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\n Related: <\/span>Celebs and Costars React to Catherine O’Hara’s Death: Pedro Pascal and More<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tCatherine O\u2019Hara\u2019s death at age 71 has rocked the celebrity world, with many of her former costars and friends reacting to the tragic news. O\u2019Hara died on Friday, January 30, at her home in Los Angeles \u201cfollowing a brief illness,\u201d according to a statement from her agency, Creative Artists Agency. The legendary actress was known [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI know she\u2019s making all the angels laugh \ud83d\udd4a<\/span>,\u201d Witherspoon concluded.<\/p>\nUs Weekly <\/i>confirmed on Friday, January 30, that O\u2019Hara died at the age of 71<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cProlific multi-award-winning actress, writer and comedian Catherine O\u2019Hara died today at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness,\u201d O\u2019Hara\u2019s agency, Creative Artists Agency, said in a statement. \u201cA private celebration of life will be held by the family.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hara was renowned for her roles<\/a> in some of Hollywood\u2019s most iconic films and television shows, including Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Schitt\u2019s Creek, The Studio <\/i>and Penelope. <\/i>The 2006 comedy introduces Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci<\/strong>) as a young socialite born with a pig\u2019s snout as a nose after a family curse. The only way to break the curse is by loving someone of \u201cher own kind,\u201d which her family interprets as marrying another socialite.<\/p>\n\n![\"Reese-and-Christina-Penelope-MCDPENE_EC005\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Reese-and-Christina-Penelope-MCDPENE_EC005.jpg?w=1000&quality=70&strip=all\")
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\n Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci in \u2018Penelope.\u2019<\/span> IFC Films\/courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nO\u2019Hara portrayed Penelope\u2019s mother alongside fellow cast members James McAvoy, Peter Dinklage, Simon Woods<\/strong> and Richard E. Grant<\/strong>. Witherspoon, for her part, played Annie, a new friend of Penelope\u2019s.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was great. I really love her. I\u2019ve always been a huge fan of hers and she was always everybody\u2019s first choice in this movie,\u201d Ricci, now 45, told Collider<\/a> in 2008 of acting alongside O\u2019Hara. \u201cShe\u2019s hysterical, and finally one day, Simon [Woods] and I got up the courage to gush and tell her everything we loved about her. She is such a lovely person, so she was just very gracious about it.\u201d<\/p>\nAccording to Ricci, she picked up many acting tips from her onscreen mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe just encouraged us to be more spontaneous and not worry about getting yelled at if we ad-lib or make something up,\u201d Ricci added to the outlet.<\/p>\n
Ricci also offered an emotional social media tribute following O\u2019Hara\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
\n\n\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
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\u201c[I] was so lucky to work with this icon, one of my hero\u2019s, the great Catherine O\u2019Hara,\u201d Ricci wrote via Instagram<\/a> on Friday. \u201cSo sad she\u2019s gone. She was the most wonderful, warmest, kind, hilarious human being and the most talented and brilliant actress. What a loss. Rest in peace, Catherine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n![\"OHara-Penelope-MCDPENE_EC015\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OHara-Penelope-MCDPENE_EC015.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Catherine O\u2019Hara and Richard E. Grant in \u2018Penelope.\u2019<\/span> IFC Films\/courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nO\u2019Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch<\/strong>, and the couple\u2019s two sons.<\/p>\n\u201cThey\u2019re very funny, and we encourage it,\u201d O\u2019Hara previously told the Toronto Star<\/i><\/a> in 2007 of her children. \u201cI\u2019m proud to say, we all make each other laugh. In my home, growing up. I learned that from my parents. They made each other laugh to the end, God bless \u2018em. How great is that?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Us Weekly <\/i>confirmed on Friday, January 30, that O\u2019Hara died at the age of 71<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cProlific multi-award-winning actress, writer and comedian Catherine O\u2019Hara died today at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness,\u201d O\u2019Hara\u2019s agency, Creative Artists Agency, said in a statement. \u201cA private celebration of life will be held by the family.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Hara was renowned for her roles<\/a> in some of Hollywood\u2019s most iconic films and television shows, including Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Schitt\u2019s Creek, The Studio <\/i>and Penelope. <\/i>The 2006 comedy introduces Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci<\/strong>) as a young socialite born with a pig\u2019s snout as a nose after a family curse. The only way to break the curse is by loving someone of \u201cher own kind,\u201d which her family interprets as marrying another socialite.<\/p>\n O\u2019Hara portrayed Penelope\u2019s mother alongside fellow cast members James McAvoy, Peter Dinklage, Simon Woods<\/strong> and Richard E. Grant<\/strong>. Witherspoon, for her part, played Annie, a new friend of Penelope\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was great. I really love her. I\u2019ve always been a huge fan of hers and she was always everybody\u2019s first choice in this movie,\u201d Ricci, now 45, told Collider<\/a> in 2008 of acting alongside O\u2019Hara. \u201cShe\u2019s hysterical, and finally one day, Simon [Woods] and I got up the courage to gush and tell her everything we loved about her. She is such a lovely person, so she was just very gracious about it.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Ricci, she picked up many acting tips from her onscreen mother.<\/p>\n \u201cShe just encouraged us to be more spontaneous and not worry about getting yelled at if we ad-lib or make something up,\u201d Ricci added to the outlet.<\/p>\n Ricci also offered an emotional social media tribute following O\u2019Hara\u2019s death.<\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \u201c[I] was so lucky to work with this icon, one of my hero\u2019s, the great Catherine O\u2019Hara,\u201d Ricci wrote via Instagram<\/a> on Friday. \u201cSo sad she\u2019s gone. She was the most wonderful, warmest, kind, hilarious human being and the most talented and brilliant actress. What a loss. Rest in peace, Catherine.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch<\/strong>, and the couple\u2019s two sons.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re very funny, and we encourage it,\u201d O\u2019Hara previously told the Toronto Star<\/i><\/a> in 2007 of her children. \u201cI\u2019m proud to say, we all make each other laugh. In my home, growing up. I learned that from my parents. They made each other laugh to the end, God bless \u2018em. How great is that?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>
\n Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci in \u2018Penelope.\u2019<\/span> IFC Films\/courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
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\n Catherine O\u2019Hara and Richard E. Grant in \u2018Penelope.\u2019<\/span> IFC Films\/courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n