Brenda Fricker, the Oscar-winning actress who captured hearts as the Pigeon Lady in “Home Alone 2,” has died. She was 81. Fricker passed away peacefully Thursday night in Dublin after a period of ill health, her agent Phil Belfield confirmed. The Irish actress had been in declining health for some time, with her agent noting she died “peacefully” at the end of a prolonged struggle.
Fricker made history in 1990 when she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, taking home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her powerful performance as Christy Brown’s mother in “My Left Foot”. She starred opposite Daniel Day-Lewis, who also won an Oscar for his portrayal of the cerebral palsy-afflicted artist. But for generations of ’80s and ’90s kids, Fricker was unforgettable as the reclusive Pigeon Lady in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” the homeless woman who befriends Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister in Central Park. She also brought warmth to family audiences as the caring foster mother Maggie Nelson in the 1994 Disney film “Angels in the Outfield”.
Born and raised in Dublin, Fricker began her career in Irish theatre before landing early television roles on “Coronation Street” and “Tolka Row,” Ireland’s first soap opera. She also appeared as a nurse in the original cast of the BBC medical drama “Casualty”. Fricker was married to Barry Davis from 1979 until 1988, and the pair later reconciled before his death. She faced significant personal challenges, including a battle with depression that she spoke openly about in interviews, crediting treatment with changing her life.
Agent Phil Belfield paid an emotional tribute to the actress, stating: “We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honoured to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over”. Fans and colleagues have flooded social media with messages celebrating her talent and enduring kindness.
