'Home Alone 2': Brenda Fricker opens up on life, acting, and depression
Irish actress Brenda Fricker, known for her role as the pigeon lady in the film "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," has spoken about her life and struggles with depression after 32 years, reports "Express."
Brenda Fricker portrayed the mysterious pigeon lady in the iconic 1992 holiday film. In the film, Kevin, lost in the big city, befriends the older lady (she was 47 at the time), and at the end, he gives her a small turtledove figurine.
Not many people know that Fricker was the first Irish actress to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the film "My Left Foot." She starred in many films, but fans worldwide remember her most as the quiet and slightly unsettling pigeon lady.
What is Brenda Fricker up to today?
The actress is now 79 years old. It is no secret that she has issues with her mental health. This year, she appeared on "The Tommy Tiernan Show," where she talked about her private life and her decision to step away from acting.
"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.
The actress admitted that she struggles with depression and relies on medication. "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," she confessed.
Fricker also mentioned her stay at St. Patrick's Hospital in Dublin, where Dr. Anthony Clare helped her. "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," shared the actress.
Despite the serious topics, the conversation wasn't without humour. Fricker shared a funny story about the Oscars backstage and Al Pacino's nervousness before the show. She also revealed that her own Oscar statuette serves as a doorstop in her bathroom.
