A former child actor from Home Alone who largely stepped away from Hollywood has resurfaced to share an emotional tribute to Catherine O’Hara.
Hillary Wolf — now Hillary Wolf Saba — portrayed Meghan McCallister, sister to Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin, in the 1990 hit and its 1992 sequel. Following news of O’Hara’s passing on January 30 in Los Angeles at age 71 from a pulmonary embolism, Saba posted a heartfelt message alongside a nostalgic cast photo.
“My onscreen mom was so good to all of us kids on the sets of Home Alone 1 & 2. She was sweet and she was hilarious,” she wrote. “RIP Catherine O’Hara.”
Now a mother of two, Saba left acting shortly after the sequel’s release and shifted her focus to competitive judo. She rose through the ranks to become a national champion and later represented the United States at the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000.
Although she typically uses social media to spotlight rescue dogs she volunteers with, she made an exception during the holidays, noting it was “Home Alone season.” In a 2021 essay, she described O’Hara as one of the highlights of her time on set, praising her warmth, humor, and kindness toward the young cast.
Saba fondly remembered filming scenes at O’Hare Airport and described the set as a fun, kid-friendly environment filled with cousins and chaos. Reflecting on Culkin, she said he was simply a regular kid enjoying himself, his personality shining both on and off camera.
She also recalled a surreal moment while filming in Chicago when a car with tinted windows pulled up and someone joked that a Michael Jackson lookalike had arrived — only for it to actually be the pop icon himself.
Looking back, Saba admitted she kept her acting past mostly private and didn’t always embrace the unique experience of being part of such an iconic franchise.
Meanwhile, Culkin also paid tribute to O’Hara, sharing a side-by-side image from Home Alone and a reunion at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023. In an emotional caption, he expressed his love and regret at not having more time with her.
Director Chris Columbus described himself as “stunned and heartbroken,” praising O’Hara’s performance and saying the film would not have worked without her emotional depth. He added that there was some comfort in imagining her reunited with fellow cast member John Candy, who passed away in 1994.
Through heartfelt tributes and shared memories, O’Hara’s former co-stars made clear just how deeply she impacted both the film and the people who worked alongside her.
