Macaulay Culkin Emerges in Los Angeles: A Heartbreaking First Sighting Amid Grief for Catherine O’Hara
The streets of Los Angeles, usually buzzing with the relentless energy of Hollywood’s elite, felt unusually somber on the afternoon of January 31, 2026. Amid the palm-lined avenues and the distant hum of traffic, Macaulay Culkin, the former child star forever etched in our collective memory as the mischievous Kevin McCallister, was spotted for the first time since the devastating loss of his on-screen mother, Catherine O’Hara. At 45, Culkin appeared downcast, his face shadowed by grief, as he navigated the city that has become his home. Dressed in an orange V-neck jumper layered beneath a dark blue blazer and paired with dark grey trousers, he carried the weight of sorrow in every step—a stark contrast to the boyish exuberance that once defined him.
O’Hara, the incomparable actress who brought Kate McCallister to life in the timeless holiday classics Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), passed away at the age of 71 on the morning of January 30, 2026. The news sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, leaving fans and colleagues reeling from the suddenness of it all. According to chilling dispatch audio obtained from the Los Angeles Fire Department, a frantic 911 call was placed from O’Hara’s Brentwood home at 4:48 a.m. that day. The caller reported that the actress was struggling to breathe, her condition rapidly deteriorating. Paramedics rushed her to a nearby hospital in serious condition, but despite their efforts, she succumbed hours later. Her agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), confirmed the tragedy in a simple statement: she had suffered from a “brief illness.” No official cause of death has been released, though speculation swirls around her long-known rare condition, dextrocardia with situs inversus—a reversal of organ placement in the body that she had lived with for years without public complaint.
The loss feels profoundly personal for Culkin, who shared an unbreakable on-screen bond with O’Hara as the harried yet fiercely loving mother who accidentally leaves her son behind during a chaotic family vacation. In Home Alone, O’Hara’s Kate is the epitome of maternal panic—her scream upon realizing Kevin’s absence is one of cinema’s most iconic moments, a blend of horror and hilarity that has echoed through holiday viewings for over three decades. Culkin, then just 10 years old, delivered a performance that catapulted him to superstardom, but it was O’Hara’s grounded, heartfelt portrayal that anchored the film’s emotional core. Their chemistry was electric: Kate’s desperate journey back to Chicago, culminating in that tearful reunion, remains a masterclass in family dynamics wrapped in comedy.
In the wake of her death, Culkin took to Instagram to share a raw, emotional tribute that laid bare his devastation. “Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair to you. I heard you, but I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later,” he wrote, accompanied by a poignant throwback photo from the Home Alone set. The post, liked by millions within hours, captured the essence of a bond that transcended the screen. Fans flooded the comments with messages of support, many sharing how O’Hara’s “Mama” had become a cultural shorthand for parental love and mishaps. Culkin’s words evoke a sense of unfinished business—a conversation interrupted, a connection severed too soon. At 45, he is no longer the wide-eyed kid from the movies; life has weathered him through fame’s trials, personal struggles, and quiet reinvention. Yet in this moment, he seems achingly vulnerable, a son mourning his fictional yet profoundly real mother.
O’Hara’s passing marks the end of an era for a woman whose career spanned over five decades, blending sharp comedy with poignant depth. Born Catherine Anne O’Hara on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Canada, she grew up in a large Irish Catholic family, the sixth of seven children. Humor was currency in the O’Hara household; her mother, a quick-witted homemaker, and her father, a railway worker, encouraged the improvisational banter that would become her signature. After high school, she waitressed at Toronto’s Second City Theatre, stepping in as Gilda Radner’s understudy in 1974. By 1976, she was a founding cast member of SCTV (Second City Television), where her spot-on impressions of legends like Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn, and Brooke Shields earned her an Emmy for outstanding writing in a variety or music program.
The 1980s brought her to Hollywood, but it was Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988) that introduced her eccentric genius to a wider audience. As Delia Deetz, the pretentious artist stepmother with a flair for the macabre, O’Hara delivered lines like “Day-O” with manic energy, stealing scenes alongside Michael Keaton’s chaotic ghost. On that set, she met production designer Bo Welch, the man who would become her husband in 1992 after a courtship encouraged by Burton himself. Their wedding gift from the director? A private tour of the Vatican—fitting for a couple whose love story began amid gothic whimsy. Welch and O’Hara raised two sons, Matthew (now 31, working in set construction like his father) and Luke (29, pursuing acting), in a marriage that lasted 33 years. O’Hara often spoke of motherhood as her “most important role,” balancing it with a career that demanded she never compromise her authenticity.
The 1990s solidified her as a comedy powerhouse. In Home Alone and its sequel, she infused Kate McCallister with relatable frenzy—her airport dashes and tearful reunions turning the films into billion-dollar hits and holiday staples. Collaborations with Christopher Guest followed: Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006), where her improvisational skills shone in mockumentary gems. Voice work in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) as Sally and Shock added whimsy to her resume.
But it was Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020) that crowned her an icon for a new generation. As Moira Rose, the flamboyant former soap star with a wardrobe of wigs and a vocabulary of eccentricisms, O’Hara created a character that became a cultural phenomenon. Phrases like “bébé” and her infamous fruit-wine tasting went viral, inspiring memes, fashion lines, and Halloween costumes. The role earned her a second Emmy in 2020 for best actress in a comedy series—40 years after her first—during a historic sweep for the show. Co-creator Dan Levy praised her as “one of a kind,” while Eugene Levy called her contributions “irreplaceable.”
In her final years, O’Hara remained vibrant. She earned an Emmy nomination for The Studio (2025) opposite Seth Rogen, playing his mentor in a performance that blended humor with mentorship. A dramatic turn in HBO’s The Last of Us as a therapist in a dystopian world showcased her range. Turning 70 in 2024, she quipped to Parade: “Still being alive!” Her last public appearance was on September 14, 2025, at Apple TV’s Emmys party in West Hollywood, arm-in-arm with Welch, radiating joy. She skipped the Golden Globes on January 11, 2026, despite a nomination for The Studio—a decision now viewed through the lens of her health struggles.
Culkin’s sighting in LA underscores the personal toll of her loss. Since Home Alone skyrocketed him to fame at age 10, Culkin has navigated a turbulent path: early stardom, legal battles with his parents over finances, a high-profile marriage to Rachel Miner (1998-2002), and brushes with the law. He stepped away from acting in the mid-1990s, retreating from the spotlight to reclaim his childhood. In recent years, he has reemerged thoughtfully—starring in American Horror Story (2021), launching a podcast, and embracing fatherhood with partner Brenda Song. Their two sons, Dakota (born 2021) and Carson (born 2022), have brought stability. Yet O’Hara’s death seems to have reopened old wounds, reminding him of the family he found on set.
Tributes poured in from across the industry. Dan Levy shared: “Catherine was a force of nature, a friend, a mentor.” Eugene Levy echoed: “Her laughter filled every room.” Seth Rogen, her The Studio co-star, posted: “She made every day better.” Michael Keaton called her a “true friend.” Even Reba McEntire, who never worked with her, revealed she once wanted to dress as Delia Deetz for Halloween.
O’Hara’s legacy endures. She redefined women’s roles in comedy—empowering eccentricity, vulnerability as strength. From SCTV’s sketches to Moira’s monologues, she invited laughter at life’s absurdities. As Culkin walks LA’s streets, grieving the “Mama” who shaped his early fame, we reflect: What if we all chased joy with her abandon? Her story stimulates us to embrace the ridiculous, cherish connections, and laugh through the pain.
In her 2013 Vanity Fair musings, she imagined dying “laughing, surrounded by my old grandchildren.” Though her end came sooner, her light persists—in films, in memories, in the hearts of those like Culkin who called her “Mama.”
