Brenda Fricker's iconic role as Home Alone's sad pigeon lady is a staple of Christmas viewing.
But in real life the now 75-year-old has no Kevin McCallister to brighten up her festive season - sharing that she will be alone this year.
"I'm doing well, I’m hanging on like everyone else,' she told Ray D'Arcy on his Radio 1 Show.
The Dublin-based actress explained: "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. It can be very dark.
"I turn the phone off and put the blinds down. I do pre-record some good programmes and I have my dog and I get myself through it that way."
But having spent Christmas alone before, Brenda is more worried about the lack of an end of year's celebration.
She explained: "While I don’t find Christmas all that difficult, what I do find difficult is New Year’s Eve."
Along with her memorable role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Brenda's career spanned six decades on stage and screen and saw her win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in My Left Foot.
She also played Megan Roach in Casualty for more than 60 episodes.
Brenda, who retired from acting in 2014, has not remarried following the end of her nine-year marriage to director Barry Davies in 1988.
