Brenda Fricker, the Irish actress who won an Academy Award for My Left Foot and became familiar to wide audiences through Home Alone 2 and Casualty, has died at the age of 81.
Fricker was best known internationally for her Oscar-winning performance in the 1989 film My Left Foot. She also built a strong connection with television viewers and film fans through a range of well-loved screen roles, including appearances in Home Alone 2 and the long-running TV drama Casualty.
Born in Dublin, Fricker began her acting career in television and theatre. Her early work included Tolka Row in the 1960s, noted as Ireland's first soap opera, and a role in ITV's Coronation Street in 1977.
Her career stretched across decades and genres, with work that also included Licking Hitler. Fricker's death marks the loss of a respected performer whose work left a lasting mark on Irish, British and international audiences.
