Irene Cara Dies At 63

Irene Cara, most known for her singing and acting on Flashdance and Fame, has passed away at the age of 63. Cara’s publicist shared the news to her Twitter account Saturday (November 26th).

"It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara," the publicist wrote. "The Academy Award winning actress, singer, songwriter, and producer passed away in her Florida home. Her cause of death is currently unknown and will be released when information is available."

Cara won an Oscar and a GRAMMY for co-writing the title track on Flashdance. She also starred as Coco Hernandez in Fame, a musical for which she also wrote and sang the title track.

Flashdance star Jennifer Beals shared a throwback photo of herself with Cara at the Academy Awards to Instagram after the news broke. “Thank you brilliant Irene for your open heart and your fearless triple threat talent. It took a beautiful dreamer to write and perform the soundtracks for those who dare to dream,” she wrote.

Debbie Allen, Viola Davis, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz also paid tribute to the late actress and singer on social media over the weekend.