Who is Brenda Fricker?

EVERYONE will remember the famous Pigeon Lady from Home Alone 2.

The part was made famous by Irish actress Brenda Fricker, who is now back in the spotlight starring in ITV's Holding, and fans are loving it.

Who is Brenda Fricker?

Brenda Fricker, 77, was born February 17, 1945, and is an Irish actress, whose career has spanned six decades on stage and screen.

She has appeared in more than 30 films and television roles.

Before becoming an actress, Brenda was assistant to the art editor of the Irish Times, with hopes of becoming a reporter.

At age 19, she became an actress "by chance", and her feature film career began with a small uncredited part in the 1964 film Of Human Bondage, based on the 1915 novel by W. Somerset Maugham.

She also appeared in Tolka Row, Ireland's first soap opera.

In 1990, she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, picking up Best Supporting Actress for the biopic My Left Foot (1989).

She was honoured with the inaugural Maureen O'Hara Award at the Kerry Film Festival in 2008 - the award is offered to women who have excelled in their chosen field in film.

In 2020, she was listed at number 26 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

What TV shows and films has Brenda Fricker been in?

Brenda is best known for film roles, but she also starred in Casualty in the late 80s.

In 2022 she returned to TV in ITV's Holding, playing Lizzie Meany.

On the big screen, are biggest roles are:

• The Field (1990)
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
• So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993)
• Angels in the Outfield (1994)
• A Time To Kill (1996)
• Veronica Guerin (2003)
• Inside I'm Dancing (2004)
• Albert Nobbs (2011)

Is Brenda married and does she have children?

Brenda was married to director Barry Davies for almost a decade.

They tied the knot in 1979 before divorcing in 1988.

After they ended their marriage due to his health issues, they decided to still remain friends.

Brenda said in a radio interview: “He was a wonderful, interesting, lovely man. He became an alcoholic and I couldn’t live with it.

“I tried, I did everything and eventually I thought, ‘I will divorce him and see if that frightens him’, but it didn’t.

“We kept seeing each other, we were madly in love.

"On the day we got divorced we held hands and went off to the movies, it was ridiculous.”

She doesn't have children.