Oscar-winning actor Brenda Fricker has died aged 81 after a period of ill health, her agent has confirmed. The actor, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, became an international star after her roles in films like My Left Foot and The Field. However, she is arguably best remembered these days for her memorable turn in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where she played The Pigeon Lady.
Tributes from her agent
'We will never see her like again, and the world is lesser for the lack of her,' her agent Phil Belfield said in a statement. '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.'
Early career and breakthrough
Fricker began her acting career with smaller TV parts, including an uncredited role in Upstairs, Downstairs. She got her big break in 1977, however, when she appeared in four episodes of Coronation Street playing Staff Nurse Maloney. After this, she appeared in classic shows like The Quatermass Experiment and Casualty, where she played yet another nurse, Megan Roach.
Oscar win and lasting legacy
Fricker won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in My Left Foot (1989), playing Christy Brown's mother. She also starred in The Field (1990) and continued to work in film and television for decades. Her portrayal of the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2 (1992) endeared her to a new generation of fans.
