Portrait of Irene Cara

Irene Cara

Acting

Biography

Irene Cara Escalera (March 18, 1959 - November 25, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress. Cara sang and co-wrote the song Flashdance... What a Feeling from the film Flashdance. She won an Oscar for Best Original Song as a co writer. Cara rose to fame as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 film Fame, and the hit song "Fame" spawned from the movie.

Born: March 18, 1959

Place of Birth: The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Filmography

2008
1994
The Jungle King

as Leonette

1992
Beauty and the Beast

as Beauty (voice)

1989
Happily Ever After

as Snow White (voice)

1986
Busted Up

as Simone

1985
Certain Fury

as Tracy

1984
City Heat

as Ginny Lee

1984
Style Wars

as Self

1983
D.C. Cab

as Irene Cara

1982
Sister, Sister

as Sissy Lovejoy

1982
1981
1980
Solid Gold

as Self

1980
Fame

as Coco

1979
Roots: The Next Generations

as Bertha Palmer Haley

1979
Roots: The Next Generations

as Bertha Palmer (archive footage)

1976
Apple Pie

as Dancer

1976
1976
Sparkle

as Sparkle

1975
1973
Kojak

as Amy

1971
The Electric Company

as Iris - Member of the Short Circus