Brenda reveals how she left ‘Scarface’ with a red face
BRENDA FRICKER has revealed her part in a hilarious Oscars blunder with ‘Scarface’ legend Al Pacino and Joe Pesci in the early 1990s.
Ms Fricker won her best supporting actress Academy Award in 1990 for her performance in My Left Foot alongside Daniel Day Lewis.
She was presented with the award by Kevin Kline, but the following year – as was custom – she returned to present an award to that year’s winner.
In 1991, the best supporting actor category was packed with big screen legends including Pacino, Pesci, Andy Garcia, Bruce Davison and Graham Greene.
Ms Fricker told RTÉ’s Tommy Tiernan Show that she had met a nervous Pacino – nominated for his role in the movie Dick Tracy – backstage before she was due to present her award.
‘You go back to present the next year. They give you the envelope and about 25 security men around you.
‘I remember I had to go to the toilet; the ladies toilet was downstairs and they sent this lady policeman in with me.
‘So I was coming out with the envelope and I saw out of the corner of my eye this elderly man on the bannisters. ‘It looked like he was in trouble. ‘So I said “hold on a minute” and I went over and said “are you alright?” and his face came up and it was Al Pacino, who was nominated that year,’ continued the 75-year-old Dublin-born actress.
‘And I said “are you alright?” and he said “11 times I’ve been nominated”, and I said “but you’re going to win, this is the envelope, your name is in here, there’s no problem with that”.
‘And he said “Oh no”. And I said “Look, I’ve seen the film, there’s no way; you’re going to win, there’s no problem at all”, and he kind of cheered up and I went off.
‘And then when it came to do it, out I go and... “the Oscar goes to… Joe Pesci” and I could see Al Pacino sitting there and then Joe Pesci came up to get his Oscar.’
Navan comic Tommy couldn’t contain his laughter while Brenda finished the story.
‘He was so surprised he couldn’t speak at all, he just said “thank you” and walked off, so I did the same thing because Kevin Kline did [it for me],’ she said.
‘I grabbed the thing [curtains to the side of the stage] and I put it around him and said “this is the last private moment you’re ever going to have”, and he bawled crying and Joe Pesci is a toughie, you know?’