Macaulay Culkin has expressed deep grief following the death of his Home Alone costar Catherine O’Hara, who passed away on Friday, January 30, 2026, at age 71. The actor shared an emotional Instagram tribute featuring two images: one from the final scene of the original Home Alone and another from December 2023 when O’Hara attended his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
Culkin wrote: “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.” The heartfelt message reflects the close bond between the two actors who worked together as mother and son in the 1990 Christmas classic and its 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
O’Hara’s agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), confirmed she died at her home in Los Angeles’s Brentwood area following a brief illness. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to ABC News it received a medical aid call at 4:48 a.m. Friday at an address connected to O’Hara, and she was transported to hospital in serious condition. The official cause of death has not been disclosed.
The Emmy Award winner enjoyed a six decade career portraying memorable characters across television and film. O’Hara earned widespread acclaim for her role as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, winning a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020 and a Golden Globe in 2021. She also starred in Beetlejuice, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind, among numerous other projects.
O’Hara spoke at Culkin’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in December 2023, praising his performance as Kevin McCallister. She described his work in Home Alone as making the acting look like the most natural thing in the world, highlighting his sweet and relatable sense of humor. The actress noted that families worldwide return to Home Alone because of Culkin’s portrayal.
O’Hara shared during a 2024 Sunday Sitdown interview with TODAY’s Willie Geist that she was often mistaken for Culkin’s real mother. At the Walk of Fame ceremony, photographers asked for a photo with “just the mother,” assuming she was his biological parent. When the confusion was clarified, O’Hara said she felt honored to be there representing his on screen mom.
The actress leaves behind her husband Bo Welch, a production designer she reportedly met on the set of the 1988 film Beetlejuice, and their two sons Matthew and Luke. Born Catherine Anne O’Hara on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Ontario, she launched her career at Second City Television in 1974 as an understudy for Gilda Radner.
Hollywood figures including Pedro Pascal, Michael Keaton, Joe Pesci, and Tim Burton have shared tributes. Pascal posted a photo from The Last of Us set, Keaton called O’Hara his real life true friend, and Pesci stated she was a great actress who will be missed. The Chicago O’Hare International Airport honored her by posting a photo from Home Alone 2 with the message thanking her for portraying the legendary Mrs. McCallister.
