Catherine O'Hara's cause of death revealed TMZ has revealed Catherine O'Hara's cause of death. 9 February 2026 Catherine O'Hara died after suffering from a pulmonary embolism. Catherine O'Hara passed away, aged 71 The actress passed away on January 30, aged 71, and her cause of death has now been revealed, with TMZ confirming that rectal cancer was listed as the underlying cause of the embolism. A rep for the movie star previously shared that Catherine passed away "after a brief illness", but further details of her health were not shared at the time.