LOS ANGELES — Emmy-winning actress Catherine O’Hara, known for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “Home Alone,” died from a blood clot in her lungs, her death certificate revealed Monday.
The Canadian-born performer was rushed to a hospital on January 30 after experiencing difficulty breathing at her Brentwood, Los Angeles, home. The 71-year-old was declared dead shortly afterward. Her death certificate cited a pulmonary embolism as the cause of death and listed rectal cancer as a secondary factor.
O’Hara was born in Toronto in 1954 and began her career with the legendary comedy theater Second City, performing alongside Eugene Levy, with whom she would collaborate throughout her career, including on the hit TV series “Schitt’s Creek.”
She made her film debut in 1980 with “Double Negative,” again appearing with Levy and John Candy. In 1988, she played Winona Ryder’s stepmother in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice,” later marrying the film’s production designer Bo Welch. The couple had two sons, Matthew and Luke.
O’Hara became widely known internationally in 1990 as Kevin McCallister’s mother in “Home Alone” and reprised the role in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” which featured a cameo by Donald Trump. She collaborated with Burton again in 1993 on “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
The versatile actress also appeared in Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration.” Modern audiences may know her best for “Schitt’s Creek,” created by Dan Levy, Eugene Levy’s son, for which she won an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in 2020, as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.
