Collage of photos of Irene Cara during her career. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP Images)
Irene Cara, the beautiful and incomparable actress and singer known for her roles and songs in “Sparkle,” “Fame” and “Flashdance” has died. She was 63.
Cara’s death was announced by her publicist, Judith Moose, in a tweet shared from Cara’s official account on Friday, Nov. 26. “It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara,” Moose’s statement said.
“This is the absolute worst part of being a publicist. I can’t believe I’ve had to write this, let alone release the news,” Moose added in the tweet’s caption. “Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene. I’ll be reading each and every one of them and know she’ll be smiling from Heaven. She adored her fans.”
Moose said Cara died in her Florida home, but the cause of death was not yet known. She asked that fans give Cara’s family privacy to grieve their loss. “She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films,” Moose’s statement continued.
Cara was the voice behind the iconic title tracks for “Fame” and “Flashdance.” In 1981, “Fame” and another song she sang on the movie’s soundtrack, “Out Here on My Own,” were nominated for Oscars. The film won awards for the best original song and score.
She also won an Oscar, two Grammys and a Golden Globe award for “Flashdance…What A Feeling,” which she co-wrote in addition to performing.
Cara was also a self-taught pianist and dancer.
Born Irene Escalera on March 18, 1959, in Bronx, New York, Cara was the youngest of five children born to a Puerto Rican father and Cuban mother. She began her career at age 3 when she competed in the “Little Miss America” pageant.
She began taking classes in the arts at age five and was eventually cast in the 1970s children’s show “The Electric Company.”
Cara was only 13 when she was cast as the lead in the original “Sparkle” movie in 1976, according to a 2012 article in the Los Angeles Times.
The film, a musical drama that detailed the lives of three sisters who formed a girl’s group in the 1960s, was remade in 2012 with Jordin Sparks playing Cara’s original character.
The multi-hyphenate talent recalled being embarrassed at the love scenes she did with a grown Philip Michael Thomas in front of her mother.
However, she noted that the cast was “very respectful of me being a minor. I had worked as a child for many years, and there were situations where adults around me were not so considerate of my age and would behave in raunchy ways.”
In addition to singing the title track for “Fame,” Cara played Coco Hernandez in the film – a role that was originally small but expanded after she impressed producers.
Though Cara accomplished much in her career early, she eventually faded from the public eye after suing her record label, Network Records, in 1985.
Cara accused the label of stealing from her and failing to pay her proper royalties for her award-winning work. She eventually won a $1.3 million judgment after years of court battles.
According to an obituary in the New York Times, Cara said she was “virtually blacklisted” in the industry as a result.
That didn’t stop Cara, a creative at heart, from continuing to make music. She formed a group called Hot Caramel in the late 1990s and performed with them for over a decade. She also hosted a podcast on YouTube.
Fans and peers sent heart-warming tributes as they remembered Cara’s indelible impact on culture in the 1970s and 1980s.
“My Heart Is Broken. #IreneCara was such a gifted and beautiful genius. Her talent and her music will LIVE FOREVER! FOREVER REMEMBER HER NAME!” Debbie Allen tweeted.
“Irene Cara, you inspired me more than you could ever know. Your songwriting and vocals created pure energy that will never cease,” Lenny Kravitz tweeted. “You also defined an era that is so close to my heart.”
Twitter user @mayascade tweeted, “irene cara was simply born to be a star. here she is performing at age 8 in 1967,” along with a video clip of Cara performing.
“Irene Cara. Your voice/words were the opening notes of the performer I’ve become. Thku 4 yr gift. For paving the way for me, inspiring me to believe I could b, in this space, with this face, as me,” Anika Noni Rose tweeted. “I hope u felt appreciated, accepted, heard, seen. #RipIreneCara #OutHereOnMyOwn”
“The beautiful Irene Cara has sadly passed away at the age of 63. Irene was an incredibly talented trailblazer, a singer, dancer, self taught pianist, the list goes on, @TSting18 tweeted. “She also sang 2 Oscar winners, Flashdance…What a Feeling (1983) and the iconic theme to Fame (1980).”
Moose thanked everyone for their condolences and kind words and asked social media users not to spread falsehoods and misinformation about Cara’s cause of death.
“To everyone who has taken the time to express their grief, thank you. For those who are posting spam about cryptocurrencies, please stop,” Moose wrote from Cara’s account in a follow-up tweet. “For those who are blaming a vaccine for her death, please don’t. We don’t have medical answers yet and won’t until an autopsy is completed.”
ORIGINAL PHOTOS:
Singer and actress Irene Cara, shown during an interview in Los Angeles, Calif., July 2, 1990. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Singer Irene Cara is shown performing at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 16, 1984. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Irene Cara at TriStar Pictures “Sparkles” Premiere held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 16, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP Images)
