The name Brenda Fricker might not sound familiar to you. You probably have seen her, though. She is the distinguished Irish actress who played roles in films such as My Left Foot (1989), for which she earned a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Fricker was also the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). (Some people mistakenly suspect that the part was played by political commentator Piers Morgan! Bah humbug to that debunked theory!) But seriously, since Home Alone 2, Fricker has dealt with many challenges that threatened to derail her life and career.
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Brenda Fricker Looks Very Different A Generation After 'Home Alone 2'
She Weathered A Lot Of Major Personal Crises
At 79. Fricker has experienced many significant highs and lows. Today, she leads a life far away from the hubbub of Hollywood and the demands of an acting career. When she was a guest on The Tommy Tiernan Show, Fricker shared sad details of her current status.
Per dailymail.co.uk via The Tommy Tiernan Show, Fricker now eschews glamour in favor of privacy. She said, "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."
This Is Not The First Time Brenda Fricker Has Opened Up About Her Challenges
Twelve Years Ago, She Candidly Discussed Her Mental And Financial Woes
In an interview she gave in 2012, Fricker said, "I lived off my savings while they lasted, but now I'm completely broke. But as long as I have a roof over my head and feed the dog and feed myself, I'm perfectly content."
She added, "I suffered from depression for 50 years. But now I go to therapist once a week, purely to have a conversation and to hear another human voice."
Fricker has reportedly said that she tried to take her own life nearly three dozen times. She was evidently helped at St. Patrick's Hospital in Dublin, where "a fantastic doctor" provided the care she needed.
