Irene Cara
Irene Cara
Irene Cara is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 film Fame, earning her a Golden Globe nomination, and her recording of the song "Fame" became an international hit. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling", which also became an international hit...
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth18 March 1959
CityBronx, NY
school graduates
I didn't have to go to school, graduate and then go, What am I going to do? I knew from the beginning.
way pressure helping
I am very intense. I can't help it. That's the way I am. You can't be in this business without being intense. The pressure and tension get to you; it can't help but show on you.
mother piano mirrors
My mother always wanted to be in show business, but her parents discouraged her. So when I started performing for the mirror she enrolled me in dancing, singing and piano lessons.
artist barbie-dolls trying
I don't like being under someone elses thumb. I'm very supportive of other female artists, especially those trying to make their own statement... trying to do what they want instead of being someone else's Barbie doll.
writing piano play
I play piano and write better than I can sing.
careers enemy arms
Here I found myself in my early 20s, at the height of my career, up against something I was totally powerless against. I had enemies I had never heard of because of this. I certainly didn't have needles hanging out of my arms, nor did I smoke anything.
certainly fame feeling song
The idea was to come up with a song that had the same kind of feeling and inspiration as Fame and yet be different from Fame. I certainly didn't want to do Fame II.
stars mean successful
I don't mean to sound immodest, but I never had any doubt that I'd be successful, nor any fear of success. I was raised as a little goddess who was told she would be a star.
people talk
I'm not a fighter. People think I am, but I'm not. I just talk a lot.
I like to think of myself as an actress.
biggest famous known support
I like to go see my friends who are not famous or well known in the industry. I like to support them and go see their work. I'm their biggest fan.
believe heart lawyer
I'll never be that trusting again, believing accountants and lawyers have my best interests at heart.
country mistake mean
We have a tendency in this country that when we say Black it automatically means Black Americans. But that's a big mistake, and that keeps us divided. There are Blacks all over this entire world-even in Africa.