Catherine O’Hara, the Emmy-winning actress and comedy legend beloved for her unforgettable roles in Home Alone, Beetlejuice and Schitt’s Creek, has died at the age of 71.
O’Hara died on January 30, 2026, at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness, according to a statement from her representatives. Her death marked the end of a remarkable career that stretched across more than five decades.
For millions of movie fans, O’Hara will forever be remembered as Kate McCallister, the loving but frantic mother of Kevin in the Home Alone films. Her repeated realization that she had once again lost track of her youngest son became one of the most recognizable comedic moments in Christmas movie history.
But her career went far beyond Home Alone.
O’Hara first established herself in Canadian comedy, becoming part of Toronto’s Second City scene and helping create the legendary sketch series SCTV. Her work there earned her an Emmy, beginning a long relationship with television and comedy that would eventually make her one of the industry’s most respected performers.
She later became unforgettable as Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, bringing a unique combination of eccentricity and humor to the character. Decades later, she returned to the role for the 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
A new generation discovered O’Hara through Schitt’s Creek, where she played the dramatic and wonderfully unpredictable Moira Rose. The performance earned her another Emmy and helped introduce her work to millions of viewers around the world.
Following the news of her death, tributes came from colleagues, friends and fans across the entertainment industry.
Macaulay Culkin, who played Kevin McCallister, publicly remembered O’Hara with an emotional tribute, referring to her as his “Mama” and expressing how much more he had hoped to share with her.
O’Hara leaves behind a remarkable body of work spanning television, film and comedy. She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke. Her family has announced plans for a private celebration of her life.
For generations of viewers, Catherine O’Hara was much more than a talented actress.
She was the mother from Home Alone, the unforgettable Delia from Beetlejuice, the extraordinary Moira Rose—and a performer whose ability to make audiences laugh will continue to live on through the characters she created.