Catherine O’Hara, whose razor-sharp wit and unforgettable characters helped define generations of film and television comedy, has been laid to rest following new details about her death.
According to Fox News, the veteran actress died from a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying cause, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ.
The document also notes that O’Hara was cremated. She was 71.
Emergency responders were called to O’Hara’s Brentwood, California, home around 5 a.m. on Jan. 30, the Los Angeles Fire Department previously confirmed to Fox News Digital. She was transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition and was pronounced dead several hours later.
“Prolific multi-award-winning actress, writer, and comedian Catherine O’Hara died today at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness,” her representatives said in a statement confirming her passing.
Years before her death, O’Hara publicly shared that she had been diagnosed with a rare medical condition known as dextrocardia situs inversus, discovered during a routine doctor’s appointment. The condition causes the heart and other organs to be positioned on the opposite side of the body.
“He calls us into his office and says, ‘You’re the first one I’ve met!’” O’Hara recalled during a 2020 episode of “Virtual Happy Hour” with Kathryn Hall. “I don’t even know the name, because I don’t want to know the name. Something cardio-inversus. And then dextrocardia and something-inversus.”
“People are going to think I’m so ignorant not to know this, but I kind of don’t want to know. Because I didn’t know before that.”
O’Hara’s career stretched across decades and genres, cementing her as one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers. She became a household name for her role as the frantic yet lovable mother in the “Home Alone” films and later captivated audiences with her eccentric portrayal of Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.”
Her film résumé included standout roles in classics such as “Beetlejuice” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” showcasing her unique ability to blend comedy with heart.
In the later years of her career, O’Hara received some of her highest praise for “Schitt’s Creek,” earning an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, a Critics’ Choice Award, a TCA Award, and multiple Canadian Screen Awards for the show’s final two seasons.
She also earned recent Emmy nominations for her performances in “The Last of Us” and “The Studio.”
O’Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, their sons Matthew and Luke, and several siblings.
