Who plays Kevin’s mom in the classic Christmas movie Home Alone? Details explored

The classic Christmas comedy film Home Alone has been viewers’ favorite for a long time, especially with the holiday season round the corner. Chris Columbus’ 1990 masterpiece featured Macaulay Culkin in his debut role (Kevin McCallister) alongside Catherine O’Hara, who played the part of Kevin’s mother (Kate).

Though the movie has garnered a lot of media attention owing to Macaulay Culkin’s showstopping performance, his co-star Catherine also gained a lot of popularity among the audience for her stint as Kevin’s mom in Home Alone. The story revolves around a small boy named Kevin who is accidentally left alone at home and is forced to protect himself from the “Wet Bandits,” Harry and Marv.

So, he finds out ways to set up traps and catch the thieves when his family is away from home. The backdrop is perfect and studded with elements of comedy and holiday drama—quite a family movie to watch this Christmas!

Who plays Kevin’s mom in the classic Christmas movie Home Alone?

Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress Catherine O’Hara has played the role of Kevin’s mom in the classic comedy Home Alone. She also reprised her part in the 1992 sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Catherine O’Hara’s portrayal of Kevin’s mom adds a touch of humor and warmth to the film, making her character memorable to audiences of all ages.

Over the years, Catherine has appeared in notable roles on multiple shows and movies, namely Schitt’s Creek (2015-20), Beetlejuice (1998), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

However, her iconic role in Home Alone was not initially planned for her.

Was Catherine O’Hara the first choice for Kevin’s mom in the Christmas classic Home Alone?

As per reports, Catherine O’Hara was not the first choice for the role of Kevin’s mom/Kate. To viewers’ surprise, Home Alone cinematographer Julio Macat mentioned in a statement to Metro that his partner and actress Elizabeth Perkins was initially in talks for the part.

He further added:

“My wife, Elizabeth Perkins, had a similar situation where she worked on a movie that also was very special. You know the movie, Big? She was the girlfriend, Susan. We hadn’t met yet, and she filmed that movie almost a year before Home Alone. John Hughes asked her to be the Catherine O’Hara role, and she wasn’t able to do it, she was busy.”

Home Alone eventually got the tag of one of the highest-grossing live-action comedy films, bringing in about $476.7 million globally. One of the lead stars, Daniel Stern (Wet Bandit Marv), reportedly said in a statement about his role alongside co-star Joe Pesci (Henry):

“We were classic characters in a certain way. The friendship was fun, the movie was fun, the silliness we both approached in our own way that was comfortable for each of us, and the chemistry clicked.”

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Edited by Sangeeta Mathew