What Catherine O’Hara Said About Her Health Before Her Death at 71

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“Am I dying or something?”

Just under a year ago, Catherine O’Hara jokingly mentioned during an interview with her co-stars from The Studio that she’d been feeling more confident as an actor recently.

Seth Rogen jokingly explained the situation, pointing to a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. “He’s actually a doctor,” Rogen said, revealing that the interview was staged.

The whole group burst out laughing. 

O’Hara was known for her lively storytelling, always delivered with a smile and a knack for making fun of herself. She radiated joy, which made the news of her death on January 30th so shocking. She was 71 years old and, according to a statement from her agency, passed away after a short illness.

While the cause of death hasn’t been released, Sally O’Hara was noticeably absent from the Golden Globes on January 7th. She had been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series for her role as Patty Leigh, a cynical executive who becomes a producer and mentors a stressed studio head.

Although she didn’t discuss any specific illnesses, O’Hara revealed she had a rare condition called cardiac inversus, also known as dextrocardia with situs inversus. This means her heart and other organs were located on the opposite side of her body, essentially a mirror image of how most people’s organs are arranged.

During a 2021 interview, O’Hara jokingly referred to herself as a ‘freak’ while recounting her diagnosis. She and her husband, Bo Welch, had gone to the doctor for tuberculosis tests before their son began nursery school, and that’s when she learned about her condition. She explained that while she appreciates modern medicine, she prefers to stay outside of the healthcare system.

As a health and wellness advocate, I always encourage people to be proactive about understanding their medical tests. Recently, I was going through some routine check-ups – what they call ‘baseline tests,’ including an EKG – and the nurse mentioned they wanted to use another machine. Then, she let me know the doctor had decided to add an X-ray to the process. It’s a good reminder that sometimes tests build on each other as doctors gather a complete picture of your health.

Later, she recalled him saying, ‘You’re the first person I’ve met like you!’ She didn’t even bother learning his name, and he had a condition – something involving a reversed heart, like ‘cardi-inversa’ and ‘dexter-cardia-inversa.’

She admitted she felt silly for not knowing something, but confessed she wasn’t sure she even wanted to find out. She explained that she hadn’t known about it previously, and that was okay with her.

Situs inversus often goes unnoticed throughout a person’s life, but it can sometimes lead to health problems, particularly affecting the heart.

O’Hara, who has two sons, Matthew, 31, and Luke, 27, with her partner Welch, explained that she grew up in a large family with six siblings. She learned this information after her parents had passed away, and as she drove home from the doctor, she found herself thinking about her brothers and sisters and whether they were also grappling with similar feelings.

As it happened, she called one of her brothers and learned from his wife that he’d had heart bypass surgery that very day. However, O’Hara pointed out that his heart was located on the left side of his chest.

“So,” she added with mock-severity, “he kind of scooped my story that day.”

O’Hara remembered the doctor telling the actress her internal organs were reversed, and her husband jokingly responded, “No, her head’s on backwards!”

A vintage O’Hara moment.

Catherine O’Hara, a well-known actress with a long and successful career including roles in films like Home Alone and Beetlejuice, and the TV show Schitt’s Creek, was often asked about aging. She consistently responded by emphasizing the importance of living in the present and looking towards the future, rather than dwelling on the past.

While I’m aware of my age, I don’t often look at myself in the mirror,” the actor told Elle Canada in its September 2024 issue. “It feels like stories about people my age tend to focus on difficult topics like death, divorce, or illness. I’m very grateful to be surrounded by people who value getting older and who continue to offer me new and exciting opportunities.”

O’Hara shared a piece of advice she’d come across: think about living for at least another 20 years. What would you do with that time? If you frame it as a challenge – imagining you’ll live to 90 – it changes your perspective. Instead of seeing changes like downsizing or slowing down as negative, you start thinking about what you will do with all that time.

Her answer was, “You look forward.”

In 2022, O’Hara jokingly referred to herself as “a freak” because she’s never had any cosmetic procedures done on her face, as she explained to Entertainment Tonight Canada. She stated she’s not interested in surgery or injections, except for acupuncture, and believes people should accept and appreciate the aging process and love themselves as they are.

Keep reading to see O’Hara’s inimitable life and career in pictures:

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2026-01-30 23:17