Debbie Allen Reflects On The 'Painful' Loss Of Singer Irene Cara

 “She’s given us so much to remember forever… She inspired millions of young people. She wasn’t just on camera, was writing music, she was creating. She had input in her life.”

Allen played opposite of Cara in Fame as the passionate dance instructor Lydia Grant. She also served as the principal choreographer for the Fame TV series that aired between 1982 to 1987.

The famous film chronicles the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts. Cara received praise for her role as Coco Hernandez in the film. The late actress scored two Grammys in 1981 for her iconic recording of the film’s title song “Fame,” which reached number one in several countries.

Cara also lent her powerful vocals to the theme song for Flashdance, a career-shifting move that landed her two more Grammys–one for best pop vocal performance and another for best album of original score written for a motion picture or a television special.

While Allen mentioned that Cara died of “illness,” the late actress’s publicist Judith A. Moose previously told fans that the star’s cause of death was “unknown” and that information would be released when available.

“Irene’s family has requested privacy as they process their grief,” Moose’s Twitter statement read. “She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”