Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title cut from the 1980 hit movie 鈥淔ame鈥 and then belted out the era-defining hit 鈥淔lashdance ... What a Feeling鈥 from 1983's 鈥淔lashdance,鈥 has died. She was 63.
Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced the news on social media, writing that a cause of death was 鈥渃urrently unknown.鈥 Moose also confirmed the death to an Associated Press reporter on Saturday. Cara died at her home in Florida. The exact day of her death was not disclosed.
鈥淚rene鈥檚 family has requested privacy as they process their grief,鈥 Moose wrote. 鈥淪he was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.鈥
During her career, Cara had three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including 鈥淏reakdance,鈥 鈥淔ame鈥 and 鈥淔lashdance ... What A Feeling,鈥 which spent six weeks at No. 1. She was behind some of the most joyful, high-energy pop anthems of the early 鈥80s, including 鈥淥ut Here On My Own鈥 and 鈥淲hy Me?鈥
Tributes poured in on Saturday on social media, including from Deborah Cox, who called Cara an inspiration, and Holly Robinson Peete, who recalled seeing Cara perform: "The insane combination of talent and beauty was overwhelming to me. This hurts my heart so much.鈥
She first came to prominence among the young actors playing performing arts high schoolers in Alan Parker's 鈥淔ame,鈥 with co-stars Debbie Allen, Paul McCrane and Anne Meara. Cara played Coco Hernandez, a striving dancer who endures all manner of deprivations, including a creepy nude photo shoot.
鈥淗ow 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!鈥 she says in the movie.
Cara sang on the soaring title song with the chorus 鈥 鈥淩emember my name/I鈥檓 gonna live forever/I鈥檓 gonna learn how to fly/I feel it coming together/People will see me and cry鈥 鈥 which would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award for best original song. She also sang on 鈥淥ut Here on My Own,鈥 "Hot Lunch Jam" and 鈥淚 Sing the Body Electric.鈥
Allen took to Twitter Saturday to mourn, posting pictures of them together and calling Cara a 鈥渁 gifted and beautiful genius. Her talent and her music will live forever! Forever remember her name!鈥
Lenny Kravitz addressed Cara in a tweet: 鈥淵ou inspired me more than you could ever know. Your songwriting and vocals created pure energy that will never cease. You also defined an era that is so close to my heart.鈥 Stephanie Mills. who co-starred with Cara in 鈥淢aggie Flynn鈥 on Broadway in 1968, wrote: 鈥淪uch an amazing talent and sweet person.鈥
Three years after her triumph with 鈥淔ame,鈥 she and the songwriting team of 鈥淔lashdance鈥 鈥 music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Cara 鈥 were accepting the Oscar for best original song for 鈥淔lashdance ... What a Feeling.鈥
The movie starred Jennifer Beals as a steel-town girl who dances in a bar at night and hopes to attend a prestigious dance conservatory. It included the hit song 鈥淢aniac,鈥 featuring Beals鈥 character leaping, spinning, stomping her feet and the slow-burning theme song.
鈥淭here aren鈥檛 enough words to express my love and my gratitude,鈥 Cara told the Oscar crowd in her thanks. 鈥淎nd 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.鈥
The New York-born Cara began her career on Broadway, with small parts in short-lived shows, although a musical called 鈥淭he Me Nobody Knows鈥 ran over 300 performances. She toured in the musical 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar" as Mary Magdalene in the mid-1990s and a tour of the musical 鈥滷lashdance" 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 鈥淗ow Can I Make You Luv Me.鈥 Her movie credits include 鈥漇parkle" and 鈥淒.C. Cab.鈥
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Associated Press reporters Hillel Italie and Freida Frisaro contributed to this report.
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