Home Alone star Brenda Fricker dies aged 81 as tributes pour in

Brenda Fricker, the celebrated Irish actress who made history as the first woman from Ireland to claim an acting Academy Award, has died at the age of 81, her agent has confirmed.

The Dublin-born performer secured the Best Supporting Actress prize at the 1990 ceremony for her portrayal of Christy Brown's mother in Jim Sheridan's acclaimed drama My Left Foot.

Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished Irish actors of her generation, Fricker had already established herself as a household name through her television work before achieving international recognition with her Oscar triumph.

Her agent Phil Belfield paid tribute to the late actress, stating: "We will never see her like again, and the world is lesser for the lack of her."

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He added: "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."

Ms Fricker had been battling an illness prior to her death, according to her representative.

The actress also received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in My Left Foot, in which she portrayed the devoted mother who supported her son through his struggles with cerebral palsy.

Ms Fricker's path to stardom began in her native Dublin, where she was raised by her mother Bina, a Kerry-born languages teacher, and her father Desmond, who worked both in the Department of Agriculture and as a journalist.

Before pursuing acting, she trained as a journalist and worked as an assistant to the art editor at The Irish Times.

Her screen debut came in 1964 with a small uncredited appearance in Of Human Bondage, filmed when she was just 19.

Television roles soon followed, including parts in Coronation Street, where she portrayed a staff nurse, and Tolka Row, Ireland's inaugural soap opera.

She subsequently joined BBC's medical drama Casualty as Megan Roach, appearing in 65 episodes until 1990.

Her performance as the Pigeon Lady in the beloved 1992 Christmas film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York brought her enduring affection from audiences worldwide.

Additional film credits included Omagh, A Man of No Importance and Sheridan's The Field, while she also graced the stages of the Royal National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre in London.

Ms Fricker was married to Barry Davis between 1979 and 1988, experiencing six miscarriages during their union.

In her memoir She Died Young: A Life in Fragments, she disclosed a painful history of childhood sexual abuse.

Speaking to The Irish Times in 2025, she reflected on her craft: "I still just think of it as playing games."

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