Catherine O'Hara Dies At 71: Home Alone Actress' Final Onscreen, Public Appearance; Last Words Four Months Before Death

Home Alone's beloved mother, Catherine O'Hara died at the age of 71 on January 30, 2026. Her demise was confirmed by her manager, leaving the entire Hollywood industry and her fans across the globe shocked and mourning. Catherine, known for playing Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek, passed at her Los Angeles home following a brief illness. Though a specific cause of her death has not been publicly confirmed, she is survived by her husband Bo Welch and their two sons, Matthew and Luke. Soon after the heartbreaking news surfaced, her onscreen son, Macaulay Culkin, who played Kevin McCallister in two Home Alone films, posted an emotional and heartbreaking tribute for his "mom." Other celebs who remembered Catherine were Ron Howard and Pedro

Pascal, among others.Catherine would be remembered for his notable body of work that spanned more than five decades. While Schitt's Creek got her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, Catherine remained professionally active in both film and television till the every end.

Catherine O'Hara's final on-screen appearance

Catherine O'Hara appeared as Patty Leigh, a former film studio head Apple TV+ series The Studio. This role earned her several award nominations and was among her last dramatic television performances that streamed before her death. The veteran actress also had a notable guest appearance as a therapist named Gail on HBO's hit drama The Last of Us Second 2.

Catherine was also seen being part of John Candy: I Like Me (2025), a documentary celebrating her longtime friend and SCTV collaborator John Candy. This is widely reported as her final onscreen appearance. All of these projects premiered or were released in 2025, making them her final body of work that audiences saw before her passing.

Catherine O'Hara's last public appearance, words

Apart from her final screen outings, Catherine's highly noticed last public appearance came at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards and its side events on September 14, 2025, where she struck a beautiful pose for the cameras while celebrating her work. She was nominated for her performance in the American comedy The Studio. She also attended the after-party with her husband Bo Welch. "I am thrilled for all the lovely people on the show," Catherine told E! News.The actress had also gone onstage with the rest of The Studio's cast and crew to accept the award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

The week prior, Catherine had accepted the TIFF Tribute Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025, where her longtime collaborator Eugene Levy presented her with the award. "When I think of my happiest day in this adventure in show business, I realise most of them have been with you (Eugene Levy)," she said at the event.All this was four months before her death.