Catherine O’Hara hailed as ‘kind of a goddess’ by Michael Keaton after her death

Catherine O’Hara hailed as ‘kind of a goddess’ by Michael Keaton after her death

Catherine O’Hara has been fondly remembered by her Beetlejuice co-star and longtime friend Michael Keaton, a week after her tragic death.

The beloved actress left the entertainment industry mourning after she passed away at the age of 71 on January 30, 2026, in Los Angeles. Her official cause of death has yet to be revealed.

In a recent conversation with PEOPLE on February 6, Keaton, 74, reflected on his close bond with O’Hara.

When asked when he first met the Home Alone star, the Batman actor recalled, “I’m trying to think, when was it? I think I was doing a movie in Toronto. … I remember we must have met or known each other a little bit because, like myself, she has a big family. She’s one of seven, and I’m one of seven. And somehow we became friends.”

“I remember a night in Toronto where she had a summer [with her] brothers and sisters, and we were all shooting pool in some bar somewhere,” he added. “But I think I had known her before — I’m kind of having a hard time remembering it.”

Keaton revealed that he had long admired O’Hara, describing her as “kind of a goddess” in comedy and entertainment.

He noted that many people in the business “knew how brilliant she was and how great she was,” adding that her success came as no surprise.

Catherine O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, whom she was married to for 33 years, and their two sons, Matthew Welch, 31, and Luke Welch, 29.