Macaulay Culkin is mourning the loss of his ‘Home Alone’ mother Catherine O’Hara following her shocking death.
The 45-year-old former child star took to Instagram on Friday to post a touching tribute to her on-screen mother, with whom she remained close throughout her adult life.
In the photo, she shared a photo of O’Hara tenderly hugging young Culkin in the famous Christmas movie, alongside a photo of O’Hara doing the same hugging Culkin as she cheered him on at the 2024 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
“Mom, I thought there was still time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in the chair next to you. I heard you,” she captioned part of the photo.
“But there was so much more I wanted to say. I love you. See you again,” he added.
Mr. O’Hara passed away on January 30th. He passed away at the age of 71.
O’Hara’s agency, CAA, told Page Six in a statement that her death “followed a brief illness.”
A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson said emergency crews arrived at O’Hara’s Brentwood home at 4:48 a.m. Friday morning, hours before she died.
She was then taken to a Los Angeles hospital in “serious condition.”
The cause of her death is unknown at this time, but 911 calls indicate that the “Schitt’s Creek” star was having trouble breathing before being taken to the hospital.
Culkin’s close relationship with the Emmy Award-winning actress was highlighted at the 2024 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where O’Hara gave a moving speech praising Culkin as “the most precious thing,” bringing both celebrities to tears.
“‘Home Alone’ was, is and always will be a global sensation,” O’Hara said, citing Culkin as the reason “families around the world can’t go a year without watching the holiday classic.”
“He had a great script and great direction. But it was Macaulay’s perfect performance as Kevin McCallister that took us on these little boys’ extraordinary adventures. I know you tried really hard. I know you tried, but you made acting seem like the most natural thing in the world.”
The “SCTV” alum, who has two real-life sons with husband Beau Welch, went on to praise the actor, who at the age of 10 was already revered as a “superstar,” a “money maker,” and “one of the hottest young rising stars in Hollywood.”
“How does one survive in a situation like that? Well, I believe you have to have certain qualities, the talent that dear John Hughes recognized in you, Macaulay. Your sense of humor. It’s a sign of a child’s intelligence, and it’s the key to surviving life at any age,” she gushed.
“And as far as I can see, you’ve brought a sweet, twisted, yet completely relatable sense of humor to everything you’ve chosen to do since Home Alone.”
