Irene Cara was born on March 18, 1959 in New York City, New York and died November 26, 2022. She was an American singer and received both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1984 for her performance of the song “Flashdance… What a Feeling”.
If you are interested to know about Irene Cara, here we have shared complete biography in this article. You can know about her wiki, Age, Height, Date of Birth, Death, Career, Parents, Siblings, Father’s and Mother’s name, Achievements and Award Winning, Net Worth, Nationality, Social Media Profile etc.
Latest News: Irene Cara has passed away at the age of 63. No cause of death has been released. A rep for Cara says she died at her home in Florida. She was best known for starring in ‘Sparkle’ and ‘Fame.’ Cara also wrote and performed the title song for the ’80s hit, ‘Flashdance… What a Feeling,’ which earned her an Oscar and GRAMMY award.
Irene Cara Wiki Biography Info : Overview
Article Name | Irene Cara Wiki Biography |
Full Name | Irene Cara Escalera |
Date of Birth | March 19, 1959 |
Age | 63 Yers Old |
Died | November 25, 2022 (aged 63) Largo, Florida, U.S. |
Height | 5′ 34″, (5 Feet and 34 Inches) |
Nationality | American |
Profession | Singer, Song Writer, Actress |
Official Website | irenecara.com |
Irene Cara Biography
Irene Cara Escalera (March 18, 1959 November 25, 2022) was an American singer and actress. Cara rose to prominence for her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 musical film Fame, and for recording the film’s title song “Fame”, which reached number 1 in several countries.
In 1983, Cara sang and co-wrote the song “Flashdance… What a Feeling” (from the film Flashdance), for which she shared an Academy Award for Best Original Song and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1984. Prior to her success with Fame, Cara portrayed the title character Sparkle Williams in the original 1976 musical drama film Sparkle.
Early Life
Cara is the youngest of five children and was the last to be born in New York City’s Bronx borough. Her father, Gaspar Escalera, was a black Puerto Rican manufacturing worker and retired saxophone, and her mother, Louise, was a Cuban-American usher at a movie theater.Her father was Puerto Rican, and her mother was Cuban.
Cara was one of four children, with two sisters and two brothers. Irene Cara competed in the “Little Miss America” pageant when she was just three years old and was one of the five finalists.
She started learning how to play the piano by ear, and she took music, acting, and dance seriously. When she was five years old, she started taking dance lessons. Her professional singing and dance career got its start on television shows broadcast in Spanish, where she debuted her work.
She had her first television appearances at a young age on The Original Amateur Hour (singing in Spanish) and on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She was a regular performer on the educational program The Electric Company, which aired on PBS from 1971 to 1972, and she was a member of the show’s band, The Short Circus.
Cara released a Spanish-language record aimed at the Latin American market as well as an English Christmas CD when she was a child. She was one of the performers at a large event paying tribute to Duke Ellington that also featured Sammy Davis Jr., Stevie Wonder, and Roberta Flack.
Physical Status
Irene Cara was 63 Years Old and she died on 25 November 2022. Check her Physical Status such as Age, Height, Weight, Eye Colour and Hair Colour which are given below in the table:
Age | 63 years old (2022) |
Height (Approx.) | 5′ 34″ (5 Feet and 34 Inches) |
Weight (Approx.) | 62 Kg |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Personal Information
Here are given the details of her personal information such as Date of Birth, Birth Place, Zodiac Sigh, Ethnicity and Nationality
Date of Birth | March 19, 1959 |
Birth Place | Bronx, New York City |
Zodiac sign | Pisces |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Nationality | American |
Education
School | Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and Professional Children’s School. |
University | N/A |
Qualifications | N/A |
Family Profile
Though she was married for a couple of time, Irene Cara is not thought to have had any children during her lifetime. The couple got divorced in 1991 after getting married in Los Angeles in April 1986. Her Husband Conrad Palmisano was a film director and stuntman at the time.

Father’s Name | Gaspar Cara |
Mother’s Name | Louise Cara |
Husband’s Name | Conrad E. Palmisano (A stuntman and film director) |
Divorced | in 1991 |
Siblings | 2 Sisters & 2 Brothers |
Children | N/A |
Career
Her professional career began on Spanish-language television singing and dancing programme before performing on shows including ‘The Original Amateur Hour‘, ‘The Ed Sullivan Show‘, and ‘The Tonight Show‘ with Johnny Carson. Her talent was also showcased On and Off Broadway in various productions including ‘Ain’t Misbehavin”, the Obie Award-winning musical ‘The Me Nobody Knows‘, ‘Maggie Flynn’ starring Shirley Jones and Tony Award-nominated actor Jack Cassidy, and ‘Via Galactica’ opposite Raul Julia.
Profession | Singer, Song Writer, Actress |
Source Of Income | Singing & Acting |
Net Worth | $2 Million (Approx) |
Achievement and Awards
- Latino Playwrights Award: Award of Recognition. [1985]
- Golden Eagle Awards: Nosotros – Latin America Performer of the Year [1984]
- Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female [1984]
- Alpha Music Program in Japan: #1 Female Vocalist from Sendai TV’s “Saturday Magazine” [1983]
- American Music Awards: Best R&B Female Artist nomination [1983]
- American Music Awards: Best Pop Single of the Year [1983]
- Bravo Magazine: Otto Award, Most Popular Female Singer [1983]
- Cashbox Magazine: Top Female Vocalist – Pop Singles [1983]
- Cashbox Magazine: Black Contemporary – Pop Singles [1983]
- Cashbox Magazine: Adult Contemporary Vocalist – Pop Singles [1983]
- Cashbox Magazine: Top Pop Crossover Artist – Black Contemporary Singles [1983]
- Cashbox Magazine: Pop Single of the Year [1983]
- Academy Awards (not recipient: sang both songs) [1981]
- Grammy Awards: Nomination – Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female [1981]
- Grammy Awards: Nomination – Best New Artist [1981]
- (award) Billboard Magazine: Top New Single Artist [1980]
- (award) Cashbox Magazine: Most Promising Female Vocalist [1980]
- (award) Cashbox Magazine: Top Female Vocalist [1980]
- (award) Japan Radio Hit Research Committee: Most Popular Disc Award [1980]
- Listed as one of twelve Promising New Actors of 1976 in John Willis’s “Screen World,” Vol. 28.
- Won the Oscar for best song in 1984 for the song “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” which she co-wrote with Giorgio Moroder
Cause Of Death
Irene Cara passed away on November 25, 2022, at the age of 63, in the comfort of her home in Largo, Florida. No cause of death has been released.
Social Media
FAQ’s
Q. Who was Irene Cara?
A. Irene Cara Escalera was an American singer, song writer and actress
Q. What was the Irene Cara Net Worth?
A. Irene Cara net worth was approax $2 Million.
Q. Had Irene Cara children?
A. No, She had no children.
Q. What was the age and when she died?
A. She was died at the age 63 years on 25 November 2022?