The entertainment industry mourns the loss of acclaimed actress Catherine O’Hara, whose death certificate has revealed the specific medical circumstances surrounding her passing. The 71-year-old Schitt’s Creek star died on January 30th at a Santa Monica hospital due to a pulmonary embolism—a sudden blockage in lung arteries caused by blood clots. The document further indicated that rectal cancer served as an underlying condition, with treatment having commenced in March 2025.
O’Hara’s remarkable career spanned decades, featuring recent appearances in the Emmy-winning comedy The Studio and HBO’s critically acclaimed series The Last of Us. Her portrayal of Moira Rose in the beloved sitcom Schitt’s Creek earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020, cementing her status as a comic genius.
Tributes from colleagues and co-stars have flooded social media and publications since her passing. Seth Rogan, creator of The Studio, expressed profound grief, characterizing O’Hara as “hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous” while reflecting that “we’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.” Pedro Pascal, her co-star in The Last of Us, shared an emotional Instagram tribute describing her as a genius and expressing eternal gratitude for their collaboration.
Eugene Levy, her long-time collaborator and Schitt’s Creek co-star, told People magazine about the honor of working with O’Hara for over fifty years, stating that “words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today.” Dan Levy, who played her on-screen son, noted that O’Hara was “family before she ever played my family” and vowed to cherish their countless humorous memories together.
Macaulay Culkin, who portrayed O’Hara’s son in the Home Alone film series, posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram addressing her as “Mama” and expressing his desire for more time together, writing “I thought we had time. I wanted more.”
The actress is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, their two sons Matthew and Luke, and her six siblings. Medical experts note that pulmonary embolisms represent life-threatening emergencies requiring immediate attention, with symptoms including sudden breathing difficulties, chest pain exacerbated by breathing, and bloody coughs.