The world said goodbye to Catherine O’Hara on January 30, 2026, following reports that the beloved actress passed away at age 71 after a brief illness. Known for her razor-sharp comedic timing and unforgettable screen presence, O’Hara leaves behind a legacy that spans decades of iconic film and television roles. As fans revisit her extraordinary career and personal life, one lesser-known detail has quietly resurfaced, one that adds a fascinating layer to her story.

Beyond the wigs, accents, and scene-stealing performances, Catherine O’Hara lived with a rare medical condition that many people go their entire lives without discovering.

Catherine O' Hara had a rare medical condition called Situs Inversus, in which all internal organs in the body are inverted contrary to their normal location, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The heart of individuals with this condition can be placed in the right side of the chest rather than on the left side, and such organs as the liver, stomach, and spleen are inverted. Having a prevalence rate of about 1 in 10,000 individuals, Situs Inversus can be asymptomatic, i.e., not every individual can have day-to-day complications and restrictions.

Although the sound may be scary, the condition normally permits a normal life span, and Catherin O' Hara even joked about the same.

"I'm a freak," she said on Virtual Happy Hours in 2020 while talking about her condition.

 The greatest difficulty usually comes with medical surgery or diagnostic imaging, where the physicians have to adapt to the inverted structure. In the case of O’Hara, she is reported to have found out about the condition at a later age when she was undergoing medical tests, which had not been expected, and even surprised her physicians at the time.

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But while her health story is intriguing, most fans remember her for something else entirely, her unforgettable performances. And honestly, how could they not?

From her early days on SCTV, where she helped redefine sketch comedy, to her scene-stealing turns in films like Beetlejuice and Home Alone, O’Hara built a career rooted in fearlessness and versatility. For an entire generation, she will forever be Kevin McCallister’s frantic but lovable mom, while for another, she is and always will be, Moira Rose.

Her performance on Schitt’s Creek earned her widespread acclaim, multiple awards, and a place in pop culture history. The exaggerated accent, dramatic flair, and unexpected vulnerability made Moira one of television’s most iconic characters, proof that O’Hara’s talent only deepened with time.

Catherine O’Hara’s rare medical condition is just a footnote in a life defined by creativity, resilience, and laughter. She did not let it define her and neither should we. What truly endures is the joy she brought to millions through her work.

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Which Catherine O’Hara role will you always remember the most and did learning this little-known detail about her life surprise you? Let us know in the comments!