Catherine O'Hara Died of Pulmonary Embolism Caused by Cancer, Death Certificate Reveals

Catherine O'Hara, the acclaimed Canadian actress known for her roles in "Home Alone," "Schitt's Creek," and "Beetlejuice," died of a pulmonary embolism caused by rectal cancer, according to her death certificate released on Monday by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara dies at 71dw.com·SecondaryCanadian-born actress Catherine O'Hara has died at the age of 71, her management agency said on Friday. O'Hara was an Emmy-winner who starred in the series "Schitt's Creek" and the movie "Home Alone." She also starred in the movie "Beetlejuice" and the Hollywood satire show "The Studio." The management agency said O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles "following a brief illness..

The certificate, first reported by TMZ and subsequently confirmed by multiple outlets, reveals that the 71-year-old had been privately battling rectal cancer Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara dies at 71dw.com·SecondaryCanadian-born actress Catherine O'Hara has died at the age of 71, her management agency said on Friday. O'Hara was an Emmy-winner who starred in the series "Schitt's Creek" and the movie "Home Alone." She also starred in the movie "Beetlejuice" and the Hollywood satire show "The Studio." The management agency said O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles "following a brief illness.. Her oncologist, who signed the death certificate, indicated he had been treating O'Hara since March 2025 and last saw her on January 27, three days before her death Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara dies at 71dw.com·SecondaryCanadian-born actress Catherine O'Hara has died at the age of 71, her management agency said on Friday. O'Hara was an Emmy-winner who starred in the series "Schitt's Creek" and the movie "Home Alone." She also starred in the movie "Beetlejuice" and the Hollywood satire show "The Studio." The management agency said O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles "following a brief illness..

A Private Battle

O'Hara had not publicly disclosed any health struggles prior to her death. When her passing was first announced on January 30, her management agency stated only that she had died "following a brief illness" Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert.. She was rushed to a hospital in Santa Monica, California, in the early hours of that morning after the Los Angeles Fire Department received a call for medical aid at 4:48 a.m. at an address connected to the actress Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert..

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs, a condition that can be a complication of various cancers. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.

A Career Spanning Five Decades

O'Hara launched her career with the Second City comedy group in Toronto in the 1970s and was part of the original cast of "SCTV" (Second City Television), which earned her an Emmy Award for writing Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert.. She went on to become one of the most versatile comic actresses of her generation, playing oddball supporting characters in Martin Scorsese's "After Hours" (1985) and Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" (1988) Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert..

She became a household name as the mother who accidentally left her child behind in the "Home Alone" franchise, among the biggest box office hits of the early 1990s . But it was her portrayal of the magnificently eccentric Moira Rose in "Schitt's Creek" that brought her a career-capping triumph and a new generation of fans Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert.. The role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020 and a Golden Globe in 2021.

At the time of her death, O'Hara was starring in the Apple TV+ series "The Studio" alongside Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, and Ike Barinholtz. The show had premiered in March 2025 and received critical acclaim, making her sudden death all the more shocking to colleagues who had recently worked with her on set.

O'Hara had reflected on her evolving fame in an interview with People magazine, noting that fans had shifted from asking her to yell her famous "Home Alone" line to wanting to discuss Moira Rose and "Schitt's Creek" Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert..

Tributes From Across the Industry

O'Hara's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and world leaders. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X that he joined Canadians and fans worldwide in mourning her loss, saying she had earned her place in the canon of Canadian comedy over five decades of work Tod von Kanadischer Schauspielerin: Catherine O’Hara starb an Lungenembolie durch Krebserkrankungtagesanzeiger.ch·SecondaryDie kanadische Schauspielerin war Ende Januar im Alter von 71 Jahren verstorben. Nun ist die Todesursache bekannt geworden. Die kanadische Schauspielerin Catherine O’Hara ist an einer Lungenembolie wegen einer Krebserkrankung gestorben. Das geht aus der Sterbeurkunde hervor, die am Montag in Los Angeles County veröffentlicht wurde. Eine Lungenembolie tritt ein, wenn ein Blutgerinnsel eine Arterie in der Lunge blockiert..

Dan Levy, who co-created "Schitt's Creek" with his father Eugene Levy, described O'Hara as extended family, writing that it was hard to imagine a world without her. The cast and crew of "The Studio" also issued a statement, calling her a hero who was somehow classy, warm, and hilarious all at the same time.

Medical Context

Health experts note that cancer patients face an elevated risk of blood clots, including pulmonary embolisms. The link between malignancy and thromboembolism is well established in medical literature, with cancer patients being four to seven times more likely to develop blood clots than the general population. Rectal cancer specifically can increase clotting risk due to both the disease itself and certain treatments.

The revelation of O'Hara's private cancer battle has resonated with cancer advocacy organizations, who have used the moment to highlight the importance of colorectal cancer screening. The American Cancer Society recommends regular screening beginning at age 45, noting that early detection significantly improves outcomes.

O'Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke. She was 71.