“Fame” singer and actor Irene Cara died from hardening of the arteries, according to medical records obtained by TMZ on Thursday.
Cara died in her Florida home in November at age 63.
Cara, perhaps best known for her Oscar-winning song “Flashdance... What a Feeling” from the 1983 film “Flashdance,” had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, TMZ reported based on the Pinellas County, Florida, medical examiner’s report.
The official cause of death was listed as “Arteriosclerotic and Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease,” the site noted. Cara also had diabetes.
“#IreneCara was such a gifted and beautiful genius,” “Fame” co-star Debbie Allen tweeted shortly after her death. “Her talent and her music will LIVE FOREVER! FOREVER REMEMBER HER NAME!,” Allen added in a nod to the lyrics of the “Fame” song.
Cara was reclusive in her later years and a next-door neighbor who made repeated attempts to befriend the performer said Cara told her she had health issues, the New York Post reported.
Cara’s publicist and the medical examiner did not immediately reply to a HuffPost request for comment.
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