Catherine O’Hara, the Emmy-winning actress best known to millions as Kate McCallister, the devoted mother who frantically searched for her son Kevin in the holiday classic Home Alone, has died at the age of 71.

She passed away peacefully at her home in Los Angeles after a private battle with illness. She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons.

She became a household name in 1990 with Home Alone, directed by Chris Columbus and produced by John Hughes, where she played Kate McCallister—the loving, slightly frazzled mother who realizes mid-flight that she left her youngest son behind in Chicago. The role, paired with John Heard as her husband, turned O’Hara into an instant Christmas icon, with her panicked “Kevin!” scream and emotional airport reunion scene etched into holiday viewing tradition. She reprised the role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), cementing her place in pop-culture history.

Beyond Home Alone, O’Hara’s career spanned decades of memorable performances: the eccentric Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice (1988), the scheming mother in The Nightmare Before Christmas (voice of Sally), and her Emmy-winning turn as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020), a role that earned her widespread acclaim for its flamboyant physical comedy and emotional depth. Her Schitt’s Creek work, alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy, helped the show become a cultural phenomenon and sweep the Emmys in 2020.

Tributes poured in from across Hollywood and beyond. Macaulay Culkin paid tribute following her passing: “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.”

Catherine O’Hara’s passing at 71 marks the end of a remarkable career that brought joy to generations. From the chaos of the McCallister house to the eccentric charm of Schitt’s Creek, she gave audiences unforgettable moments of laughter and warmth.