Irene Cara (born Irene Cara Escalera; March 18, 1959) 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.