View gallery
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved actress best known for her roles in Home Alone, Schitt’s Creek, The Nightmare Before Christmas and, most recently, The Studio, has died, multiple reports indicate. Her manager confirmed the news to several outlets on January 30, 2026. As fans and industry peers grieve the loss, many are also asking what her cause of death was since her manager noted that the late Toronto, Canada, native had a “brief illness.”
Below, get updates on everything we know so far about O’Hara’s death as Hollywood grieves the late, talented veteran actor.
How Old Was Catherine O’Hara When She Died?
O’Hara was 71 when she died on January 30, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. She held dual Canadian and American citizenship.
How Did Catherine O’Hara Die? Her Cause of Death Updates
At the time of publication, O’Hara’s exact cause of death has not been disclosed. Her manager told Variety on January 30 that she died following a “brief illness.”
O’Hara’s last public appearance was in September 2025 at the Primetime Emmy Awards and its subsequent celebrations.
Was Catherine O’Hara Sick Before She Died? What We Know About Her ‘Illness’
As previously noted, O’Hara’s manager said she had a “brief illness” without specifying which. Previously, O’Hara revealed she had been living with dextrocardia, a type of situs inversus, a condition in which the heart faces the right side of the chest while other organs are reversed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Many people with situs inversus don’t know they have it and can live a full life.
In March 2025, O’Hara appeared on The Wrap‘s “Unwrapped” podcast to discuss her time working on The Studio. When one of the co-hosts asked how she was doing that day, the late actress joked that she was “running on fumes” due to lack of sleep but was nevertheless “happy and grateful” to talk about the Apple TV+ series.
Catherine O’Hara’s Movies & TV Shows
O’Hara was a triple threat in the film industry, having worked as an actress, a screenwriter and a comedian. As an actress, she was best known for her iconic line delivery of, “Kevin!” in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. She also starred in Beetlejuice, returning for its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and voiced the fan-favorite character Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas. O’Hara appeared in Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and several other films.
Most recently, O’Hara appeared in The Last of Us and The Studio.
Her most famous television role was playing Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
