Ms Fricker was the first Irish woman to win the Best Supporting Actress at the awards for her performance as Christy Brown's mother Bridget in My Left Foot.
During her acceptance speech, the actress thanked her family, the cast and crew, and then quipped that she was dedicating it to Christy Brown’s mother as "anybody who gives birth 22 times deserves one of these".
The most famous golden statuette in the world is made of solid bronze, plated in 24-carat gold, stands just over 32cm tall and weighs 3.85kg. That is its physical size.
Spiritually, psychologically, financially, globally, practically, it means so much more.
For the winners of an Oscar, presented live on TV by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, the award can change lives, make or break careers, and will definitely be the first line in any recipient’s obituary.
Winning an Oscar is still that significant, even 97 years after the first ceremony took place in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 1929.
However, for the class of 2025, who are due to assemble at the Dolby Theatre in LA on 2 March, though, doubt has been cast on their night of shining glory.
The devastating scenes caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles have left a trail of destruction in their wake.
At least 25 people have lost their lives, two dozen residents are missing and thousands of locals have been displaced from their homes.
Against this backdrop, it is hard to see how something as glamorous as award ceremonies are on anyone’s mind.
However, as the fires recede, LA, which centres on the entertainment industry, is facing stark losses and it has to deal with the reality of its local stock and trade, show business.
The ceremony is the pinnacle of the industry and now debate has erupted about the reality of producing the show in March.
Writer Stephen King declared on social media that he is "not voting in the Oscars this year", adding that "IMHO they should cancel them, no glitz with Los Angeles on fire".
His message echoed words from Hacks star Jean Smart who suggested that the Oscars should be cancelled and that backers should donate "the revenue they would have gathered to the victims of the fires and the firefighters".
While it is hard not to agree with the sentiment, The Hollywood Reporter magazine said the Academy has no intention of cancelling the show.
They outlined the "case for moving forward", starting with "cancelling an awards show doesn’t really help anyone".
Instead, the argument being put forward is that using the massive viewership platform to help raise money for wildfires and related causes would benefit those involved.
The prevailing sentiment within the Academy’s leadership is that the show should go on, in a dignified manner that would help raise funds for and celebrate fire relief efforts," the magazine reported.
The issue for the Academy is that hundreds of millions of dollars are centred around the Oscars, through employment and services provided and moving the main annual event and "biggest revenue generator" would be a hugely damaging move.
The Academy is also grounded in the grim reality of the fire, as it reported that four members of its board of governors of 55, as well as the former CEO, lost their houses in the fires.
The homes of so many people who work in the industry at all levels have been destroyed too and headlines have been full of photos of the homes of stars, including Billy Crystal and Mel Gibson amongst many others.
Several premieres for films, including the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and Unstoppable, starring Jennifer Lopez, were called off as the fires first hit, followed by announcements of delays and cancellations for other key dates in the awards season calendar.
Stephen King’s message got a range of responses, with some disagreeing saying that the ceremony should go ahead as a way of "supporting the industry".
The other challenge facing the Academy though is that, incredibly, the show has never been cancelled before.
Since its first iteration in 1929, people have been hearing the famous words "and the Oscar goes to…" consistently for 96 years.
It survived World War II, the Vietnam War, the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Screen Writers Strike and even managed to emerge from "the slap that reverberated around the world" chaos in 2022 involving Will Smith and Chris Rock.
The ceremony has been delayed a few times throughout history, including after the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968 and due to historic flooding in Los Angeles in 1938.
The last time was during the pandemic in 2021 but it was never cancelled outright.
This will weigh heavily on this year’s academy board as they consider the wider historical picture.
On a basic human level, there is also the impact on potential nominees.
While possible Oscar names have been staying publicly quiet on the issue, it is understandable that the idea of it being cancelled for the first time ever, just as it looks like it could be "your year" is a little bit heartbreaking.
There have been 601 films nominated for Best Picture but only 22 of those have been directed by a woman and Coralie Fargeat’s film The Substance, starring Demi Moore, could be one of the latest.
Other contenders hoping for a breakthrough moment include Karla Sofia Gascón, set to be the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez.
Also tipped is Malala Yousafzai who has been critical of what she calls the under-representation of Muslims in films.
She founded the production company Extracurricular to "shake things up".
Her feature-length documentary, The Last Of The Sea Women, tells the story of the Haenyeo, a group of grandmothers living on South Korea's Jeju Island who dive to the ocean floor without oxygen to gather food for their community.
Closer to home, Irish language film Kneecap has been busy converting nominations into award wins across Europe and beyond.
On Monday the three band members, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, all shared the Best Actor prize at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
By Wednesday, that was old news and they had garnered 17 nominations for the IFTAs and six more for the Baftas. It seemed that the Oscars were next.
Their fans would love to see them striding up the most famous red carpet in the world.
Why do the Oscars matter?
The show may be 96 years old but its power in the showbiz world has never waned.
There is the prestige of peer recognition, the acknowledgement from your fellow industry folk who believe in you enough to give you their precious vote.
Also being involved in the juggernaut gives people access to a notoriously tough industry and allows them the chance to prove to producers and studios that they are bankable stars.
The Oscars can, undoubtedly shape a career.
Matt Damon said winning was "nearly indescribable" after he and Ben Affleck won Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting in 1997.
Jennifer Lawrence was new to the industry in 2010 before landing a Best Actress nomination for her role in "Winter’s Bone," and within months, she was booked to star in The Hunger Games franchise.
Last year, Cillian Murphy said his win was "really meaningful to me" as he is only the fourth Irish person to win an Oscar.
The Oscar viewing figures have become unstable - at its peak, in 1998, it was watched by 55 million viewers in the US but by 2018 the figure had decreased to 32.9 million viewers and in 2021 its online Covid version had its lowest audience figure of just over 10 million American TV viewers.
However, the figures did regain some ground by 2024, when 19.5 million people watched the ceremony.
The industry does not want or need any fracture in its annual fragile relationship with the small-screen viewers who can be turned into big-screen ticket buyers.
There's also the minor issue of the incoming US president - he is no fan of the way the Oscars have been going.
Last year, Donald Trump had things to say while 'roasting’ the 2024 host Jimmy Kimmel.
"Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars," he wrote, and he did not stop there, adding his view that the show was "Disjointed, boring, and very unfair".
"Why don’t they just give the Oscars to those that deserve them. Maybe that way their audience and TV ratings will come back from the depths. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!," he said.
Chief Executive Bill Kramer, who is the the public face of the Oscars ceremony, and his team has been walking a PR tightrope in recent days.
They decided to postpone the nominations announcement, and it will now be made during an online event on 23 January.
The annual nominees luncheon, a networking event which provides the Oscars "class photo" opportunity, has also been cancelled.
In a statement, Mr Kramer said: "We are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient and compassionate industry…we also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognising those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts.
"We will get through this together and bring a sense of healing to our global film community."
What are other entertainment industry organisations doing?
The organisers of the Grammy Awards 2025, regarded as the most prestigious night in the music industry, confirmed to the members of their Recording Academy, that after much speculation, the upcoming 2025 ceremony will go ahead.
Its statement though is carefully written to acknowledge the situation in LA.
"The 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 will proceed as planned.
This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honouring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours," it read.
Whatever decision the Academy makes, the wildfires have shattered any idea that the most important thing in LA right now, is who is bringing home a statuette.
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