A cause of death has been confirmed for Emmy-winning actress Catherine O’Hara, according to multiple media reports.
O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying cause, ABC News reported. She passed away at her Los Angeles home on Jan. 30 following a brief illness. She was 71.
O’Hara began her career in the 1970s with Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe, where she met longtime collaborator Eugene Levy. The pair later became part of the original cast of the sketch comedy series “SCTV” (“Second City Television”), where O’Hara earned her first Emmy Award for writing.
Decades later, she received widespread acclaim for her role in “Schitt’s Creek,” starring alongside Levy. Her performance earned her an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, as well as a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
O’Hara was also widely recognized for her role as Kate McCallister in the “Home Alone” films, which became holiday classics and major box office successes in the early 1990s.