'Home Alone's' Macaulay Culkin and more react to Catherine O’Hara’s death
Hollywood is mourning the loss of Catherine O’Hara, the brilliant comedic actress who died Friday at age 71.
O’Hara’s “Home Alone” costar Macaulay Culkin wrote a moving tribute to his onscreen mother.
“Mama. I thought we had time,” he wrote. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much to say.”
He concluded, “I love you. I’ll see you later.”
Culkin’s post included side by side photos of him and O’Hara in the film and the pair at 2023 Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony, where she spoke lovingly of Culkin.
“Macaulay — this beautiful, dear little 10-year-old boy — was called a superstar, a moneymaker, one of the hottest leading young men in Hollywood by the world over. How does anyone survive that?” she said in her speech. “Well, I believe you’d have to possess a certain quality, a gift that dear [writer-producer] John Hughes obviously recognized in you, Macaulay: your sense of humor. It’s a sign of intelligence in a child, and a key to surviving life at any age. And from what I see, you have brought this sweet, yet twisted, yet totally relatable sense of humor to everything that you have chosen to do since ‘Home Alone.'”
“Thank you for including me — your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice — to share in this happy occasion,” she added. “I’m so proud of you.”
Other stars shared touching memories of the late actress across social media.
"Home Alone" director Chris Columbus shared a photo with the movie's stars, saying it was a dream to have O'Hara play Mrs. McCallister.
"What most people don’t realize is that Catherine carries the weight of 50% of that film. The movie simply would not work without her extraordinary performance. Catherine grounds the picture with a profound emotional depth. I will miss her greatly. Yet there is a small sense of comfort, realizing that two of the finest human beings I’ve ever known, Catherine and John Candy, are together again, brilliantly improvising, making each other laugh," he wrote.
Her "Beetlejuice" and "Nightmare Before Christmas" director Tim Burton also posted a loving tribute to O'Hara. "Catherine, I love you .This picture shows how much light you gave to all of us. You were a special part of my life and after life."
Beetlejuice himself Michael Keaton looked back on their long friendship, writing, "We go back before the first Beetlejuice. She’s been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her. Thinking about Beau as well."
Seth Rogen, her co-star on "The Studio," shared, " Getting to work with her was a true honor. 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."
Pedro Pascal posted a photo with O’Hara from “The Last of Us” set, writing, “Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always.”
Her fellow comedy icon Lily Tomlin posted, “Remembering Catherine O’Hara. Bright, beautiful, and full of joy that touched so many.”
Neil Patrick Harris, who starred with O'Hara in Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events," posted a behind-the-scenes photo of the two, writing, "I’m stunned and so sad. Catherine O’Hara was truly one of the greats. Classy, kind, warm, and hilarious. A singular talent. May she rest in peace."
Justin Theroux, who appeared with her in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” wrote “Oh Catherine. You will be so missed.”
Josh Gad expressed his heartache, writing, “I don’t understand what I’m seeing. I can’t bring myself to believe she is gone. Why is the world such a heart breaking place right now? I truly cannot process how to say goodbye to someone so full of life who seemed to just be hitting her prime. Goodbye legend. Thank you for making us laugh until we hurt which is why right now we are all hurting so damned much knowing we will never again get those laughs. RIP. My love and deepest condolences go out to her entire family."
Follow us on Instagram @WeArePauseRewind for all your pop culture obsessions.
