Oscar-winning Home Alone 2: Lost In New York and My Left Foot actress Brenda Fricker has died aged 81.
Her death was confirmed by her agent Phil Belfield, who described the Irish actress as a “legend” whom he was “honoured to know”.
Mr Belfield’s statement read: “It is with much sadness that I share the news that beloved actress Brenda Fricker passed away last night peacefully after a period of ill health, at the age of 81.
“Dublin born and bred, Brenda Fricker undoubtedly deserves the noun legend…
“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.”
Fricker won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Bridget Fagan Brown in 1989’s My Left Foot, which tells the story of an Irish man named Christy Brown who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot.
Paying tribute to Fricker, My Left Foot’s director Jim Sheridan said the first person to call him about her death was her co-star Sir Daniel Day-Lewis.
He said: “We were just reminiscing about her for a bit. She was just an amazing actress, amazing character, forceful personality great writer.”
He told RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline: “She was a very strong person, very giving to her friends.
“She could be obsessive – in everything she did – life, work, love.
“But no real malice or anything, she was just a very strong personality and a good laugh.”
Fricker was also well known for her role in the 1992 follow-up to Home Alone, where she played Pigeon Lady, a homeless woman in New York’s Central Park.
Irish Tánaiste Simon Harris said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of Fricker’s death, describing her as a “national treasure” and extending his “deepest sympathies” to her family and friends.
He said: “Across a career spanning six decades, Brenda scaled incredible heights, not least when she took the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 1990 for her role in Jim Sheridan’s My Left Foot.
“The win and her emotional acceptance speech, in which she dedicated the award to ‘all the people of Ireland’, was a defining moment for Irish cinema.
“As the first Irish woman to win an acting Oscar, she opened doors and set a standard of excellence that continues to inspire generations of Irish artists.
“She was a consummate performer who graced our screens and stages with remarkable talent and authenticity. Brenda brought depth and humanity to every role she undertook.
“She truly was among the greatest exports this country has ever produced and an ambassador for Irish talent on the world stage. Quite simply, we will never see the like of her ever again.”
Fricker was also part of the original cast of BBC medical drama Casualty and featured alongside Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin (2003), as well as appearing in ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and soap opera Coronation Street.
She was also well known for roles in films such as So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993), Angels In The Outfield (1994), and A Time To Kill (1996).
Her later roles included the TV adaptation of Graham Norton’s first novel Holding, directed by Kathy Burke, and the Channel 5 drama series The Catch.
Fricker also made numerous stage appearances in plays such as Lavender Blue and A Pagan’s Place at theatres including the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre.
Mr Belfield said “Brenda’s versatility was renowned” and that her most recent solo film performance in Tadhg O’Sullivan’s The Swallow showed “the truth and majesty of Brenda as an actor” and said it was “a thing of beauty”.
Fricker’s memoir She Died Young appeared on the Irish Sunday Times bestseller list, and she was recently granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin, which Mr Belfield said she was “particularly thrilled and proud of”.
The US ambassador to Ireland, Edward Walsh, described Fricker as “a giant of Irish film” and praised her “unforgettable” performance in My Left Foot.
In a post on X, he said: “From Dublin to Hollywood, her work brought Ireland’s stories to the world and inspired generations on both sides of the Atlantic.
“She leaves a remarkable legacy, and I extend my deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who loved her.”
She was married to director Barry Davies from 1979 until their divorce in 1988, becoming pregnant on a number of occasions but suffering miscarriages, which she said left her with severe depression for a large part of her life.
Her hobbies reportedly included looking after her pet dogs, reading poetry, playing snooker and drinking Guinness.
