We have an update on the tragic passing of Catherine O’Hara.
As you’ve very likely heard about by now, the veteran actress died several days ago at the age of 71.
At the time, it wasn’t known what prompted this sad turn of events … but O’Hara’s official cause of death has now been made public.
Nearly two weeks after news broke that the Schitt’s Creek star had died, we can now confirm that her cause of death has been listed as pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer as the underlying cause, according to a death certificate obtained by various celebrity gossip and entertainment news outlets.
From all we can gather, O’Hara had not revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world.
Back on January 30, O’Hara’s talent agency previously shared in a statement that its client died in Los Angeles on January 30 “following a brief illness.”
Just under a month before she left us, the Home Alone actress was noticeably absent from the 2026 Golden Globes, where she was nominated for her supporting role alongside Seth Rogen in The Studio.
The beloved actress’ final public appearance took place during the 2025 Emmy Awards in September, where she was a double nominee for The Studio and The Last of Us.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on Schitt’s Creek.
“I will forever be grateful to Eugene and Daniel Levy for the opportunity to play a woman of a certain age, my age, who gets to fully be herself,” she said in part during her speech.
She also won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for the series.
In the wake of this very sad news, Dan and Eugene Levy previously issued statements that paid tribute to O’Hara.
“Words seem inadequate to express the loss I feel today,” said Eugene Levy, who appeared in multiple projects with O’Hara. “I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years.”
Continued the actor:
“From our beginnings on the Second City stage, to SCTV, to the movies we did with Chris Guest, to our six glorious years on Schitt’s Creek, I cherished our working relationship, but most of all our friendship. And I will miss her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke, and the entire O’Hara family.”
For his part, Dan echoed his father’s sentiment in his own tribute on Instagram.
“What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years,” he opened.
“Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family,” he continued. “It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her.”
We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to the friends, family members and loved ones of Catherine O’Hara. May she rest in peace.
Catherine O’Hara Cause of Death Reveals Previously-Unknown Cancer Diagnosis was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.