Catherine O'Hara, 'Home Alone' and 'Schitt's Creek' star, dies at 71

TMZ: Actress Catherine O'Hara dead at 71

TMZ reports actress Catherine O'Hara is dead at 71. The actress was known for her work in Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, and Beetlejuice. 

Catherine O’Hara, a beloved actor and comedian known for her starring roles in "Home Alone," "Schitt’s Creek" and more, has died.

O'Hara's agency confirmed her death to The Associated Press after it was first reported by TMZ. She was 71 years old.

Catherine O’Hara’s death

What we know:

O'Hara's agency said she died Friday. 

What we don't know:

The agency said O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles "following a brief illness," but according to Page Six, O’Hara was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in "serious" condition, where she later died. No other information has been released. 

MARCH 24: Catherine O'Hara attends the World Premiere of Apple TV+'s Series "The Studio" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on March 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

What they're saying:

Hollywood tributes poured in as news of her death spread. 

RELATED: Catherine O'Hara's death prompts shock, grief across social media

Macaulay Culkin, O'Hara's costar in "Home Alone," shared a heartfelt post on Instagram following her death.

"Mama. I thought we had time," the post read. "I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much to say. I love you.  I’ll see you later."

"Catherine O’Hara brought love and light to our world, through whipsmart compassion for the collection of eccentrics she portrayed...such a loss for her family and friends, and the audience she graced as friends," said Meryl Streep, who co-starred with O'Hara in "Heartburn."

"This is shattering news. What a wonderful person, artist and collaborator," director and actor Ron Howard said. "I was lucky enough to direct, produce and act in projects with her and she was simply growing more brilliant with each year. My heart goes out to Bo & family."

Catherine O'Hara's life

The backstory:

O’Hara was raised in a suburb of Toronto, Canada, according to her biography on the Carnegie Corporation of New York's website.  After high school, O’Hara worked as a server at the Toronto hub of the iconic comedy troupe Second City. She didn't have any formal training, but she was still named Gilda Radner's understudy and joined the troupe in 1974. 

"By the 1980s, her work on Second City TV (SCTV), as both performer and writer, and a range of other TV and film roles had made O’Hara a star in Canada," the biography states. 

In 1988, her big Hollywood break came when she landed the role of Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s "Beetlejuice." She also played Kevin McCallister's mom in the "Home Alone" franchise and appeared in the 2000 mockumentary "Best In Show." From 2015-2020, she played the wildly popular Moira Rose in "Schitt's Creek," earning her four Canadian Screen Awards and an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.

She was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2007.

Her final roles were as Seth Rogen’s reluctant executive mentor and freelance fixer on "The Studio" and a dramatic turn as therapist to Pedro Pascal and other dystopia survivors on HBO's "The Last of Us." Both earned her Emmy nominations. 

Outside of acting, O'Hara also worked with various charities, including Upward Bound House, a Los Angeles organization working to end homelessness. She won $250,000 for the nonprofit on the 2020 season of the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

O'Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, sons Matthew and Luke, and siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O‘Hara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallice.