Macaulay Culkin, best known for his iconic role as Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone franchise, has revealed that he felt a sense of 'unfinished business' with his late onscreen mother, Catherine O'Hara, following her unexpected death on January 30. O'Hara, who played Kate McCallister in the beloved films, passed away at the age of 71 due to a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying cause. Culkin, now 45, later paid a heartfelt tribute to his 'mama' in an emotional Instagram post.
Culkin first starred as Kevin in the 1990 classic Home Alone and its 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, alongside O'Hara as his long-suffering mother. The pair shared a deeply moving reunion in December 2023, when Culkin received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This would prove to be their last public appearance together.
In a candid interview with Gentleman's Journal, an emotional Culkin expressed his grief: 'When Catherine passed away in January, that hit me. That hit me pretty good, 'cause, you know, it was just too soon. And I felt that we had unfinished business. I definitely feel like I had unfinished business with her, you know? I feel like I owed her a favor - and I don't like having an outstanding debt.'
In January, a heartbroken Culkin broke his silence on O'Hara's death with a poignant social media post: '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.'
O'Hara had delivered a memorable speech at Culkin's Hollywood star ceremony, praising his 'perfect' performance in the Home Alone films. She remarked, '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.' She added, '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.'
She also highlighted his 'sweet and twisted, yet totally relatable sense of humor' and concluded, 'Macaulay, congratulations. 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.'
Culkin was seen embracing O'Hara and wiping away tears before taking the podium at the ceremony, joined by his partner Brenda Song and their two sons. O'Hara's final performance was in The Studio, where she played Patty Leigh, earning a posthumous win for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Actor Awards.
