Celebs Mourn Catherine O'Hara, Home Alone And Schitt's Creek Actress

The news of Catherine O’Hara death has left the entertainment world in mourning. The Emmy-winning actor, best known for Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone, died at the age of 71. Her agency confirmed the passing, marking the loss of one of Canada’s most distinctive and beloved performers.

O’Hara’s career spanned over five decades, defined by fearless comedy, emotional precision and characters that felt instantly iconic. From sketch television to Hollywood films and prestige television, she remained both unpredictable and deeply human.

Sudden illness and final hours

Reports indicate that O’Hara was hospitalised early on Friday after falling seriously ill at her Los Angeles home. She later passed away in hospital. While the Catherine O’Hara cause of death has not been formally disclosed, it is known that she lived with a rare congenital condition, dextrocardia with situs inversus, which usually does not impact daily health.

In recent years, she continued to work steadily. In 2025, she revealed she had contracted Covid-19 while filming but remained committed to the project, a reflection of her professionalism until the very end.

Tributes pour in from fans and stars

Following the Catherine O’Hara passing news, tributes flooded social media. Fans described her as “effortlessly brilliant” and “one of the greatest comic performers of all time”. Fellow artists echoed the sentiment, praising her generosity, timing and emotional range.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney honoured her as a national treasure, noting her journey from Toronto theatre to SCTV and finally to global acclaim with Schitt’s Creek. Christopher Guest, her frequent collaborator, called her “one of the comic giants of our age”.

Legacy, tributes and the family she leaves behind

Among the many tributes that followed Catherine O’Hara’s passing, one of the most moving came from her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin. In a deeply personal message, he mourned the loss of someone who felt like family, writing that he wished for more time, more conversations and one last quiet moment together, ending with a simple expression of love and farewell.

O’Hara’s later years marked a powerful resurgence in her career, led by Schitt’s Creek, which found a global audience during the Covid lockdowns. The series, centred on the sudden fall of the once-wealthy Rose family and their reluctant move to a small-town motel, reintroduced her to a new generation and cemented Moira Rose as one of television comedy’s most indelible characters.

A career that reshaped comedy

O’Hara first rose to prominence on SCTV, before becoming a fixture in Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries. Her collaborations with Tim Burton, including Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, showcased her versatility.

She is survived by her husband Bo Welch and their sons Matthew and Luke. Her legacy, like her work, feels timeless.