Catherine O'Hara cause of death: The Studio star was rushed to hospital amid secret health battle - what is a pulmonary embolism?
Actress Catherine O’Hara’s cause of death has been confirmed following her death at the age of 71.
The Studio and Schitt’s Creek star died suddenly on Friday, January 30 to the shock of fans across the world. Her death certificate has now been released confirming that the star was undergoing a secret health battle towards the end of her life.
O’Hara died of a pulmonary embolism after being rushed to hospital with difficulty breathing. A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot on the lungs. This was the primary cause of death for the star.
Doctors also listed rectal cancer as the long-term cause of O’Hara’s death. Her death certificate indicated that she had been receiving treatment for the cancer since March 2025.
A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot on the lungs. Usually in instances of pulmonary embolism, the blood clot has traveled from another part of the body, including the legs, blocking blood vessels within the lungs.
Symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:
- Sudden difficulty breathing
- Chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in
- Coughing up blood
The NHS added: “You may also have pain, redness and swelling in one of your legs (usually the calf). These are symptoms of a blood clot, also called DVT (deep vein thrombosis).”
A pulmonary embolism can be treated if found early enough by doctors.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or phone NHS 111 if you have sudden difficulty breathing or you are coughing up blood. If you have sudden chest pains, severe difficulty breathing, your heart is beating very fast, or someone has passed out, either call 999 or head straight to A&E.
O’Hara’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and her Hollywood peers. The actress was best known for a number of roles, including the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek and her role as Kevin’s mother in the Home Alone films. She also recently appeared in The Last of Us, A Series Of Unfortunate Events, and sequel film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
She is currently nominated at the upcoming Actors Awards for her role in the Apple TV comedy show The Studio, which she appears in alongside Seth Rogen. He issued a tribute to the star on Instagram, saying: “I told O’Hara when I first met her I thought she was the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen.
“Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies. Getting to work with her was a true honour. She was hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous… she made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it. This is just devastating. We’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.”
Her Schitt’s Creek co-star Dan Levy added: “What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years. Having spent over fifty years collaborating with my Dad, Catherine was extended family before she ever played my family.
“It’s hard to imagine a world without her in it. I will cherish every funny memory I was fortunate enough to make with her. My heart goes out to Bo, Matthew, Luke and every member of her big, beautiful family.”