Catherine O’Hara’s Cause Of Death Revealed

The cause of death for legendary “Home Alone” and “Schitt’s Creek” actress Catherine O’Hara has been revealed.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed on Monday that O’Hara died after suffering from a pulmonary embolism, per TMZ. It was also noted that the actress had rectal cancer, which was listed as the underlying cause of the embolism. O’Hara was 71 years old at the time of her death on January 30.

The death certificate said O’Hara was cremated and that her remains were given to her husband, the outlet noted. 

The iconic star was best known for her roles in movies such as “Beetlejuice” (1988), “Home Alone” (1990), “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992), “Waiting for Guffman” (1996), and “Best in Show” (2000). O’Hara also starred in the cult classic TV comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” which earned her the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.

O’Hara’s manager confirmed the news of her death, saying at the time that she died following a “brief illness.”

O’Hara had a long and varied Hollywood career spanning TV and movies, mostly in comedies. Her most recent project was the Apple TV+ series “The Studio” alongside Seth Rogen. Her role in the series earned her an Emmy nomination in 2025.

The Canadian actress was born in Toronto in 1954 as the sixth of seven children. Like so many other comedic actors, she got her start at the Second City Theater in Toronto alongside legends such as Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner, and Eugene Levy. She became a staple character before moving on to films and scripted television.

O’Hara met her husband, production designer Bo Welch, on the set of “Beetlejuice” in 1988. The pair wed in 1992 and had two sons: Matthew in 1994 and Luke in 1997.

O’Hara stayed close with her “Home Alone” co-star Macaulay Culkin for decades. After her passing, he posted on Instagram, “Mama. I thought we had time. 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.”

Her longtime collaborator Eugene Levy also mourned the loss. “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today,” he said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over 50 years. From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship.”

He added, “I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”