It appears that Brenda Fricker’s portrayal of a pigeon lady in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is art imitating life.
In a recent interview with Ray D’Arcy’s Radio 1 Show, she revealed that her holiday plans are pretty lonely this year. “I’m 75 now, and I would be lying if I said it would be a nice and happy Christmas because I’m old and I live alone, ” the Dublin-based actress said, per theNew York Post. “It can be very dark.”
Fricker continued, saying that she turns off her phone and puts down the blinds when she's home alone. “I do pre-record some good programs and I have my dog and I get myself through it that way,” added. “I don’t want to be sounding kind of negative but it is a different kind of Christmas, that’s all.”
While Christmas is desolate for Fricker, she says New Year's Eve is even worse. “While I don’t find Christmas all that difficult, what I do find difficult is New Year’s Eve," she explained.
According to the Post, Fricker has reportedly been unmarried since her nine-year marriage to director Barry Davies ended in 1988. She also told Radio 1 that she doesn’t speak with Macauley Culkin, who stars as Kevin McCallister in the first two Home Alone films. “No I don’t [hear from Macaulay], I worry about him but I’m not in touch with him,” she said.
Fricker retired from acting in 2014, after a career that spanned six decades and saw her win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1989 Daniel Day-Lewis-starring drama My Left Foot.
Over the weekend, Saturday Night Live celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first Home Alone and the character's recent online resurgence film having none other than Kristen Wiig play Fricker's iconic character.