Catherine O'Hara suffered from a health condition for decades. Amid her death due to medical emergency, visuals of her last public appearance surfaced.
Emmy-winning star, Catherine O'Hara, best known for her roles in Schitt's Creek and Home Alone, passed away on January 30, 2026. The beloved American actress and comedian was 71 when she died at her home in Los Angeles. Her agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), confirmed that the cause of her demise was a brief illness. Her sudden demise has left her family, friends and fans heartbroken. Amid the outpouring of condolences, visuals of Catherine's final public appearance resurfaced online. Fans noted that she looked unwell and might have been suffering from some serious ailment, which later proved fatal.
Catherine O'Hara's final public appearance was four months before her death. She was last seen walking the red carpet at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, 2025, and at the subsequent Apple TV+ after-party at the restaurant Ysabel in West Hollywood. She attended the event alongside her husband of 33 years, production designer, Bo Welch. Catherine wore a floor-length black custom Dior gown designed by Jonathan Anderson, which many noted was reminiscent of her Beetlejuice character, 'Delia Deetz'. While many appreciated how well she carried herself even in her 70s, some expressed concern, noting she appeared somewhat gaunt.
Catherine's physical appearance sparked speculation about her potential health trouble. The actress' absence from the Golden Globes on January 11, 2026, even when she was nominated for her role in The Studio, further fueled the concerns. With recent reports citing her cause of death as a medical emergency, her red carpet appearance is being revisited. Fans think that Catherine O'Hara looking unwell during her last Emmy Awards appearance was linked to a deteriorating health, which ultimately led to her death.
Catherine O'Hara's official medical cause of death has not yet been released. However, details of a "brief illness" have been confirmed by her representatives and through public reports. Her agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), stated that she died at her home in Los Angeles. Paramedics were called to her Brentwood residence around 4:48 a.m. on Friday for a medical aid call. Dispatch audio reportedly indicated she was experiencing "difficulty breathing". The actress was then transported to a nearby hospital in "serious condition," where she passed away several hours later.
Catherine O'Hara was born with dextrocardia with situs inversus, a rare congenital condition where the heart and other internal organs are positioned in a mirror image of the typical human anatomy. The actress learned of the condition roughly 20 years ago during a routine doctor's visit while accompanying her husband, Bo Welch, for baseline medical tests. In her case, her heart was located on the right side of her chest, and her liver was on the left side. Expressing her shock at being diagnosed with such a rare condition, Catherine stated:
"I was like, 'What is happening?' He calls us into his office and says, 'You're the first one I've met!' I'm one of seven kids, and my parents were already gone and left the world by that time. Never heard anything about this."
While situs inversus is usually harmless and often asymptomatic, it can complicate medical diagnoses since symptoms like pain from an inflamed organ may appear on the wrong side of the body. Hence, there is a possibility that situs inversus contributed to Catherine's demise; however, this has not yet been confirmed.
Catherine O'Hara (1954–2026) was a legendary Canadian-American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She began her career at Toronto's Second City troupe in 1974, eventually co-founding and writing for the influential sketch show, SCTV. She won her first Emmy in 1982 for writing on the series. Catherine became a household name playing 'Kate McCallister' in the Home Alone films (1990–1992) and 'Delia Deetz' in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice (1988), a role she reprised in the 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Shortly before her death, she received Emmy nominations for The Studio and The Last of Us Season 2.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to Catherine O'Hara's family as they deal with her loss.
Also Read: Meet Catherine O'Hara And Husband, Bo Welch's 2 Children, Matthew And Luke, Are They Married?