Catherine O'Hara's Death Certificate Reveals Cremation

Catherine O'Hara's shocking death finally gets some clarification.

The cause of the Hollywood sweetheart's death has been unraveled by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office nearly two weeks after the news of her passing was shared with the public.

Catherine O'Hara reportedly drew her last breath after experiencing a brief illness on January 30, 2026, and she is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and their two sons.

The medical examiner's office has now confirmed that the actress died from a blood clot in her lungs, known as pulmonary embolism. The report also cited rectal cancer as the underlying cause of her unfortunate death.

O'Hara's death certificate reported that she was cremated, and her remains were handed over to her husband. As reported by TMZ, the actress had reportedly been rushed to the hospital in a serious condition after a dispatch personnel member noted that she was experiencing difficulty breathing.

Before her passing, the Hollywood icon had just earned an Emmy nomination for her acting alongside Seth Rogen in the Apple TV+ series, "The Studio." O'Hara also secured a few wins for her hard work on television, including 2 Emmy Awards, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Golden Globe award, among multiple others.

The Blast shared that sources close to the actress confirmed that she had a heart condition known as dextrocardia.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this condition is a rare congenital heart defect that is often present at birth and places the heart in an abnormal position in the chest (the heart is positioned on the right side of the chest with its apex pointing rightward).

O'Hara was reportedly ignorant of this heart defect until she was asked to go in for standard tests, including an EKG and X-Ray, which helped her discover that her organs were flipped.

Although it was not confirmed if her rare heart condition played a role in her death, theemergency crew was dispatched to her Los Angeles home on Friday after she suffered respiratory complications.

The actress's final appearance was at the Emmy Awards in September 2025, where fans speculated that she appeared very frail. O'Hara was subsequently absent at the 2026 Golden Globes on January 11, 2026, where she received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress on Television for her role in "The Studio."

The 71-year-old in 2013 shared some hidden desires for her last day among a host of confessions about her beliefs, faith, and personality. As reported by The Blast, the actress expressed to Vanity Fair that she would love to leave the world surrounded by her grandchildren, telling her it is okay to finally let go, with laughter on her face.

Unfortunately for the actress, she did not have any grandkids before she passed, but she did leave behind tons of fans, friends, and colleagues who poured in their emotional tributes when the news of her passing hit the airways.

Her "Home Alone" co-star and on-screen son, Macaulay Culkin, bid her farewell in a touching Instagram post. The actor raved about their relationship and friendship on and off the screen with a before-and-now picture.

Culkin painfully expressed that he thought they had time, as there were a lot of things he wanted to share with her. Another colleague and her "Beetlejuice" co-star, Justin Theroux, also shared his tribute to the actress, affirming that she will be sorely missed.

Pedro Pascal, who worked with O'Hara on the set of "The Last of Us," was immensely grateful for their time together. At the same time, her TV husband on "Schitt's Creek" sent condolences to her family, noting that their working relationship and friendship continually hold a special spot in his heart.

Over three decades after giving the world one of the best Christmas series, the duo caught up in 2023 at Culkin's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where the actress gave a lovely speech in honor of her on-screen son.

O'Hara described the actor as one of the foundations of the "Home Alone" films, and he remained the reason why so many households cannot move on from the masterpiece, thanks to his acting skills and phenomenal talent.

The 71-year-old then described her co-star's personality with endearing words, emphasizing that he is sweet, intelligent, and full of humor, which made his acting appear so natural and flawless.

The duo of O'Hara and Culkin took Hollywood by storm as Kate and Kevin McCallister in the 1990 holiday classic, which came back for a 1992 sequel, "Lost in New York."

Though O'Hara's character famously forgets her son (Kevin) twice during the holidays in the movie, the actress did admit that it was tough for her to play the strict mother role.

O'Hara added that it made her feel very terrible to scold Culkin's character early in the scene, but they grew from it, and Culkin never stopped seeing her as a "mother figure" till she passed away, according to his tribute.

The 71-year-old's previous interview on the promo run for "Beetlejuice" went viral after her death. In the sit-down, she had spoken about life's dark realities and how humor served as a ship to navigate these murky waters.

O'Hara emphasized in the interview that there is a lot of darkness and scary things in life, which makes it hard to grow up and deal with the complexities. She then noted that laughter and humor have provided a way through the darkness, becoming one of life's best gifts.

The confession struck a chord in the fans' hearts, and they rushed to the comment section with praises for her past projects, where she really made everyone laugh. Some fans described the actress as a shining light, while others compared her death to losing an actual loved one.

O'Hara was equally celebrated at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, where she accepted a lifetime achievement award for her impact on film and television over the years.

May Catherine O'Hara's loved ones continue to find solace following her passing!