NEWSMacaulay Culkin Admits Costar Catherine O'Hara's Unexpected Death 'Hit Me Pretty Good' Because They Had 'Unfinished Business': 'It Was Too Soon'
Macaulay Culkin is still mourning the sudden death of costar Catherine O'Hara, admitting, 'I feel like I owed her a favor.'
May 13 2026, Updated 10:56 a.m. ET
Macaulay Culkin got vulnerable while discussing the death of late costar Catherine O'Hara, who famously played his mother in the iconic 1990 film Home Alone.
"When Catherine passed away in January, that hit me," Culkin expressed in a new interview, noting he was in shock over the unexpected tragedy.
'I Feel Like I Owed Her a Favor'
Macaulay Culkin feels he had 'unfinished business' with late costar Catherine O'Hara.
"That hit me pretty good ’cause, you know, it was just too soon. And I felt that we had unfinished business," he spilled to The Gentleman's Journal. "I definitely feel like I had unfinished business with her, you know? I feel like I owed her a favor — and I don’t like having an outstanding debt."
The actress died in January at age 71 from a blood clot in her lungs, with rectal cancer listed as an underlying cause.
Culkin noted O'Hara is far from the first costar he's lost.
"I'm not the tip of the sphere. I’m the butt of the sphere. I’m the caboose. I’m bringing up some of that old Hollywood guard kind of thing," he explained. "I’m going to be one of the last people standing when it comes to that kind of stuff, but my life is unique to me. I don’t really have that many contemporaries when it comes to this stuff."
Macaulay Culkin Mourned Catherine O'Hara on Social Media
- Macaulay Culkin Gets Emotional Over Death of 'Home Alone' Costar Catherine O’Hara: 'Mama, I Thought We Had Time… I Love You'
- John Stamos Roasted for 'Insensitive' Response to Catherine O’Hara's Sudden Death: 'You're Really Tone Deaf Right Now'
- Catherine O'Hara's Brother Says She 'Didn't Want to Talk on the Phone' Before Her 'Unexpected and Sad Death'
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Macaulay Culkin mourned his loss on social media, writing of his late onscreen mother, 'Mama. I thought we had time.'
As OK! reported, the Schitt's Creek fan-favorite was 71 when she died on January 30.
Culkin, 45, mourned the actress on Instagram with a touching message alongside a throwback and a current photo of the pair.
"Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you," he penned. "I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later."
How Did Catherine O'Hara Die?
Catherine O'Hara was laid to rest on Valentine's Day.
On February 9, it was announced O'Hara died from a blood clot in her lungs. Her cause of death was listed as a pulmonary embolism with rectal cancer being an underlying cause.
The actress had not publicly disclosed her cancer battle prior to her sudden death.
Catherine O'Hara's 'The Studio' costar Seth Rogen accepted her 2026 Actor Award on her behalf.
The star's last public appearance was in September 2025, and she noticeably skipped the 2026 Golden Globe Awards on January 11 despite being nominated for her role in Apple TV's The Studio.
The mother-of-two posthumously won Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Actor Awards on March 1 for her work on the show, with costar and co-creator Seth Rogen, 44, giving a speech in her honor.
"I was asked to assume the very sad honor of accepting this award on O'Hara's behalf. I know she would have been honored to receive this award from her fellow performers, who I know she respected so much," he expressed. "She was such big fans of all of yours."
"If you have people in your lives that don't know her work, that are kids or out of touch or stupid, show them O'Hara dancing to 'Belafante' in Beetlejuice, doing that amazing thing where she hobbles around in Best in Show, that is Catherine O'Hara," he shared. "We were lucky to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us."
