“Home Alone” Star and Comedy Queen, Catherine O’Hara, Dies at 71
Catherine O’Hara died at her Los Angeles home on January 30, 2026. The Hollywood icon was 71 years old. Her agency, Creative Artists Agency, confirmed her death and said it followed a short illness that she chose to keep private.
Emergency responders took her to a hospital early that morning after a call for medical help. Reports said she arrived in serious condition and later passed away. No official cause of death has been released, though some reports mentioned breathing difficulties before she died.
A Quiet Health Story She Rarely Shared
Catherine FP / IG / O’Hara had spoken publicly about only one medical condition. In a 2020 interview, she revealed she was born with dextrocardia with situs inversus, a rare genetic condition where the heart and organs are mirrored inside the body.
The “Beetlejuice” actress joked about it and brushed it off with her usual dry humor.
Doctors have stressed that this condition is generally harmless and not linked to sudden illness. Medical experts have also said there is no indication it played any role in her death. O’Hara herself once said she learned about it during routine tests and chose not to obsess over it.
That approach matched her personality. She respected medicine but did not let it define her. She once joked that she loved Western medicine but did not want to be part of it, a line that felt funny until it also felt deeply human.
Her Career Defined Comedy for Generations
O’Hara’s rise began in Toronto with the Second City comedy troupe and the sketch show SCTV. There, she formed lifelong bonds with performers like Eugene Levy, John Candy, and Martin Short. That group changed comedy by trusting intelligence over noise.
Her film roles soon followed and became classics. As Kate McCallister in “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” she turned panic into art. Her screams, frantic runs, and aching love for her lost son made those films work.
She showed a different edge in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.” Her character, Delia Deetz, was sharp, strange, and fearless. She reprised the role decades later in the 2024 sequel, proving her timing had not faded even a little.
O’Hara also found magic in collaboration with director Christopher Guest. Films like “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration” relied on improvisation. She thrived in that space and made it look easy.
Her late career brought a new wave of fans through Schitt’s Creek. As Moira Rose, she wore wigs like armor and spoke like no one else on television. The role earned her Emmy and Golden Globe wins and cemented her status as a legend.
In 2025, she appeared in the second season of “The Last of Us” and the Apple TV+ comedy “The Studio.” Award voters noticed, and so did audiences who loved seeing her still taking risks.
Family, Love, and the Legacy She Leaves
Catherine FP / IG / O’Hara met her husband, production designer Bo Welch, on the set of “Beetlejuice.” They stayed married for more than 30 years and raised two sons, Matthew and Luke.
Born and raised in Toronto, she was one of seven siblings. She credited her parents with teaching her how to laugh through hard times. Comedy, she once said, helped her find the light when life felt heavy.
Tributes poured in from across the industry. Macaulay Culkin called her “Mama” and wrote that he thought they had more time. Eugene Levy and Dan Levy spoke of a bond that lasted five decades and shaped their lives.
Seth Rogen said she was the funniest person he had ever watched on screen. Canada’s prime minister called her a national treasure. Fans shared clips, quotes, and stories that proved how deeply she mattered.