Irish actress Brenda Fricker dies at 81 in Dublin

Brenda Fricker, the Irish actress known for her role as the "Pigeon Lady" in the 1992 film Home Alone 2, has died at the age of 81 in Dublin, her representative confirmed to a news agency. The representative said Fricker passed away peacefully on Thursday evening. Born in Dublin in February 1945, Fricker began her career working as an editorial assistant in the arts section of The Irish Times before moving into acting. She made her screen debut in the 1964 film Of Human Bondage and later gained wide recognition for her long-running role as Megan Roach on the BBC series Casualty. Her career-defining moment came in 1989, when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in My Left Foot, telling the audience at the ceremony that she would bring the Oscar home to Ireland with great pride. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Bridget Fagen Brown. Fricker's final film role was in the 2024 production The Swallow. As of the announcement of her death, no statement had been issued by Macaulay Culkin, the lead actor from Home Alone 2.