WWMRR? aka What Would Moira Rose Read?
In honor of my Canadian queen Catherine O'Hara tragically passing away today, I wept (literally, I am unwell, y'all), and then felt inspired to make a list of books that I think Moira would like. Please give me ideas, I am thinking books that are/contain the following: dramatic and theatrical, VERBOSE vocabulary paired with profanity, female rage/female empowerment, sly humor, dark and twisty, possible nods to The Industry, excellent accessories required.
created by notlizlemon
last updated February, 2026
Comments
This is how I find out?? đđ
I'm sorry, friend!! I found out by my mom texting me. We deserved personalized phone calls
I just found out too, I am so so sad đđ
ughhhhh im so sad đđ I love that this list is honoring her đ
Nooooo this is the first Iâm hearing of it đđđđ
I'm sorry, mourning with you!!
Schittâs Creek is my number one comfort show. Itâs supposed to snow here this weekend, so I suspect there will be a lot of watching in memoriam coming up.
same
I just saw she passed a few minutes ago and my jaw dropped!!
Literally gasped out loud
my mom texted me and I out loud, alone, said, "NOOOOOOO" Michael Scott style and then texted her "what the fuck"
Why was this list how i found out đ great list tho
I'm sorry lol I was so upset that I was like, I gotta HONOR this queen somehow or I am just gonna weep here
No worries at all- this way we can all grieve together đ„č
Right! I did not expect PB to be how I started getting news đ
I'm sorry!!! I really needed to distract myself from Sad
No need to apologize!
I just heard and Iâm so heartbroken đ
I just heard about the news, and I'm devastated. She was so Amazing and Talented. đ
me too đ
Came here to suggest Rebecca and Evelyn Hugo. I know Moira would have loved them and Iâm happy theyâre already on the list.
Sending love to everyone mourning â€ïž
Such good validation for my initial picks, thank you â€ïž
iâm just staring at a wall because how and why and what oh my god this is awful!!!
i'm trying to channel energy, hence list, but i get a little intense when sad
iâm absolutely devastated. đđđ
wow an absolute tragedy, i just heard i am so sad đ đđđđą already 2026 is so cruel
2026 has been so cruel already, you're so right
ok, what about the awakening by kate chopin? girlie feminists so hard she walks into the ocean v drama v flowery. also maybe madame bovary? also also great call on Rebecca
adding them both, thank you!!
this being how I found out đđđ
I'm sorry, I was really quick on the take with the list (distraction technique). I'm mourning with you đ
i got the news ping on my phone and ran downstairs to tell my parents, devastated đ
I literally just found out right before opening pagebound đ devastated đđđ
Just got off the phone with my husband to tell him the terrible news đ She was such a fucking super star I can't believe it (also far too close to my mom's age so that's definitely fucking me up)
I'm so fucked up over it. literally my mom was trying to make me watch the golden globes like two weeks ago and i was like babe, they cannot top Seth Rogen and Catherine O'Hara's bit from last year so I'm not even gonna watch, it has peaked
Her as Sally in Nightmare Before Christmas is my all time favorite, and I love seeing her do Sally's Song, she's just giving triple threat acting/comedy/singing so hard
She would have loved this list đ«¶đŒđ„č
oh my god yazii now i'm crying again fuck (thank you, if you have any ideas, I'm def interested, this is how I'm distracting myself)
Awww Liz đđą I think Trust by Hernan Diaz and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara would fit right in đđ«¶đŒ
thank you!!! I'm gonna add Trust right now - that one seems right on the money for Ms. Moira! but hold on A Little Life because I have heard kind of mixed things about it... even though Moira is also A Lot, I've heard it's maybe a little bit like, exploitative of queer pain, if you know what I mean?
Oooo I can see that. I always appreciate your big brain and heart Liz đ„čđ
awww Yazii!! I so appreciate YOU!! I love following what you're reading and seeing your thoughtful takes đ«¶đŒđ«¶đŒđ«¶đŒ
Likewise my love!! đ«¶đŒđ„č itâs so refreshing to hear your takes and I always appreciate the feedback. Pagebound is one of the few things keeping me sane in this hell hole of a timeline đ«
hard same. things are bad but i am so grateful for this community.
I went and dramatically interrupted my partnerâs work to inform him of the terrible news! I love that you put this together so quickly thank you!!
thank you!! I feel bad because I think this is not how some would have wanted to find out (but idk, getting a text from my mom also sucked, and I have also not enjoyed finding out on like, instagram, so I sort of think there is no way to learn about the passing of an internationally beloved treasure đ)
I was JUST talking about her passing with a coworker - we are devastated! Beautiful list to honor her, though đ«¶đ
thank you đđđ
Seventy one isnât that old. What happened?!
I don't know, I don't think that that's public knowledge right now.
Yeah, they might not even say since itâs private information.
My sister texted me the news and I was alone and suffice to say I was in shock. đđ
I love this list idea. Great way to honor her đâ€ïžâđ©č
I love this list idea. Great way to honor her đâ€ïžâđ©č
thank you đđđ
this is how I found out she died, I'm not well wtf.....
i'm so sorry, friend, i'm struggling with it too. sending love đ
Amazing list! Thank you! I need to read all of these
thank you!! lmk if you have any recs to add!!
Iâm actually so unbelievably sad about this. I saw this post yesterday and was in denial and completely scrolled past. And then I saw that she really did die and omg. Our whole childhood in a person đ.
Yeah, no... there have been a few recently that have really hurt, that I have not gotten over, and they have also really shocked me. Catherine, Diane, Rob... it's parasocial I guess but I don't care, I love them
Diane was one of mine as well and then I learned she was a rape apologist and I was heartbroken. But I know that the movie industry requires a lot of compromising of self and morals but damn đ«©.
I had not heard that, but I can probably guess... are we talking W.A.?
Yes đ©đ«© exactly
We hate to see it. I think where I have landed on folks who have one thing like that, where itâs like, one specific person they seem to have a blind spot for, rather than like, a more widespread thing, is⊠not that I condone it bc certainly that individual (any individual, not him specifically) caused significant harm that I would want the original person to recognize and I hold them accountable for their lack of recognition. But⊠at the same time, they are only human and I too have blind spots. So while I would keep that info in mind, I also kind of hold it alongside everything else that is good and just have a more complex picture of them than unmitigated fan-girling. and now that the person has passed, unfortunately their ability to change for the better in that specific regard has been taken from them, which is sad, bc for most people I want to hold the possibility that they will get to a more nuanced understanding of something. So not that I disagree with anyone who learns that and is like ok no longer a fan, bc I understand that, I think I go to kind of just a tempered fandom in those types of cases. Long-winded I apologize
No donât apologize! I think what youâre saying is honestly how a lot of people feel. I believe you can still be sad about their deaths etc. love; in any form doesnât just go away. But thatâs where that parasocial thing comes in. But then I also believe itâs very human to fall in love with the artist when itâs really their art that moved you. But can you really separate the two? Idk. I donât think so though people argue this for other celebs like R. Kelly. Either way I find it easier to shut off my deep sadness or empathy once I learn someone has intentionally and boldly disregarded someone elseâs pain. She made her stance clear and her loyalties for her reasons. And also..I didnât know her. And round and round we go.
yeah no thatâs so real. I think sometimes I draw the distinction between the person who did the thing (ie R Kelly) and the apologist, if again, thereâs one person they apologist for rather than like, a whole sea of them. but ultimately⊠I think sometimes with those folks you love, you prevent yourself from taking the thought all the way to that (logical, correct) conclusion bc itâs fucked up.
thank god Catherine was a ray of light, all bars, no skips, from beginning to end
My sister texted me with the news yesterday and I am so sad :( Schitt's Creek was one of the shows my mom and I watched together during quarantine, and it was the first show my partner and I watched when we started dating (rewatch for me, first time for him), so it and Catherine O'Hara have a very special place in my heart. I'm wearing my Rose Apothecary sweater today in her honor! Thank you for putting this list together :)
đ«đ«đ«
Goodbye to Berlin! The book Cabaret was based on. What a star âïž
thank you!! great pick!!
