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Catherine O'Hara cause of death update: How did Schitt's Creek star die? Details on health issues
Catherine O’Hara, actor famous for her iconic roles in Schitt's Creek and Home Alone, has died.
Catherine O’Hara, actor famous for her iconic roles in Schitt's Creek and Home Alone, has died. She was 71. She passed away on Friday, TMZ reported, citing two sources.
Catherine O’Hara cause of death update
Catherine O’Hara died following a brief illness, according to a statement from her agency, CAA.
According to a report by Page Six, O’Hara was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in “serious” condition early Friday morning, where she later passed away.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the outlet that paramedics responded to a medical aid call at O’Hara’s Brentwood home at approximately 4:48 a.m. She was transported to the hospital in "serious condition."
Rare congenital condition
While Catherine O’Hara's cause of death has not been confirmed yet, the actor's health issues are well-documented. She was born with a rare congenital condition called dextrocardia with situs inversus. Her heart was located on the right side of the chest, and other major organs were in a mirror-image position. This condition generally causes no medical issues or symptoms.
O’Hara was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in ‘serious’ condition on Friday, Page Six reported, citing sources. A fire department spokesperson told the outlet that paramedics were called to her Brentw
Paramedics were called to the “Schitt’s Creek” star’s Brentwood home at 4:48 a.m. Friday morning for a medical aid call, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson.
In a May 2025 interview, O’Hara revealed she contracted COVID-19 while shooting the Apple TV+ series The Studio, but continued to work.
Read More: Catherine O’Hara dies at 71: All on husband Bo Welch and children Matthew and Luke
She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Bob Welch, and their two sons, Matthew, 31, and Luke, 29.
Tributes pour in
Several fans paid tribute to Catherine O’Hara on social media. “Catherine O'Hara was one of the funniest performers of her generation, consistently. What a loss, and only 71 feels real unfair,” one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
"Simply terrible news, particularly given the rewards that the latest chapter of her celebrated comedy career was bringing her. "Rest in peace" to two-time Primetime Emmy winner," another one added.
“This is a real tragedy. What a wonderfully talented actress she was,” a third fan tweeted.
Catherine O'Hara filmography and credits
Catherine O'Hara was renowned for her work in sketch comedy, film, and television. Born on March 4, 1954 in Toronto, Ontario, she rose to fame as an original cast member of the Canadian sketch series SCTV (1976–1984), where she created memorable impressions of celebrities like Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn, and Tammy Faye Bakker.
She gained widespread recognition for her roles in films directed by Tim Burton, including Beetlejuice (1988) as Delia Deetz, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) as Sally (voice), and Frankenweenie (2012) in multiple voice roles. O'Hara also frequently collaborated with Christopher Guest on mockumentaries such as Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006).
Her most acclaimed recent role is Moira Rose in the Emmy-winning series Schitt's Creek (2015–2020), for which she won two Primetime Emmys (2019, 2020) and a Golden Globe (2020).
Other notable credits include Home Alone (1990) as Kate McCallister, After Hours (1985), Heartburn (1986), Argylle (2024), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), and voice work in The Wild Robot (2024) and Elemental (2023).
