to a series of unfortunate events.

In the Netflix series that aired from 2017 to 2019 (spanning three seasons), O’Hara returns but this time takes on a character collaborating with Count Olaf, now played by Neil Patrick Harris. The first season follows the storylines of the initial four novels out of thirteen, and in its seventh episode, we find O’Hara as Dr. Georgina Orwell – an optometrist whose name fits her well, given she uses hypnosis to keep workers content under poor working conditions, plus anyone else who poses a problem. She was also once Olaf’s girlfriend. Interestingly, O’Hara is the only actor to appear in both adaptations, despite the shows being aimed at children; her roles clearly demonstrate her wide-ranging acting skills.

Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

Before “Schitt’s Creek,” Catherine O’Hara was already recognized by many, but her six-season portrayal of the flamboyantly dressed and verbose Moira Rose marked a significant career milestone when she joined the show in 2015. Created by Dan Levy, who also stars as a character in the series, “Schitt’s Creek” explores the life of a wealthy family reduced to a small town named Schitt’s Creek after losing their fortune, except for this town they had purchased as a joke years ago. The first season was somewhat rocky as Moira, her video store chain CEO husband Johnny (played by Eugene Levy), and their entitled children David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) spent most of their time scornfully rejecting Schitt’s Creek and its inhabitants. However, once the central family became integrated into the town’s fabric, the show began to flourish significantly. From the start, O’Hara fully embodies Moira, delivering an exceptional performance that truly captures the essence of this character.

Moira, portrayed brilliantly by Catherine O’Hara, is one of the most memorable TV characters in recent times due to her eccentric style (her unique wardrobe, numerous wigs, and creative pronunciations of words like saying “baby” or using terms such as “churlish,” “pettifogging,” and “frippet”), which is widely appreciated. At the 2020 Emmy Awards, O’Hara, along with co-stars Dan Levy and creator/writer/director Dan Levy, swept the comedy acting categories, with additional awards for Levy in writing and directing, and the show itself winning outstanding comedy series – a well-deserved recognition of her groundbreaking performance. To top it off, Moira has become a popular topic on social media, adding to her fame.

The Studio (2025)

In March 2025, Apple TV+ experienced a surge in popularity following the release of the acclaimed second season of “Severance.” To capitalize on this success, they unveiled an entirely new comedy series titled “The Studio,” featuring a stellar cast headed by Catherine O’Hara. This series was the brainchild of longtime collaborators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, in collaboration with Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez. The show uniquely incorporates real-life Hollywood celebrities, such as Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, playing themselves, alongside a central cast led by Rogen as Matt Remick, who becomes the head of Continental Studios and must juggle maintaining its profitability with his passion for creating artful films. The initial challenge he faces is being instructed to produce a “Kool-Aid movie.

In the show, O’Hara portrays Patty Leigh, a previous Continental executive who was pressured out of her position, despite being Matt’s long-term mentor who persistently attempts to aid him as he struggles to maintain the studio’s stability amidst his own comedic incompetence. The series often uses extended shots and dramatic sweeps, which accentuates O’Hara’s humorous style effectively. In the pilot episode, “The Promotion,” a heated disagreement between Matt and Patty at her grand residence skillfully employs the show’s fast-paced cinematography, escalating to a point where Patty successfully negotiates a highly profitable deal from Matt in exchange for her assistance. Throughout the series, O’Hara is delightful to watch, but she truly shines in “The Studio,” where her ability to swiftly transition from calm to intense is showcased brilliantly.

2025-04-12 21:31