Catherine O’Hara’s cause of death confirmed after sudden passing at 71

Canadians are mourning one of their most beloved comedic icons. Catherine O’Hara, the Toronto-born actor known for Schitt’s Creek, Home Alone, and decades of unforgettable film and TV work, died Jan. 30 at age 71.

A Los Angeles County death certificate released Monday confirmed she died from a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that blocks an artery in the lungs. Rectal cancer was listed as the underlying cause. 

O’Hara had reportedly been receiving treatment over the past year and was last seen by her oncologist just days before her death. She passed away in a hospital in Santa Monica, California. 

Her death stunned fans and colleagues alike. Early statements from her representatives had described her passing only as the result of a “brief illness,” with few details shared publicly at the time. 

Born in Toronto, O’Hara built a legendary career that began with Second City and SCTV, before expanding into film and television roles that defined generations of comedy. She became a pop-culture staple as Kevin McCallister’s mom in the Home Alone films and later earned major acclaim, including an Emmy, for her portrayal of the gloriously eccentric Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek. 

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Tributes have poured in from across Canada and Hollywood, with collaborators and fans remembering her razor-sharp humour, warmth, and unmistakable voice that turned every role into something iconic.