Catherine O’Hara, star of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and ‘Home Alone,’ dead at 71

Catherine O’Hara, beloved Emmy-winning comedian from ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ dies at 71 after a brief illness at her home.

Catherine O’Hara, the shape-shifting Canadian comic ‍actor whose characters ranged from the deliriously theatrical Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek” to the frantic mother in “Home Alone,” has died at 71 — ‌prompting an outpouring of tributes led by her co-star Macaulay Culkin and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

A representative from the office of her manager Marc Gurvitz confirmed the death of O’Hara, who earned the 2020 Emmy for best comedy actress, helping to propel “Schitt’s Creek” to TV awards season dominance at the 2021 Golden Globes.

The BBC, citing a statement from Creative Artists Agency, reported she died on Friday (January 30, 2026) at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.

O’Hara portrayed ⁠Kate McCallister, the mother of Macaulay Culkin’s character in the movie “Home Alone,” and Delia Deetz in the film “Beetlejuice.” Mr. Culkin paid homage to O’Hara on the social media platform 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,” Mr. Culkin wrote ‌alongside images of the two of them.

Mr. Carney wrote on X, “I join Canadians and fans across the world in mourning the loss of ‍Catherine O’Hara.”