‘Home Alone’ and ‘Beetlejuice’ Mom Catherine O’Hara Has Died
Actor, writer, and comedian Catherine O’Hara has died at the age of 71.
O’Hara’s manager confirmed the news to reporters, but did not give any information as to cause of death.
She passed away earlier today at her home in Los Angeles.
O’Hara is beloved for so many roles on television and in film. She got her start on the sketch comedy show SCTV, and earned four Emmy nominations for her writing. The show aired form 1981 to 1983 and she became known for her celebrity impressions – creating characters like Lola Heatherton, Lorna Minnelli, Dusty Towne, and Sue Bopper Simpson.
In 1988, she appeared in the movie “Beetlejuice” as Delia Deetz, the stepmother to Winona Ryder’s character Lydia. She reprised that role in the 2024 sequel, “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.”
In 1990, she starred in “Home Alone” as Kate McCallister, the busy mom who disciplines her son Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) and then accidentally leaves him home alone at Christmas to fight off burglars. She played Kevin’s mom again in the 1992 sequel “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”
Culkin shared a lovely tribute to his movie mom on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Other film roles include “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Wyatt Earp,” “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration.”
In 2015, she teamed up with her good friend Eugene Levy for the TV series “Schitt’s Creek.” Her portrayal of Moira Rose landed her an Emmy in 2020 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Most recently, O’Hara appeared on “The Last of Us” on HBO Max and “The Studio” on Apple TV.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and sons Matthew and Luke.
