Home Alone’s pigeon lady Brenda Fricker is unrecognisable 32 years after film’s release. (Image: 20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)
Fans of the classic film Home Alone would be amazed to see one of its stars 32 years after the movie’s release. Brenda Fricker, the Irish actress who portrayed the infamous pigeon lady in the popular Christmas film, was just 47 when she appeared in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.
Now 79, Brenda’s character is a homeless woman living in Central Park with her flock of pigeons. She ends up helping young Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin.
The plot sees Kevin get into various predicaments in the city after his parents, portrayed by Catherine O’Hara and John Heard, accidentally leave him behind during their holiday for the second time.
Brenda has previously been a guest on The Tommy Tiernan Show, hosted by Irish comedian Tommy Tiernan, where she discussed her career and her preference to remain out of the spotlight
“I live a very quiet life well under the radar and I drive a tiny car, own a cottage, that’s about it. Talking to the wall quite a bit, talking to the dog, writing poetry, reading books, watching television. Nothing different than anybody else does, except being alone so much can make you talk to the wall a bit more than most people,” she said, reports .
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Brenda Fricker opened up about her desire to stay out of the public eye. (Image: The Tommy Tiernan Show/RTE One)
Discussing her need for a hiatus from acting, Tiernan asked the Home Alone 2 star about her mental state.
“Just yesterday, I visited the doctor who said, ‘We’re going to put you on stronger antidepressants’. I’m somewhat of a recluse. Choosing to stay indoors is one thing, but being told to do so makes me want to go outside,” Fricker revealed.
The actress also opened up about her reliance on medication and her time at St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin, which she described as invaluable to her mental health.
Brenda Fricker was the guest of The Tommy Tiernan Show. (Image: The Tommy Tiernan Show/RTE One)
“It was tough, but there was a fantastic doctor, Anthony Clare. He saved my life. He was exceptional with me. He really pulled me out of the depths. Just an incredible mind. He understood me and reached me. I always left feeling happy after seeing him. He made me feel good,” Fricker shared.
The conversation wasn’t all serious, though. There were moments of light-heartedness and humour as Fricker recounted a funny story about Al Pacino’s backstage Oscar nerves.
She also offered an intriguing glimpse into her life post-Oscar win, sharing how Kevin Kline had accurately predicted that she would “never have a private moment” again and revealing that she uses her Oscar to prop open her bathroom door.
In 1989, she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award for her role in My Left Foot, in the Best Supporting Actress category.