Trivia

Wrote the lyrics to "Flashdance..What a Feeling" with co-writer Keith Forsey while riding in a car in New York heading to the studio to record it. The music for Flashdance was written by Giorgio Moroder and the after result was not only a #1 record, it also won them an Oscar and a Grammy.

On June 22, 2004, two of her movie theme songs, "Flashdance...What a Feeling" (#55) from Flashdance (1983) and "Fame" (#51) from Fame (1980), were selected by the board of the American Film Institute in its list of 100 Years of the Greatest Songs.

Her father Gaspar is of Afro-Latino of Puerto Rican descent, while her mother Louise is of French and Cuban ancestry.

Won a bitter lawsuit with her managers over money and career issues in the 1990s.

At age 10 she appeared in a major concert tribute to Duke Ellington with Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis Jr. and Roberta Flack.

She was the first artist to perform two nominated songs at the Academy Awards, when in 1981, for the first time, two songs from one film (Fame (1980)) were nominated for Best Original Song: "Fame" and 'Out here on My Own." The former won.

Was one of the five finalists for the Little Miss America pageant at age 3.

Graduated from the Professional Children's School in Manhattan, a rival of the Laguardia High School of Music & Art on which her debut movie "Fame" is based.

Her age has always been a confusing mystery by biographers who stated her birth year as either 1964 or 1959 from the day she shot to fame. But in July 2004 the mystery was finally solved when the Associated Press obtained her voter registration records from Florida, where she lived, and confirmed her birth year as 1959. Miss Cara disputes this, and says it was not her voters registration. She claims she has never voted and her correct date of birth is March 18th 1962.

Chosen by Francesco Scavullo for his 1980s book on some of the most beautiful women in the entertainment business. Irene shared the pages with supermodel Gia Carangi, Diahann Carroll, and Brooke Shields.

As of 2009, Cara is the only black woman to win an Oscar outside the acting categories.

Her #1 hit "Flashdance...What a Feeling" was ranked #67 on VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs.

Recorded her first record in Spanish for the Latin Market by age 8 and a Christmas LP in English soon after.

Use to sing back-up vocals for quite a few stars, including Vicki Sue Robinson and Lou Reed.

Performed Flashdance...What a Feeling on March 14, 2003 at the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia 76ers 1983 Championship team.

Actress, singer, and songwriter.

On March 27, 2004, she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Honor at the 6th Annual Prestige Awards. She was also inducted a week earlier into the Ciboney Cafe's prestigious Hall of Fame.

She has her own production studio.

Parents are Gaspar and Louise Cara.

Lives in Florida, and has put together a new band, Caramel (July 2001)

Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Female (1984)

Announced the making of her own all-girl band called Hot Caramel.

Was awarded the trophy for Top Actress of 1976 after being selected in a poll compiled by readers of Right On! magazine.

American Music Awards: Best Pop Single of the Year (1983)

Golden Eagle Awards: Nosotros - Latin America Performer of the Year (1984)

Alpha Music Program in Japan: #1 Female Vocalist from Sendai TV's "Saturday Magazine" (1983)

Latino Playwrights Award: Award of Recognition. (1985)

Cashbox Magazine: Top Female Vocalist - Pop Singles (1983)

Cashbox Magazine: Adult Contemporary Vocalist - Pop Singles (1983)

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)

[1967] Made her television debut at eight years old, performing the song "Ola! Ola! Ola!" in an episode of Ted Mack & the Original Amateur Hour (1948).

Has 2 sisters and 2 brothers.

American Music Awards: Best R&B Female Artist nomination (1983)

Bravo Magazine: Otto Award, Most Popular Female Singer (1983)

Cashbox Magazine: Black Contemporary - Pop Singles (1983)

Cashbox Magazine: Top Pop Crossover Artist - Black Contemporary Singles (1983)

Cashbox Magazine: Pop Single of the Year (1983)

Listed as one of twelve Promising New Actors of 1976 in John Willis's "Screen World," Vol. 28.

Academy Awards (not recipient: sang both songs) (1981)

Born at 10:41am-EST