Legendary actress Catherine O’Hara passed away suddenly at the age of 71, leaving fans and co-stars devastated.
Catherine O’Hara’s cause of death has been revealed after the celebrated actress passed away suddenly last month.
The Canadian-American starlet, best known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, Home Alone 2 and Schitt’s Creek, died on 30th January in a Los Angeles hospital, at the age of 71.
She was last seen in public back in September 2025, when she made a glamorous appearance at the Emmys in Los Angeles, California.
But less than six months later her manager confirmed her tragic death to the public, sending shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond.
What was Catherine O’Hara’s cause of death?
Now, details of her death certificate, obtained by TMZ, have been released, stating that Catherine died of a pulmonary embolism.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office lists her immediate cause of death as a sudden blood clot in the lungs, but with rectal cancer as the long-term cause of death.
Reports also claimed that the comedy legend had been undergoing cancer treatment since March 2025.
Catherine leaves behind her heartbroken husband Bo Welch, who works in the movie world as a production designer.
The Oscar and Emmy-nominated artist is widely known for his credits on films including Edward Scissorhands and A Little Princess.
She is also survived by the couple’s two grown-up sons, Matthew and Luke Welch.
Since Catherine’s passing, many of her devastated co-stars have shared their grief online, honouring the beloved actress with sentimental messages.
Her on-screen son, Dan Levy, who played David Rose in Schitt’s Creek and whose father is Catherine’s long-term acting partner Eugene Levy, penned a beautiful tribute on Instagram.
He wrote: “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years.
“Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
Eugene later told People magazine he had the “honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years,” adding: “Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today.”
Home Alone icon Macaulay Culkin, who played O’Hara’s on-screen son Kevin McCallister in the first two films, also shared his sadness online, writing on Instagram: “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.”