Health officials confirm the cause of death of Catherine O’Hara
Comedian and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara has died at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness, with authorities citing pulmonary embolism and rectal cancer as the cause of death.
Authorities have confirmed the cause of death of acclaimed actor and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara, who died at her Los Angeles home on January 30 at the age of 71 after a brief illness. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said O’Hara died of pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying cause. tmz.
O’Hara was cremated, and her remains were turned over to her husband, production designer Robert ‘Bo’ Welch. His representatives at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) confirmed his death, stating that the illness was brief and declined to share further details about his health.
A prolific presence in comedy and character-based cinema, O’Hara was best known for his roles in home alone Movies and Tim Burton Beetle Juice. In the past decade, she has enjoyed a major resurgence in her career, earning widespread praise for her Emmy-winning performance as Moira Rose. schitt’s creekWith his work on Apple TV+ studio.
In 2025, O’Hara received two Emmy nominations – one for her guest starring role on HBO’s the last of us and second for his comic role studiowhich became his final television series. He was scheduled to return for the show’s second season, which began shooting in January.
After the news of his death, tributes started pouring in all over Hollywood. Actors and filmmakers including Macaulay Culkin, Chris Columbus, Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz and Eugene Levy shared messages remembering his talent and warmth.
Levy, who collaborated with O’Hara on numerous projects for more than five decades, said, “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today. I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for more than 50 years. From our beginnings on Second City Stage, to SCTV, to the six wonderful years of movies we did with Chris Guest schitt’s creekI valued our working relationship – but most of all, our friendship.
Culkin, who played her son in Home Alone, shared an emotional tribute, writing, “Mom. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you, but I had more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
Catherine O’Hara is survived by her husband Bo Welch, sons Matthew and Luke, and siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O’Hara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallis.
