Acting
Irene Cara
Born 1959-03-18
The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Department: 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.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Irene Cara
TV
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
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Movie
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Flashdance
1983
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Movie
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All Dogs Go to Heaven
1989
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TV
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American Playhouse
1982
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Movie
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Fame
1980
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TV
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Kojak
1973
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Movie
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City Heat
1984
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TV
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Champs-Elysées
1982
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The Electric Company
1971
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Wetten, dass..?
1981
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (46 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring Back... Fame | Self | Movie | 2008 | |
 | Gone Country | Self | TV Series | 2008 |
 | Disco Explosion - Flash Back | Self | Movie | 2007 |
 | Get Down Tonight: The Disco Explosion - Vol. 1 | Self | Movie | 2006 |
| Hit Me, Baby, One More Time | Self | TV Series | 2005 | |
| Die ultimative Chartshow | Self | TV Series | 2003 | |
| Where Are They Now? | Self | TV Series | 1999 | |
 | All Dogs Go to Heaven | Theme Song Performance | Movie | 1989 |
 | Happily Ever After | Snow White (voice) | Movie | 1989 |
 | Caged in Paradiso | Eva | Movie | 1989 |
 | Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief | Self | Movie | 1989 |
| 4 gegen Willi | Self | TV Series | 1986 | |
 | Busted Up | Simone | Movie | 1986 |
| Busted Up | Songs | Movie | 1986 |
 | The Longshot | Theme Song Performance | Movie | 1986 |
 | Certain Fury | Tracy | Movie | 1985 |
 | City Heat | Ginny Lee | Movie | 1984 |
| City Heat | Songs | Movie | 1984 |
 | Going Bananas | Theme Song Performance | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Style Wars | Self | Movie | 1984 |
 | D.C. Cab | Irene Cara | Movie | 1983 |
 | Flashdance | Songs | Movie | 1983 |
 | For Us, the Living: The Story of Medgar Evers | Myrlie Evers | Movie | 1983 |
 | Killing 'em Softly | Jane | Movie | 1982 |
 | Trans | Songs | Movie | 1982 |
 | Sister, Sister | Sissy Lovejoy | Movie | 1982 |
 | Champs-Elysées | Self | TV Series | 1982 |
 | American Playhouse | Myrlie Evans | TV Series | 1982 |
 | Wetten, dass..? | Self | TV Series | 1981 |
| On Location with: FAME | Self - ‘Coco’ | Movie | 1980 | |
| Show-Express | Self | TV Series | 1980 | |
 | Solid Gold | Self | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Fame | Coco Hernandez | Movie | 1980 |
| Fame | Songs | Movie | 1980 |
 | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | Alice Jefferson | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Verstehen Sie Spaß? | Self | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Roots: The Next Generations | Bertha Palmer Haley | TV Series | 1979 |
| Roots: The Next Generations | Bertha Palmer (archive footage) | TV Series | 1979 |
 | Apple Pie | Dancer | Movie | 1976 |
 | What's Happening!! | Maria | TV Series | 1976 |
 | Sparkle | Sparkle | Movie | 1976 |
| Sparkle | Songs | Movie | 1976 |
 | Aaron Loves Angela | Angela | Movie | 1975 |
 | Kojak | Amy | TV Series | 1973 |
 | The Electric Company | Iris - Member of the Short Circus | TV Series | 1971 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |