Catherine O’Hara and “Home Alone” co-star Macaulay Culkin, 45, had a fondness for each other that not many castmates carry off screen.
While Culkin was just a child at 10 years old when he starred in his breakout role with O’Hara, who played the unforgettable role of his mom in the 1990 holiday classic, they continued their relationship throughout the years, even until her untimely death on Jan. 30, at the age of 71.
Culkin was so connected to O’Hara that he invited her to give a speech when he accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. Page Six reposted the moment on their Instagram after TMZ reported she had passed away.
With an undeniable amount of love for the boy, who now stood before her a man, O’Hara honored Culkin and his acting career with dignity, hitting home on both a personal and career level.
Catherine O’Hara’s Speech to Macaulay Culkin
“It is Macaulay’s perfect performance as Kevin McCallister that gave us that little ‘every boy’ on an extraordinary adventure,” O’Hara said. “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. It really was as if we had ambushed the home of this real little boy named Kevin to make a movie, and he just went along with it for the fun of it. He’s the dearest thing.”
As O’Hara gathered her emotions, she continued, “Macaulay, a 10-year-old boy — 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? Well, I believe you’d have to possess a certain quality, a gift that dear John Hughes obviously recognized in you, Macaulay.”
O’Hara went on, “Your sense of humor — it’s a sign of intelligence in a child and a key to surviving life at any age. And you have, from what I see, you have brought that sense of sweet yet twisted, yet totally relatable sense of humor to everything that you have chosen to do since ‘Home Alone.’”
“Macaulay, congratulations,” the beloved actress added. “You so deserve your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and thank you for including me, your fake mom, who left you home alone not once but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I’m so proud of you. God bless you.”
Macaulay Culkin’s Tribute to Catherine O’Hara
When news of O’Hara’s death surfaced on the afternoon of Jan. 30, Culkin shared an emotional tribute to the late actress on his Instagram.
“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,” Culkin wrote to O’Hara, attaching photos of them together in “Home Alone” and at his acceptance of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
O’Hara’s ability to transcend her roles into an experience that lasted a lifetime for her fans and co-stars will be remembered forever.
