Macaulay Culkin Mourns Home Alone Co-Star Catherine O’Hara: ‘Mama, I Thought We Had Time...’

Macaulay Culkin has shared an emotional tribute following the death of his Home Alone co-star Catherine O’Hara, who passed away at the age of 71. The actor took to Instagram on Friday to mourn the woman

who played his on-screen mother and remained a cherished presence throughout his life.

Posting a heartfelt message alongside a photo, Culkin addressed O’Hara as “Mama,” capturing the deep bond they shared beyond the screen.

“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.”

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A post shared by Macaulay 'Instagram' Culkin (@culkamania)

O’Hara starred as Kate McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), portraying the frantic yet devoted mother of Culkin’s Kevin McCallister that helped define holiday cinema and launched Culkin into global stardom as a child actor.

A Bond That Lasted Beyond Home Alone

While the films cemented their place in pop culture, Culkin and O’Hara’s connection endured long after the cameras stopped rolling. That bond was on full display in December 2023, when Culkin received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O’Hara was invited to speak at the ceremony, delivering a moving tribute that left both Culkin and the audience emotional.

During her speech, O’Hara reflected on Culkin’s meteoric rise to fame at a young age and the challenges that came with it.

“Macaulay — this beautiful, dear little 10-year-old boy — was called a superstar, a moneymaker, one of the hottest leading young men in Hollywood by the world over. How does anyone survive that?” she said.

She went on to credit his humour as the key to his resilience.

“Well, I believe you’d have to possess a certain quality, a gift that dear [writer-producer] John Hughes obviously recognized in you, Macaulay: your sense of humor. It’s a sign of intelligence in a child, and a key to surviving life at any age. And from what I see, you have brought this sweet, yet twisted, yet totally relatable sense of humor to everything that you have chosen to do since ‘Home Alone.’”

‘I’m So Proud of You’

O’Hara concluded her speech with words that now feel especially poignant. “Thank you for including me — your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice — to share in this happy occasion,” she said. “I’m so proud of you.”

As she finished, Culkin wiped away tears before the two embraced, a moment that resonated deeply with fans who grew up watching them on screen.