Actress Brenda Fricker, who won an Oscar for her role as Daniel Day-Lewis' mother in My Left Foot, has died at the age of 81.

Brenda Fricker, the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, has died at the age of 81 after a long illness. Her agent, Phil Belfield, announced her passing on Thursday evening, stating that she had been struggling with poor health for some time. In a heartfelt statement, Belfield described her as an irreplaceable figure whose absence leaves the world poorer. He expressed his deep admiration for her work and legacy, noting that she will always hold a special place in the hearts of many film and television enthusiasts worldwide. Fricker’s iconic role came in My Left Foot (1989), where she portrayed the mother of Christy Brown, the artist with cerebral palsy played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Both actors won Oscars for their performances in the film, which was directed by Jim Sheridan. Their collaboration was marked by intense emotional and professional dynamics, including a period of tension due to Day-Lewis's obsessive behavior during filming. Despite this, they eventually reconciled and shared a mutual respect. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Fricker spoke warmly of Day-Lewis, calling him a “good man with an impeccable morality,” though she criticized his method acting approach as “shit.” Fricker’s career spanned over six decades, beginning in Dublin, where she faced a difficult childhood. At a young age, she suffered a serious automobile accident that left her incapacitated for nearly two years. Later, she contracted tuberculosis and had one kidney removed. She recounted traumatic experiences, including being abused by her mother and manipulated by a teacher when she was just eight years old. During her teenage years, she attempted suicide 23 times and was sexually assaulted at a party at 17. This experience profoundly affected her, leaving her emotionally shattered. She later revealed that she was also sexually harassed by an actor early in her career. Initially aspiring to become a journalist, Fricker worked as an assistant to the art editor of The Irish Times, where her father had previously worked. However, at 19, she became an actress by chance, appearing uncredited in Servitude (1965) and later in the first Irish soap opera, Tolka Row. Her television career flourished through roles in popular series such as Coronation Street and Casualty, where she remained for several years. It was her performances in My Left Foot and its sequel The Fields, where she did not speak for the first third of the film, that brought her into the spotlight and transitioned her into cinema. Throughout her career, Fricker appeared in numerous films and TV shows, becoming known for memorable roles such as the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the paranoid mother of Mike Myers in Meet the Parents, and the caretaker in Angels in America. She also starred in A Man Without a Country, Veronica Guerin, Moll Flanders, Time to Kill, Tara Road, Closing the Circle, and Resurrection Man. In 2024, she completed her final film role in The Swallow, a fictional drama directed by Tadhg O’Sullivan, in which she played an unnamed elderly woman reflecting on her life. On a personal level, Fricker was married to director Barry Davis for 15 years until their divorce in 1988. During their marriage, she experienced multiple miscarriages, all ending in spontaneous abortions. Davis passed away from alcoholism in 1990, shortly after the couple had reconciled. Beyond her professional achievements, Fricker found solace in caring for her dogs, reading poetry, playing snooker, and enjoying a pint of Guinness. Her contributions to both screen and stage remain a lasting part of Ireland’s cultural heritage.