Brenda Fricker is an Oscar-winning actor, but to fans of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, she'll always be the Pigeon Lady. In the beloved 1992 Christmas movie, Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McCallister befriends the character, a nameless homeless woman who tends to pigeons in Central Park. While Kevin is scared of her at first—much like his neighbor, Old Man Marley, in the first Home Alone—Kevin and the Pigeon Lady become close friends by the end of the movie.
Fricker has appeared in numerous projects since Home Alone 2 was released nearly three decades ago, but if you're interested in what she's up to now, the actor, who's now 75, gave an interview on The Ray D'Arcy Show on Dec. 21, where she shared how she'll be getting through the holidays alone, and revealed a little bit of what went on behind the scenes on Home Alone 2. Read on to see what Fricker has been up to and what she had to say in the interview. And for a look at some other Home Alone actors today, This Is What All the "Home Alone" Kids Look Like Now.
Read the original article on Best Life.
Her lengthy acting career includes an Oscar and many recognizable projects.
Miramax/YouTubeFricker had been acting for years by the time she starred in My Left Foot with Daniel Day-Lewis in 1989. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role just a couple of years before the Home Alone sequel made her famous to a new audience. Earlier this year, Fricker shared a story on The Late Late Show in Ireland with host Ryan Tubridy about once throwing her Oscar into a pool when she and her friends were drunk.
In addition to her Oscar-winning role, the Irish character actor has had parts in So I Married an Axe Murderer, Angels in the Outfield, and Albert Nobbs, among many other films and TV series.
And for another iconic Christmas movie actor today, check out The Little Girl From "It's a Wonderful Life" Looks Incredible at 80.
She said she worries about Macaulay Culkin.
20th Century FoxIn her interview with Ray D'Arcy, Fricker admitted that she hasn't re-watched Home Alone 2 for a "very long time" and that she hasn't kept in contact with her co-star Culkin, either. "I worry about him, but I'm not in touch with him," she said.
She also shared a memory of getting to know Culkin's mother, Patricia Brentrup, on set. "We ended up kind of becoming quite friend-sy, and she was telling me they didn't have even a washing machine before Macaulay was picked up for that [first] film," Fricker said. "They were so poor and they had 10 children or something." (There are actually seven Culkin siblings.) Fricker also said that Culkin's mom was "struggling to handle the whole thing," seemingly referring to her son's superstardom. To read more about child stars like Culkin, check out The Biggest Child Actors Ever, Then and Now.
The holidays this year will be lonely, but she can handle it.
The Late Late Show/YouTubeFricker and D'Arcy also spoke about how many people will be alone for Christmas this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Fricker said that she tends to spend the holidays alone, anyway. "I think I would be lying if I said that it would be a nice and happy Christmas, because I'm one of those people, I'm old and I live alone, and it can be very dark, you know." She said she tends to pull down the blinds, watch some TV, and hang out with her dog. "I get myself through it that way."
"I don't find Christmas all that difficult. What I do find very difficult is New Year's Eve," Fricker continued. "All the bells are ringing and you have no one to turn around to or hug or smile to." It might sound sad, but Fricker joked about asking the churches to please not ring the bells this year. She added, "I put up Christmas lights. Come on, give me some marks!"
For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter
There's one way she can relate to the Pigeon Lady.
The Late Late Show/YouTubeD'Arcy told Fricker that it's ironic that families will gather to watch her in Home Alone 2 this holiday season while she'll be alone herself. Fricker responded, "Well, the Pigeon Lady was very much on her own."
To see what another actor from a Christmas classic is doing today, check out This Is What the Actor Who Played Cindy Lou Who Looks Like Now.
