Catherine O'Hara died of a blood clot in her lungs. The beloved Hollywood actress' immediate cause of death was a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer identified as the underlying condition. She died on January 30 after a brief illness. O'Hara, best known for her role on "Schitt's Creek" and a decades-long career filled with iconic performances, was 71 years old.
At the time, the Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to an emergency call at her home at 4:48 a.m. and rushed her to the hospital in "serious" condition. While the details of her health condition are still unclear, O'Hara was living with a rare condition called situs inversus.
Death Was Painful
The condition causes a person's internal organs to be arranged as a mirror image of the typical anatomy. Situs inversus is generally considered harmless, but it can complicate medical care, as symptoms may show up on the opposite side of the body, making certain issues harder to quickly identify or diagnose.
O'Hara was last seen in public at the Emmy Awards in September, where she appeared noticeably frail while walking the red carpet. The actress was noticeably missing from the 2026 Golden Globes on January 11, where she had been nominated for Best Supporting Actress on Television for The Studio.
During the ceremony, her "Home Alone" co-star Macaulay Culkin appeared onstage to present the award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, taking a moment to reminisce about his part in the beloved holiday film.
Just one week before her striking appearance at the September 2025 Emmys, O'Hara reunited with longtime collaborator Eugene Levy when she was presented with the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
She appeared visibly moved as Levy presented her with the honor, delivering an emotional and heartfelt acceptance speech.
"Eugene, that's too much. Thank you, darling," she said after his introduction.
The star continued, "Darling Eugene. When I think of my happiest days in this adventure in show business, I realize most of them have been with you."
Self-Made Star
Their on-screen collaboration dates back to the 1970s, when they first appeared together on the Canadian sketch comedy series "Second City Television." They later reunited in the 1996 comedy "Waiting for Guffman," co-written by Levy and Christopher Guest, and again in the 2000 dog-show satire "Best in Show," where they memorably played the married couple Gerry and Cookie Fleck.
A Toronto native, O'Hara began her career as part of the legendary SCTV cast, helping to launch the careers of comedy legends like John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Rick Moranis.
She became a household name with her iconic role as Kevin's mom, Kate McCallister, in the "Home Alone" films.
In the past decade, O'Hara experienced a career resurgence with "Schitt's Creek," earning an Emmy for her portrayal of the eccentric Moira Rose alongside longtime collaborator Eugene Levy. She won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for the role in 2020.
Her Emmy history was already impressive: she first won in 1982 for her work on SCTV Network and accumulated eight more nominations over the years for both acting and writing.
In 2017, she was appointed to the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honors.
In 2025, she earned two Emmy nominations, winning for her guest appearance on HBO's "The Last of Us."
