Emmy Award winner Catherine O’Hara has died at her Los Angeles home following a brief illness, her representatives confirmed Friday. The Canadian actress was 71.
O’Hara’s agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), announced she passed away at her residence in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. The cause of death has not been disclosed. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) told ABC News it received a medical aid call at 4:48 a.m. Friday at an address connected to O’Hara. She was transported to a hospital in serious condition, according to LAFD records.
The Toronto native enjoyed a six decade career playing memorable comic characters across television and film. She earned widespread recognition for her portrayal of anxious mother Kate McCallister in the 1990 holiday classic “Home Alone” alongside a young Macaulay Culkin. Her performance captured the frantic energy of a parent who accidentally leaves her son behind during Christmas travel.
More recently, O’Hara won critical acclaim playing Moira Rose, the eccentric former soap opera star in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) sitcom “Schitt’s Creek.” The role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020 and a Golden Globe in 2021. She starred opposite longtime collaborator Eugene Levy in the show, which ran for six seasons and became a cultural phenomenon.
O’Hara got her start in sketch comedy on “Second City Television” (SCTV) in 1974, where she worked alongside John Candy, Harold Ramis and Levy. Her film career included notable roles in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” in 1988, where she played sculptress Delia Deetz. She reprised the role in the 2024 sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
The actress frequently collaborated with director Christopher Guest, appearing in his mockumentary films “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind” and “For Your Consideration.” She also provided the voice of Sally in Tim Burton’s animated classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in 1993.
Her recent work included a dramatic turn in Home Box Office (HBO) series “The Last of Us” in 2025, which earned her an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress in a drama series. She also appeared in the Apple TV Plus comedy “The Studio” alongside Seth Rogen, earning another Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress.
Culkin posted a tribute to O’Hara on Instagram Friday. “Mama. I thought we had time,” he wrote. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
Catherine Anne O’Hara was born March 4, 1954, in Toronto as the sixth of seven children. She began her acting career as an understudy for Gilda Radner at The Second City Theater in Toronto before landing her breakthrough role on SCTV.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, whom she married in 1992 after meeting on the set of “Beetlejuice.” The couple had two sons, Matthew and Luke. Her family plans to hold a private celebration of life.
Throughout her career, O’Hara accumulated more than 100 film and television credits. Her honors included two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She remained active in the industry until her death, maintaining a steady presence in Hollywood for over 50 years.
