Catherine O’Hara made joke about 'dying' a year before tragic death

Catherine O’Hara cracked a joke about 'dying' almost a year before she passed away.

The film legend's death was announced on Friday (30 January), with her representatives announcing that she had suffered from a 'brief illness'.

Reports have since emerged claiming that O'Hara, 71, was rushed to hospital in a 'serious condition' in the hours prior.

She made her final public appearance in September last year while attending the Emmy Awards, where she was nominated for the gong for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series.

O'Hara, who is widely known for her roles in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and Schitt's Creek, was in the running for the award thanks to her comedic role as Patty Leigh in the hit Apple TV series, The Studio.

She appeared alongside Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders in the star-studded series, which debuted last March.

Speaking to LADbible ahead of its premiere, the Canadian acting legend said it was 'seriously impressive' to watch Rogen work as the show's writer, director and executive producer, especially since he also stars in the series.

The pair got along like a house on fire both on and off set, and the Superbad star has since paid tribute to his late co-star, describing her as 'the funniest person he’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen'.

Their chemistry was evident when the pair sat down for an interview with their The Studio co-stars in March last year, as they riffed off each other in an interview about the possibility of O'Hara's death.

While the screen stars were chatting with Los Angeles Times journalist Matt Brennan, the reporter asked whether the actors felt they had 'more of a say, if not power' on film sets.

Much to the amusement of Rogen, Hahn, Barinholtz and Sui Wonders, O'Hara then hilariously responded saying: "I’ve been treated that way lately...am I dying or something?"

"This is how we wanted to tell you," Rogen quipped. "This man is actually a doctor. This is a fake interview."

Footage of the interview has resurfaced in the wake of O'Hara's passing, prompting social media users to share their condolences for the Home Alone actress in the comments.

One said: "She was such a wonderful actress - a great comedian - so sorry," while another added: "Rest in peace. What a funny lady. Loved her on Second City TV."

This wasn't the first time that O'Hara made light of her mortality, as she joked that she 'couldn't believe' she was still alive in an interview with Elle Canada in August 2024.

"I’m lucky [I get] to keep doing things like this at my age - I can’t believe it," she told the publication.

"Over the past few years, when I’ve gotten scared or nervous, or if I start grousing about something, I’ve tried to really practice turning it around and being grateful.

The Schitt's Creek star added: "Like, ‘How lucky are you right now to be alive? And then to have this opportunity right here in this moment?'

"I was nervous during this cover photo shoot [but] how crazy is it that at my age, I’m wearing these clothes and I’m lying over this pool?"

She confessed that she did 'think' about her age, while revealing why she decided to grow old gracefully.

"I feel that now, stories about people my age usually have to do with death and divorce and disease," O'Hara continued. "So I’m really fortunate [to] have people around me who respect aging people and who give me new experiences. I’d like to think that the kind of roles I’m getting to play now are roles that people are getting to play in life.

"[In The Studio], I’m playing a studio head who becomes an independent producer - how beautiful is it that someone my age is doing this? It’s the way it should be."