Hollywood Mourns The Passing of Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek Star Catherine O’ Hara

Catherine O’Hara, the Emmy-winning actress whose career spanned more than five decades, has died at the age of 71, her representatives confirmed. O’Hara passed away January 30, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness, according to Creative Artists Agency, which represented her. The news has prompted an outpouring of tributes from co-stars, collaborators and fans around the world.

O’Hara was a defining presence in comedy and film throughout her career. Born in Toronto in 1954, she got her start with the improv group Second City before rising to prominence on the influential sketch series SCTV alongside fellow Canadian talents. Her film work included memorable roles in Beetlejuice (1988) and Christopher Guest’s ensemble mockumentaries such as Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman and A Mighty Wind. She was also widely beloved for her role as Kate McCallister, Kevin’s mother, in Home Alone and its sequel. Later in her career she reached new audiences as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, earning a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.

Tributes began pouring immediately after news of her death broke. 

Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin wrote on Instagram, “Mama. I thought we had time… I love you. I’ll see you later.” 

Co-stars from Apple TV+’s The Studio shared that they were “at a loss for words” at the loss of their friend and colleague. Schitt’s Creek co-creator and actor Dan Levy posted that he would “cherish every funny memory” made with O’Hara, and longtime collaborator Eugene Levy reflected on their more than 50 years of working together. Actor Pedro Pascal called her a “genius” and said there was “less light in my world” without her.

O’Hara is survived by her longtime husband, production designer Bo Welch, with whom she had two sons. She also lived with a rare condition called situs inversus, a trait she occasionally discussed in interviews as part of her unique life story. She continued working up until the end of her life, with recent roles in The Studio and The Last of Us.

From her early days in Canadian comedy to her status as a Hollywood icon, O’Hara’s work brought laughter and depth to audiences worldwide, and her loss has resonated across generations of fans and peers alike.