#39 Irene Cara
Irene Cara’s acting career began in the 1970s when she appeared on shows like Roots: The Next Generations and The Electric Company. In the 1980 film ‘Fame,’ she played the role of Coco Hernandez, and it was for this that she was nominated for a Golden Globe. As a singer, she has had success with the title track from the ‘Fame’ soundtrack, which topped the Billboard dance charts. For the 1983 film Flashdance, Cara co-wrote and performed the song Flashdance…What A Feeling.
She took home both the Grammy for Best Female Pop Performance and the Oscar for Best Original Song for this tune. Sadly, Irene Cara passed away at the age of 63.