Brenda Fricker (born 17 February 1945) is an Irish stage and screen actress, who has appeared in more than 30 films and TV roles.
In 1989, she became the first Irish actress to win an Oscar, as Best Supporting Actress in Jim Sheridan’s My Left Foot.
Fricker earned international acclaim for her performance as the mother of Christy Brown, played by the young Daniel Day-Lewis, who won the first of his three Best Actor scars.
In her acceptance speech, Brenda thanked Christy Brown “just for being alive,” and dedicated the Oscar to Mrs. Brown, saying “Anybody who gives birth twenty-two times deserves one of these”.
For her performance in this film, Fricker was also nominated for the Golden Globe and earned the L.A. Film Critics Best Supporting Actress as well.
In 1990, she rejoined My Left Foot’s director Sheridan to make The Field, starring alongside Richard Harris as Maggie McCabe (wife of Harris’ “Bull” McCabe).
