Brenda Fricker, the first Irish actress to win an Oscar for playing the determined mother of disabled artist Christy Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot”, has died at the age of 81 after a period of ill health, her agent said on Friday.
Fricker, described as among the most respected Irish actors of her generation by the Irish Times, won the best supporting actress prize for the Irish-made drama that also landed Daniel Day-Lewis the first of his record three best actor Oscars.
She was beloved as the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2 as her tender Central Park scenes comforted generations.
Decades later, a viral joke claimed TV host Piers Morgan played her. Morgan repeatedly denied it: “It’s. Not. Me.” Fans still share the meme every Christmas.
Every Christmas, people on social media joke that Piers Morgan played the “Pigeon Lady” in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York because they think they look alike.
It kicked off in 2018 when his son Spencer tweeted: “Chilled night watching Home Alone 2… Always forget you’re in it @piersmorgan”. Since then it resurfaces every December.
Piers Morgan has denied it multiple times. Thousands of people took to social media to pay tribute to the actress.
However, the British journalist, who has been active on Instagram sharing pictures from his golf getaway, has not reacted to Brenda’s death.
