OSCAR SPOTLIGHT: IRENE CARA
Sparkle was everything and it was a huge hit partly due to the presence of Irene Cara. Most people assumed girlfriend was black, but shewas really Puerto-Rican from the Bronx. Her Mom was Cuban and her Dad was Afro-Puerto Rican. Most theatre geeks know Cara from the 70’s classic “The Me Nobody Knows, “Ain’t Misbehavin'”, “Maggie Flynn” with Shirley Jones and Viva Galactica with the late Raul Julia.
However, along with Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno, she was adored by millions of kids who watched public television and were fans of The Electric Company and by 1980 “Fame” made her a star.
Just three years later, she would pen the title song to a film that would not only solidify her stardom status, but become her signature and make an instant success of the film’s star, Irene Cara. That little film was called “Flashdance”. “Flashdance… What A Feeling”, which she co-wrote with Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey. Cara penned the lyrics to the song with Keith Forsey while riding in a car in New York heading to the studio to record it; Moroder composed the music.
Their collaboration paid off and “Flashdance” became a hit in several countries, garnering numerous accolades for Cara. She won the 1983 Academy Award for Best Song, 1984 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, 1984 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and American Music Awards for Best R&B Female Artist and Best Pop Single of the Year. Nowadays, Cara lives in Florida and works with her band Hot Caramel.
Take a look at Oscar winner…Irene Cara
Carla Renata
I love, love love movies, watching them and discussing them...thus the birth of The Curvy Film Critic!!! Host/Producer/FilmCritic,Carla Renata is a member of such esteemed organizations as Critics Choice Association (Co-President Documentary Branch), African American Film Critics Association, Online Association of Female Film Critics and Alliance of Women Film Journalists. My op-eds or features have been seen in VARIETY, RogerEbert.com, Maltin on Movies, The Cherry Picks, IGN Movies, as well as being a frequent Guest Contributor to Fox 11-LA, Good Day LA, ET Live!, Turner Classic Movies, KCRW Press Play with Madeline Brand, The Cherry Picks, The Stream Team (Beond TV) ITV, Fox Soul's The Black Report, The ListTV and more. Catch my reviews on The Curvy Critic with Carla Renata - LIVE!!! Sundays 5pm PST via You Tube or Facebook Live. If you like what you read please shout me out and subscribe to The Curvy Critic on YouTube. You can chat with me across all social media platforms @TheCurvyCritic and as always, thanks for supporting a sista'
2 Comments
Kimshi42
If her dad is Afro-puerto rican how is she *not* black? She’s obviously black Latina.
Carla Renata
It’s a shame that out of ALL the things I said about Irene Cara THAT was the ONE thing you want to highlight and take issue with. Black,Afro-Cuban…whatever she won an OSCAR. THAT is what the article was meant highlight. Too bad you couldn’t do the same😙😞