Oscar-winning star of ‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ Irene Cara dead at 63
- She was well-known for the title track of the hit 1980s film Fame, with its indelible refrain ‘I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna learn how to fly’
- The singer and actor was found deceased at her home in Florida on Friday but the cause of death was unknown at that point, her publicist said
Irene Cara, an Oscar-winning singer and actress who recorded the title tracks to the blockbuster 1980s films Fame and Flashdance, has died at age 63, her publicist said Saturday.
Cara was found deceased at her home in Florida on Friday, publicist Judith Moose said, adding that the cause of death was unknown at this point.
“She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films,” Moose said in a written statement.
Cara was well-known for singing the title track of the hit 1980s film Fame, with its indelible refrain “I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna learn how to fly.” It follows the triumphs and tribulations of students at a performing arts high school in New York.
In the film she played Coco Hernandez, a role written for her after she was initially cast as a dancer. Cara’s work earned her Grammy award nominations for best new artist and best female pop artist.
Cara also co-wrote and performed the smash hit Flashdance … What a Feeling for the 1983 movie of the same name, depicting the life of an aspiring dancer played by Jennifer Beals.
The tune earned Cara an Oscar for best original song in 1984 and two Grammys.