Irish actress Brenda Fricker, renowned for her Oscar-winning performance in the 1989 film My Left Foot, as well as her memorable roles in Home Alone 2 and the television series Casualty, has passed away at the age of 81. he passed away peacefully in her cherished home in Dublin.
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“Our hearts are broken, as the divine and absolute legend #BrendaFricker left the world peacefully yesterday evening,” reads a post shared by Belfield & Ward Instagram. “Always in our hearts.”
In a statement, Fricker’s agent Phil Belfield stated: “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,” he added. However, her cause of death hasn’t been revealed yet. In a 2025 interview with The Guardian, she stated that she experienced physical discomfort and had difficulty breathing.
“I’m just dying, every day in pain,” she told the publication. “I’ll probably live to be 100.”
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Fricker received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990 for her portrayal of Daniel Day-Lewis’s mother in My Left Foot.
She portrayed nurse Megan Roach in the BBC series Casualty starting in 1986, concluding her role in 2010; additionally, she was famously known as the pigeon lady in the 1992 sequel to Home Alone.
Meanwhile, several tributes poured in for the late actress, with Ireland’s Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Simon Harris saying that he was “deeply saddened” by the demise of “a national treasure”.
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Taking to 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.”
Fricker, who was born in Dublin, commenced her acting career with roles in television and theatre. Her early work included appearances in Ireland’s inaugural soap opera, Tolka Row, during the 1960s, as well as in the ITV soap Coronation Street in 1977, and in Licking Hitler, a Play For Today penned by David Hare, in 1978.
In 1986, she was part of the cast for the inaugural episode of the long-running BBC medical drama Casualty, where she remained a prominent figure until 1990, making regular returns in the following years.
In 1990, she made history by becoming the first Irish actress to receive an Academy Award, surpassing Hollywood luminaries such as Julia Roberts and Anjelica Huston.
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“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,” he stated.
“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.”
Edward Walsh, the US ambassador to Ireland, remembered her as “a giant of Irish film” and hailed her “unforgettable” role in My Left Foot.
My Left Foot narrates the true story of Christy Brown, an Irish man portrayed by Day-Lewis, who was born with cerebral palsy and could only control his left foot. The actor also earned an Oscar for his performance in this leading role.
Two years later, Fricker took on another notable role as the homeless bird lady who befriends Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, in Home Alone 2.
Her additional film credits encompassed 1993’s So I Married An Axe Murderer, 1994’s Angels In The Outfield, 1996’s A Time To Kill, and 2003’s Veronica Guerin.
