Irene Cara: ‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ star dies at 63 – National | 24CA News

Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy profitable singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title reduce from the 1980 hit film “Fame” after which belted out the era-defining hit “Flashdance … What a Feeling” from 1983’s “Flashdance,” has died. She was 63.

Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, introduced the news on social media, writing {that a} explanation for loss of life was “currently unknown.” Moose additionally confirmed the loss of life to an Associated Press reporter on Saturday. Cara died at her house in Florida. The precise day of her loss of life was not disclosed.

“Irene’s family has requested privacy as they process their grief,” Moose wrote. “She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”

During her profession, Cara had three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, together with “Breakdance,” “Out Here On My Own,” “Fame” and “Flashdance … What A Feeling,” which spent six weeks at No. 1. She was behind a few of the most joyful, high-energy pop anthems of the early ’80s.

Tributes poured in on Saturday on social media, together with from Deborah Cox, who known as Cara an inspiration, and Holly Robinson Peete, who recalled seeing Cara carry out: “The insane combination of talent and beauty was overwhelming to me. This hurts my heart so much.”

She first got here to prominence among the many younger actors enjoying performing arts excessive schoolers in Alan Parker’s “Fame,” with co-stars Debbie Allen, Paul McCrane and Anne Mear. Cara performed Coco Hernandez, a striving dancer who endures all method of deprivations, together with a creepy nude photograph shoot.

“How bright our spirits go shooting out into space, depends on how much we contributed to the earthly brilliance of this world. And I mean to be a major contributor!” she says within the film.

Cara sang on the hovering title track with the refrain _ “Remember my name/I’m gonna live forever/I’m gonna learn how to fly/I feel it coming together/People will see me and cry” _ which might go on to be nominated for an Academy Award for greatest authentic track. She additionally sang on “Out Here on My Own,” “Hot Lunch Jam” and “I Sing the Body Electric.”

Three years later, she and the songwriting staff of “Flashdance” _ music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Cara _ was accepting the Oscar for greatest authentic track for “Flashdance … What a Feeling.”

The film starred Jennifer Beals as a steel-town woman who dances in a bar at night time and hopes to attend a prestigious dance conservatory. It included the hit track “Maniac,” that includes Beals’ character leaping, spinning, stomping her toes and the slow-burning theme track.

“There aren’t enough words to express my love and my gratitude,” Cara advised the Oscar crowd in her thanks. “And last but not least, a very special gentlemen who I guess started it all for me many years ago. To Alan Parker, wherever you may be tonight, I thank him.”

The New York-born Cara started her profession on Broadway, with small components in short-lived exhibits, though a musical known as “The Me Nobody Knows” ran over 300 performances. She toured within the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” as Mary Magdalene within the mid-Nineties and a tour of the musical ”Flashdance“ toured 2012-14 with her songs.

She also created the all-female band Irene Cara Presents Hot Caramel and put out a double CD with the single “How Can I Make You Luv Me.” Her film credit embody ”Sparkle” and “D.C. Cab.”

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Associated Press reporters Hillel Italie and Freida Frisaro contributed to this report.

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