Irene Cara, who won an Academy Award for 1983′s “Flashdance... What A Feeling” and also sang the title track to “Fame,” died from hypertension and high cholesterol, according to a coroner’s report.
Cara, 63, whose real name was Irene Escalera, died at her Florida home in late November.
Entertainment Tonight and Fox News Digitial, citing a report from the Pinellas County medical examiner’s office, confirmed that Cara’s cause of death was arteriosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Diabetes was also listed as a contributing factor, the medical examiner’s office said.
Irene Cara died in November at age 63.https://t.co/ue3SzmrTyM
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 3, 2023
TMZ also reported on the cause of Cara’s death.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Cara bought a home in Largo, Florida, in 2014. She also had an address in New Port Richey, where her music company, Caramel Productions, is based, the newspaper reported.
Cara rocketed to stardom with “Fame” in 1980 and had a No. 1 hit with “Flashdance... What a Feeling” in 1983.
In 1984, Cara won an Oscar and two Grammy Awards for “Flashdance... What A Feeling,” which starred Jennifer Beals.
The song spent 25 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1983 and was No. 1 for six weeks, according to Billboard.
Cara also had a top-10 hit in early 1984 with “Breakdance,” reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her other credits include the 1976 film “Sparkle,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born March 18, 1959, in New York City, Cara continued to act both on the screen and on stage, Rolling Stone reported. She appeared in films such as “City Heat” “Certain Fury,” and “Caged in Paradiso,” along with an appearance in the 1993 revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” She also served as a backup singer for artists like Lou Reed, Oleta Adams and Evelyn “Champagne” King, the magazine reported.
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