Veteran actress and comedian Catherine O’Hara, best known for her roles in ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’, has died, according to TMZ.

She was aged 71.

She was reported to have passed away on Friday, after an illness.

Ms O’Hara’s career spanned over four decades, and was celebrated for her comedy, and emotional range.

She attained global prominence as Kevin McCallister’s agitated but devoted mother in the ‘Home Alone’ films, a role that made her loved by fans of holiday cinema.

She later experienced a change in her career with her performance as Moira Rose in ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ where her acting and humour earned her a new generation of fans and an Emmy Award.

Born in Toronto, Canada, Ms O’Hara began her career in sketch comedy on SCTV, where she emerged as one of the show’s standout performers.

Her work on the series helped define modern television comedy and paved the way for a long-running collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Guest, appearing in cult classics such as ‘Best in Show,’ ‘Waiting for Guffman’ and ‘A Mighty Wind.’

Tributes poured in following reports of her death.

Hollywood actor Kevin McCallister, who played her on-screen son, shared a photo of the two of them and wrote, “I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”

Co-director Martin Scorsese described her as “a true comic genius, a true artist, and a wonderful human being.”

Actor and filmmaker Seth Rogen described her as “the funniest person I’d ever had the pleasure of watching on screen.”

Rogen added “Hysterical, kind, intuitive, generous… She made me want to make our show good enough to be worthy of her presence in it. This is just devastating. We’re all lucky we got to live in a world with her in it.”

Filmmaker Christopher Guest, a longtime collaborator, said: “I am devastated. We have lost one of the comic giants of our age. I send my love to her family.”

Her agency, CAA, also paid tribute, describing Ms O’Hara as more than a client. Quoting her agent Toni Howard, the agency said, “It was pure joy to represent Catherine for 35 years.”

Actress Melanie Lynskey remembered Ms O’Hara as a rare presence both on and off screen. “It was incredible to watch her work and be in her presence. I’ll never forget a minute of it… When people say someone ‘lit up a room,’ this is what they mean. She was radiant; it was kind of otherworldly. Her talent was singular. There’s been nobody like her before and there won’t be again.”

Ms O’Hara is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke.