For anyone who grew up in the 1990s, ‘Home Alone’ holds a special place in the heart. The beloved film follows the McCallister family, who accidentally leave behind their youngest son, Kevin, setting his mother, Kate McCallister, on a cross-country journey to reunite with her child while the young Kevin fends off two bumbling burglars who are attempting to break into his house.

Unfortunately, Catherine O’Hara, who brought to life the role of Kevin’s mother, has sadly passed away at 71. CAA, O’Hara’s agency, revealed that she died last Friday in her home in Los Angeles after a brief illness. The two-time Emmy-winning actress starred in several memorable movies like ‘Home Alone’, ‘Beetlejuice’, and ‘Best in Show’, and even had a late career resurgence with series like ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and Seth Rogen’s ‘ The Studio.’

Born in Toronto, her career breakthrough came from the Canadian sketch comedy series ‘Second City Television.’ She created the show with Eugene Levy, and it earned her first Emmy alongside four nominations. Her acting career quickly took off, as she appeared on ‘After Hours,’ ‘Beetlejuice,’ and how can anyone forget the two ‘Home Alone’ movies.

She even excelled in voicing characters in animated movies like ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and ‘Chicken Little.’ By the time she was 60, a successful career was behind her, but that didn’t stop her from coming back even stronger. She filled the role of housewife Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ winning her second Emmy.

This got her further roles in shows like ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The Studio.’ Despite her career in Hollywood, her achievements stretch far beyond, as she was named the honorary mayor of Brentwood in 2021. She leaves behind her husband, Bo Welch, whom she met on the set of ‘Beetlejuice.’ And also her two sons, Luke and Matthew.

After her passing, an Instagram account ‘Culture Apothecary’ shared an old interview clip of O’Hara. When asked which role she would like to be remembered for, she answered, “Mother of my children.” They captioned the post, “When asked what she wanted to be known for, Catherine O’Hara simply said: ‘a wife and a mom.’ Rest in peace, Catherine O’Hara 🪽.”

This appears to have touched Conor McGregor deeply, who took to his Instagram story to mourn the passing of the Hollywood star.

Conor McGregor remains speechless over O’Hara’s death

Reacting to O’Hara’s clip, McGregor wrote, “❤️🙏” on his Instagram story. Conor McGregor is extremely close with his own mother, Margaret McGregor, who raised ‘The Mac’ and his two older sisters in the Crumlin suburb of Dublin alongside her husband, Tony McGregor.

Meanwhile, other fans also joined the conversation, expressing their grief about O’Hara’s death. “It’s strange… celebrities die all the time, but some leave a real hole in the world. Catherine is one of them. I felt the same when Natasha Richardson passed… Some people are simply beautiful humans, and the world shifts ever so slightly when their light goes out. 🕊️💔,” the fan commented. British actress Natasha Richardson died on March 18, 2009, at age 45, following a tragic skiing accident.

The next fan remembered O’Hara as a regular face on their TV screen every Christmas. “Every year since 1990, we [have been] watching ‘Home Alone.’ 36 years remembering [and] letting Christmas feelings [stay] forever. Thank you So Much!! 🕊️🤍,” the fan wrote. Interestingly, despite playing a mother to several children, O’Hara was just 36 at the time.

Even the next user remembered her role in ‘Home Alone.’ “I felt her motherly spirit in ‘Home Alone’ for sure 🕊️,” the fan claimed. The movie affected O’Hara deeply as well. In the early attic scene where she reprimands Kevin, “You’d be pretty sad if you woke up tomorrow morning and you had no family,” she struggled emotionally because it felt horrific to say to young Macaulay Culkin. She later called him the “dearest thing” and noted he still called her “Mom” years later.

Another fan remembered one of O’Hara’s other roles. “Everybody forgets that one movie, Orange County, where she played the mother to Colin Hanks and Jack Black😢💔🕊️🙏,” the fan commented. The movie came out 24 years ago, and the fan’s comment reveals the significance of her impact on the world. O’Hara played the chaotic, somewhat neglectful, and hilariously inappropriate single mom to Hanks’ character.

It takes a lot to be an actor, but it takes a lot more to leave behind a legacy that impacts an entire generation across countries. Catherine O’Hara played her roles, both on screen and off, brilliantly. And all the love and support from people like Conor McGregor show that. Were you a fan?