‘Beetlejuice’ actress Catherine O’Hara dies at 71
Catherine O’Hara, remembered as the award-winning star of “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice,” and “Schitt’s Creek,” has died at the age of 71.
Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin were more than just co-stars. they were family.
Culkin, who played O’Hara’s son in the 1990 Christmas comedy Home Alone, paid tribute to the Emmy Award-winning actress in an emotional Instagram post following O’Hara’s death on Friday, January 30.
O’Hara’s manager confirmed her death to People magazine, but Variety and Deadline, citing her agency CAA, reported that O’Hara died at home after a “brief illness.”
“Mom, I knew there was still time. I wanted more,” Culkin wrote in the post, which included a collage of Culkin and O’Hara’s then and now looks. “I wanted to sit in the chair next to you. I could hear your voice. But there was so much more I wanted to say. I love you. See you again.”
A veteran of the entertainment industry, O’Hara is one of the most admired and respected actors of his generation, winning two Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and two Actor’s Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards) during his career. She was nominated for two Emmy Awards at the 2025 ceremony.
Here’s how other stars are remembering O’Hara’s career and accomplishments.
Joe Pesci
O’Hara’s other “Home Alone” co-star, Joe Pesci, paid tribute to the late actress in a statement to USA TODAY.
“She was a great actress and she will be missed,” Pesci said. “May God bless you and rest in peace.”
Dan Levy
Dan Levy paid tribute to his “Schitt’s Creek” mother and real-life friend by sharing a selfie of the two on Instagram.
“What a gift it has been to dance in the warm light of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for so many years,” he wrote in the caption of the post. “Having worked with my father for over 50 years, Catherine was part of my extended family even before she played my family. It’s hard to imagine a world without her. I will cherish all the funny memories I was lucky enough to make with her.”
Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen has spoken about the first time he met his ‘The Studio’ co-star O’Hara and said she was the reason he pursued a career in Hollywood.
“I really don’t know what to say,” he wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two of them together. “When I first met O’Hara, I said I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever seen on screen. ‘Home Alone’ was the movie that made me want to make movies, and it was a real honor to work with her.”
He added: “She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous… She made me want to create a show worthy of her presence. This is truly shocking. We are all lucky to live in a world with her in it.”
“The Last of Us” star Pedro Pascal, who co-starred with O’Hara in the second season of the dystopian sci-fi series, affectionately called O’Hara “one of a kind” in an Instagram post.
Alongside a photo of the pair, Pascal wrote: “Oh genius, for being close to you. I’m forever grateful.” “There is little light in my world. This lucky world where you are, will always protect you. Always ♥️”
Melanie Lynskey
O’Hara’s Away We Go co-star Melanie Lynskey posted a lengthy tribute to her former co-star on Instagram.
“I am so grateful to be able to tell her what she meant to me. How she inspired me and shaped my sense of humor and understanding of our work; how she was the pinnacle of greatness to me,” Lynskey wrote.
“I’m sure every actor she’s met has said something similar to her,” she continued. “She didn’t act like she’d heard it a million times. She listened and accepted it with grace and great kindness.”
The Yellowjackets actress went on to praise O’Hara’s “amazing” professionalism and natural charisma on set.
“When I say someone ‘lit up a room,’ that’s what I mean. She was glowing. She had an otherworldly vibe,” Lynskey concluded. “Her talent was extraordinary. There has never been anyone like her, and there never will be. What a genius. What a beautiful person.”
Michael Keaton and Justin Theroux
Michael Keaton, who co-starred with O’Hara in the 80s dark comedy Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel Beetlejuice, recalled the actors’ decades-long friendship in an Instagram post.
“We go back to before the first ‘Beetlejuice,'” Keaton wrote. “She was my pretend wife, pretend nemesis, and real-life true friend. This hurts. Oh, how I miss her.”
Meanwhile, another of O’Hara’s co-stars, Justin Theroux, shared a photo of what appears to be O’Hara’s director’s chair from the set, writing, “Oh Katherine. I’ll miss you so much.”
jamie lee curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis paid tribute to O’Hara’s comedic legacy on Instagram by sharing a clip from O’Hara’s 2000 dog mockumentary “Best in Show.”
“The best of the best in the show!” Curtis wrote.
Chris Elliott
Chris Elliott also paid tribute to his “Schitt’s Creek” co-star, saying he was shocked and saddened by her passing.
“Working with her and Eugene[Levy]was a dream come true for me. It was all the more special because Katherine was such a kind-hearted, generous and humble person,” Elliott said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “I will always remember the laughs we shared on and off screen, and I will never forget the fun shopping experiences we had at Joe Fresh.”
katie couric
Journalist and former Today show anchor Katie Couric shared her candid reaction to O’Hara’s death on an Instagram memorial merry-go-round.
“So sad to hear this news 💔💔💔,” Couric wrote.
jennifer robertson
Jennifer Robertson, who co-starred with O’Hara in the satirical comedy Schitt’s Creek, recalled that O’Hara was “an absolute star, but I never understood why people were making such a fuss about her.”
“I am so sad to hear of the loss of Catherine. Being in Catherine O’Hara’s orbit was a beautiful and magical gift,” Robertson said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Her death is a loss to all who knew and loved her. Our deepest sympathies go out to Beau, her sons, and the O’Hara family.”
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields gushed that O’Hara was “absolutely loved” in an old Instagram video showing a clip of O’Hara impersonating Shields on the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV in 1984.
“What an honor to be fooled by Catherine O’Hara,” Shields wrote. “An immeasurable loss. We love you, Katherine. Comedy is not the same without her. Today we send our love to Katherine’s family, friends, castmates, and fans.”
ellen degeneres
Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres praised O’Hara’s comedic talents in an Instagram post that included a photo of O’Hara visiting DeGeneres’s talk show of the same name.
“Catherine O’Hara was a great comedian,” DeGeneres wrote. “It probably sends love to everyone who adores her.”
Karen Robinson
In a statement to USA TODAY, O’Hara’s Schitt’s Creek co-star Karen Robinson said she had the “immeasurable good fortune of sharing Catherine O’Hara’s talent, space, work and laughter.”
Working with O’Hara “will always be a treasure to me,” the Canadian actress continued. “My heart aches for her family and her friends and loved ones. Oh, Canada, I am so sorry. Katherine, thank you for everything you gave us before you left us. A part of you will always be with us.”
John Stamos
John Stamos paid tribute to O’Hara by sharing a clip from her 1996 comedy Waiting for Guffman on Instagram.
“One of my favorite scenes of all time,” Stamos wrote. “Katherine was an artist in every sense of the word and a true comedic genius. She will be sorely missed.”
martin scorsese
Director Martin Scorsese, who directed O’Hara in the 1985 dark comedy “After Hours,” said in a statement to IndieWire that the actress’ death “will feel impossible to me and to millions of others.”
“A lot of people know her from ‘Schitt’s Creek.’ For a lot of other people, it’s the ‘Home Alone’ movies or ‘Beetlejuice’ or the Christopher Guest comedy,” Scorsese told the magazine. “For me, and for most of my friends, it’s ‘SCTV.’ All I have to do is think of one of the characters she created, like Laura Heatherton or Dusty Towne, and I laugh.”
“Katherine was a true comic genius, a true artist, and a wonderful human being,” Scorsese continued. “It was a pleasure working with her on ‘After Hours’ and I will miss her presence and her artistry, as we all will.”
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributed by Kelly Lawler and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
