Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin’s Heartwarming Friendship Behind the Scenes of Home Alone

Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin.
Credit:

Anna Webber/Variety via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Decades after they starred as mother and son in *Home Alone,* Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin maintained a close relationship.
• The actor fondly referred to O’Hara as “mom.”
• O’Hara’s manager confirmed her passing at age 71 on January 30, 2024.

Though they portrayed mother and son in the iconic 1990 film *Home Alone,* the bond between Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin extended far beyond the screen.

O’Hara’s manager announced her passing at 71 years old, confirming her death to PEOPLE on January 30. The accomplished actress was beloved for roles in films such as *Beetlejuice* and Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including *Best in Show.* No additional details regarding her death were provided.

Shortly after the news broke, Culkin shared a heartfelt tribute on 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,” he wrote, accompanied by a photo of the two from *Home Alone* and one from his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.

In a 2024 interview with *The New York Times*, Culkin, now 45, reflected on their relationship, saying he still calls O’Hara “mom.” He added that she warmly greets him with open arms, saying, “Son.”

In *Home Alone,* Culkin starred as 8-year-old Kevin McAllister, who is inadvertently left behind while his family vacations in Paris. O’Hara played his mother, Kate McAllister, who desperately tries to return home to her son.

Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin at the star ceremony where he is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Anna Webber/Variety via Getty

O’Hara attended Culkin’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023, where she spoke about witnessing his growth since their time in *Home Alone.*

“*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,” O’Hara stated during her speech.

She further praised Culkin’s unique blend of humor, noting, “It’s a sign of intelligence in a child and a key to survival at any age.”

Catherine O’Hara, Macaulay Culkin, Home Alone.

20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Addressing Culkin directly, O’Hara said, “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.”

In an interview conducted shortly after the film debuted, O’Hara praised then 9-year-old Culkin as “a darling little guy who has been acting since he was 4, so he’s very professional.” She humorously remarked that he was so well-prepared, she expected him to become head of the studio by the age of 12.