Brenda Fricker, the Academy Award–winning actress best known for her unforgettable role as the Pigeon Lady in “Home Alone 2,” has died at the age of 81, as reported by Page Six.

Her agent confirmed to Page Six on Friday that Fricker passed away peacefully on Thursday night in Dublin after a period of ill health.

“It is with much sadness that I share the news that beloved actress Brenda Fricker passed away peacefully last night in Dublin, after a period of ill health, at the age of 81,” the agent said.

In the heartfelt statement, her representative added, “We will never see her like again, and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honored to know, love, and work with her.”

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“She will always have a place in my heart and in the hearts of so many film and TV fans the world over,” the statement continued.

Born in Dublin in February 1945, Fricker began her career not in front of the camera but behind the scenes, working as an assistant to the art editor at the Irish Times before discovering her passion for acting.

Her first appearance came in the 1964 adaptation of “Of Human Bondage,” marking the beginning of what would become a long and decorated career in film, television, and theater.

She earned early recognition for her work on British television, particularly in “Casualty,” where she portrayed nurse Megan Roach over several years and returned to the role multiple times due to its popularity.

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Fricker’s breakout moment came with the 1989 film “My Left Foot,” in which she starred alongside Daniel Day-Lewis.

Her performance earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, a moment she later described with disbelief and pride during her 1990 acceptance speech, saying:

“I don’t believe this. I will take [this trophy] very proudly with me back to Ireland.”

She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Bridget Fagan Brown, further cementing her place among Ireland’s most celebrated performers.

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In 1992, Fricker charmed audiences once again as the kind but misunderstood Pigeon Lady in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”

Her scenes with Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister — particularly the emotional exchange in Carnegie Hall — became one of the film’s most memorable moments.

Reflecting on that role in a 2022 interview on “Hard Shoulder,” Fricker admitted she found the filming process both amusing and rewarding.

“I [would] go back into the hotel in full costume, covered in pigeon s–t,” she joked. “If you want to empty a lift quickly, dress up in pigeon s–t.”

Still, she called the experience “absolutely lovely” and “easygoing,” noting with humor that “it was luxury for me. I got paid a ton of money to do it.”

She added that residual checks from the movie continued to arrive decades later, sometimes worth as little as 46 cents, other times up to $10.

Fricker continued acting steadily and took on numerous memorable roles, including in “Angels in the Outfield,” before appearing in her final film, “The Swallow,” in 2024.

In a 2020 radio interview with RTÉ Radio 1, she mentioned that she and Macaulay Culkin were no longer in touch, saying, “I don’t hear from him, no. I worry about him, but I’m not in touch with him.”

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While Culkin has yet to comment publicly on her passing, many fans and colleagues have begun paying tribute to Fricker online, recognizing the warmth, wit, and emotional depth she brought to every role.

Brenda Fricker leaves behind a legacy that transcends her famous film roles, remembered both as a trailblazing Irish artist and as a performer who could bring immense humanity to even the most eccentric characters.

To generations of viewers, she will forever remain the gentle spirit who taught Kevin McCallister about compassion amid the chaos of New York’s winter streets.

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