• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
People couldn’t believe how old Catherine O’Hara was as Kevin's mum in Home Alone

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity

Published 19:41 30 Jan 2026 GMT

People couldn’t believe how old Catherine O’Hara was as Kevin's mum in Home Alone

It's the role many people will know her best for

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

Home Alone star Catherine O'Hara has sadly died at the age of 71.

Her manager confirmed to Variety that she had passed away following 'a brief illness', and tributes have started pouring in for a performer who spent decades on the screen.

Many will know her as Kevin's mum from Home Alone, but O'Hara started long before that with Canadian comedy series Second City Television which earned her first Emmy.

Her career would see her earn another Emmy, a Golden Globe and various other awards for her performances, with the likes of Schitt's Creek and her appearances in Christopher Guest's mockumentary films filling out an enviable career.

Advert

She had also recently appeared in Apple TV's The Studio and HBO's The Last of Us.

Catherine O'Hara has died at the age of 71, her manager confirmed (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Catherine O'Hara has died at the age of 71, her manager confirmed (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

While some viewers assumed she was older during filming of the iconic Christmas movie, O'Hara was actually 36 years old while shooting her scenes as Kevin's mother.

Various fans of Home Alone had expressed their shock at learning this, particularly as some of them had reached that age and realised how time works.

One person took to X to share their shock: "It blows my mind that Catherine O’Hara was my age when she filmed Home Alone. I think she seems so much older than I feel."

Another wrote: "Watching Home Alone with the kids. Catherine O’Hara is the same age as me but looks more like a grown up than I do. Is this the thing with older films? Like how the parents in Father of the Bride are actually in their 40s."

And a third penned: "My friends and I determined that Catherine O’Hara was my age in Home Alone. I need to lie down."

She played Kevin McCallister's mum Kate in Home Alone (20th Century Fox)
She played Kevin McCallister's mum Kate in Home Alone (20th Century Fox)

Now, with her passing, people are praising her as a 'titan' and 'one of the funniest Canadians of all time', as plenty praised her talent and expressed their surprise at her death.

Her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin shared an emotional tribute, writing: "Mama. I thought we had time.

"I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say.

"I love you. I’ll see you later."

The pair reunited when he got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as O'Hara gave a speech that brought him to tears.

She said: "Home Alone was, is and always will be a beloved global sensation ... the reason families all over the world can't let a year go by without watching and loving Home Alone together is because of Macaulay Culkin.

"I know you worked really hard, I know you did, but you made acting look like the most natural thing in the world to do."

Last year, O'Hara also told LADbible that while working with Seth Rogen on The Studio, she 'would never know it' if he was stoned all day since she thought he was 'more aware of everything going on on the set' than pretty much anyone else she'd ever worked with.

Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

Topics: Celebrity, Home Alone, TV and Film

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

24 mins ago
27 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • Amy Sussman/Getty Images
    24 mins ago

    Macaulay Culkin shares emotional tribute after Home Alone star Catherine O’Hara dies aged 71

    The icon died at her home in Los Angeles on Friday

    Entertainment
  • Peacock
    27 mins ago

    John Wayne Gacy actor has trouble watching back depraved scene in chilling true crime series airing tonight

    The TV show received a near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

    Entertainment
  • Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
    an hour ago

    Home Alone star Catherine O’Hara dies aged 71

    She died at home today following a brief illness

    Entertainment
  • Tibrina Hobson/Getty
    2 hours ago

    Michael J Fox ‘personally rang director’ to make acting return six years after retiring from Hollywood

    The actor made a special cameo in Apple TV's hit show

    Entertainment
  • Home Alone star Catherine O’Hara dies aged 71
  • Macaulay Culkin shares emotional tribute after Home Alone star Catherine O’Hara dies aged 71
  • People shocked after finding out real age of Kevin’s mum in Home Alone
  • Someone made a Home Alone 3 trailer as Macaulay Culkin teases possible return