Macaulay Culkin is remembering Catherine O’Hara, the beloved actress who played his mother in 'Home Alone,' after her death at 71.
“Mama. I thought we had time,” Culkin, 45, wrote on Instagram Friday. “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.” He shared a photo of himself and O’Hara embracing on the set of the 1990 film alongside a more recent photo from 2023.
O’Hara passed away at her Los Angeles home following a brief illness, her manager confirmed to Us Weekly. The Los Angeles Fire Department said paramedics were called to her Brentwood residence at 4:48 a.m. Friday for a medical aid call. She was transported to a hospital in serious condition.
The actress was internationally known for her Emmy-winning portrayal of Moira Rose on 'Schitt’s Creek,' but for millions of fans, she was also the devoted, frazzled mother of Kevin McCallister. Culkin was just 9 when filming began on the original 'Home Alone,' yet the two developed a lasting friendship that endured long past the movie sets.
When Culkin received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2023, O’Hara was there to cheer him on. In a speech, she praised his performance in 'Home Alone,' calling it “perfect” and highlighting his natural talent.
“Home Alone was, is and always will be a beloved global sensation … the reason families all over the world can’t let a year go by without watching and loving Home Alone together is because of Macaulay Culkin,” O’Hara said. “I know you worked really hard, I know you did, but you made acting look like the most natural thing in the world to do.”
She also celebrated the humor that Culkin brought to all his roles. “It’s a sign of intelligence in a child and a key to survival at any age,” she said. “Macaulay, congratulations. You so deserve your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I’m so proud of you.”
Even years later, Culkin continued to call O’Hara “Mom” whenever they saw each other. “[When I see her], she opens up her arms — she goes, ‘Son,’” he recalled during a December 2024 Q&A in Chicago, a tender ritual reflecting their enduring bond.
O’Hara, in turn, had always spoken fondly of Culkin. Reflecting on the Walk of Fame ceremony in a January 2024 interview on Good Morning America, she said, “It was just lovely. He’s a dear young man. … I was honored.”
Her career spanned decades and genres, from the sketch comedy of SCTV to cult favorites like 'Beetlejuice,' Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including 'Best in Show' and 'A Mighty Wind,' and animated classics such as 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' and 'Elemental.'
She won two Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards, and in 2021 received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.
Yet among all her accolades, it was her connection with Culkin and the generations of fans who grew up watching her work that revealed the depth of her impact. Their relationship wasn’t just professional. It was filled with mentorship, laughter, and genuine care, a rare and enduring bond in Hollywood.