By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
Wonder what's going on with Irene Cara?
The Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy winning singer/actress is back in the music/movie business.
For the new film 'Downtown,' the 48-year-old 'Sparkle' star did a remake of Petula Clark's 1960s classic of the same name.
"I thought it was a great idea so I decided to do it and revamp the whole song," she recently told 'MTV Radio Networks' about the hip-hop centric rendition, which closes the film. "I produced it and updated it and kept the vibe of the music for the rest of the movie in the production of our version of the song."
Officially titled 'Downtown - A Street Tale,' the movie revolves around a diverse group of street kids living in a New York City ghetto Forgotten by society, they live far from the dreams and aspirations of the rest of the world They survive by eating out of dumpsters and turning tricks to make it through a bleak winter with little hope of ever making it out of the abandoned building they call "home."
Directed by Rafal Zielinski, the film will premiere in NYC on April 17 at the Apollo and then in theaters April 20. According to a spokesperson, the Los Angeles premiere is slated for April 23, preceding a nationwide roll-out throughout late April and early May.
Cara, a New York City native, was the cream of the crop in the early 1980s, with a sting of music driven movie projects such as 'Sparkle,' 'Fame' and 'Flashdance' under her belt.
Today, the two-time Grammy Award winner is focusing her time and energy on hernew girl group, Hot Caramel.
"My focus right now is this record that I've been working on," she shared. "This CD project with my band, I've been developing this myself. We're a group of women who are musicians as well as singers and songwriters and producers. Very substantive women in music. This is not what a lot of people like to call a band these days."
She hopes to have a debut music effort from the group out sometime this year.
Comments: (87)
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By: BOBBYBROWN on 4/03/2007 5:37PM
Good to see her back into the swing of thing, but boys does she look old for 48.
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By: Angel on 4/04/2007 12:10AM
O my goodness what happen to Irene cara, she looks like a man i hope its the lighting or she was caught off guard while the picture was tooken. she was a beautiful girl D@!# im sorry but she looks older than 48 she has wrinkles bad im glad she is coming back too.but? i hope its a misfortune with the camera man angle..im sorry SPARKLE...............
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By: Conscious on 4/04/2007 11:33AM
Irene Cara!!! Wow! I'm a young cat but I remember the days of Ms. Cara...DC Cab...Tyrone...come on Black people...act like you know! So what she looks old...without makeup...a lot of celebrities (many years her minor) do. It's the game baby!!
Love n' Light,
Conscious
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By: BigT on 4/04/2007 12:05PM
Well she was drop-dead beautiful. That guy over in Italy turned her out, drugs, heroin, etc. And that is what it does to you along with smoking. What a shame, however look at the beauties of today. They blow her away. Did you see the Ali daughter dancing, my god!
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By: Dan on 4/04/2007 1:24PM
Great to hear Irene is coming back with yet another theme song! That's why she's nicknamed "Queen of the Movie Themes". As for that recent pic, I think it's the lighting, the fact she has very little make-up and the fact that not all 48 year olds look the same.
Also, I saw her new video for the "Downtown" song on youtube and she looks a lot better than that pic. Check it out, it's a cool video.
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By: traygo on 4/06/2007 2:47PM
I am sure it is the lighting. I saw her in 2006 twice the first time I even touched her. Ok I lifted her off of the stage after she finished rehearsing a song. Believe me when I say Irene is still fine. Also check out the new video if you do not believe me, Irenecara.com
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By: traygo on 4/06/2007 2:44PM
What record company is promoting Downtown, they need to get on the ball, its a great song but no airplay.
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By: kim on 4/07/2007 8:47AM
I saw the downtown video and yes she does still look good. Anyway when you get older you do gain weight and you get wrinkles it's all a part of getting older but it doesn't change who you are inside.
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By: baby banks on 4/07/2007 9:03AM
Those of you making the negative comments about Irene,need to take a close look in the mirror.Look at where you life was at her age and where it is now.She has had great success.I bet when some of you reach 48 you'll see changes in your bodies and face that you had never expected,so stop with the negative comments.
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By: Jay on 4/07/2007 9:52AM
It's good to see Irene Cara back. Growing up as a kid Irene Cara and Rae Dawn Chong, are the 2 women I really had a crush on. Also growing up in D.C. I loved D.C. Cab. She really looks good to almost be 50. To compare her looks to 20 something year old women, is not an intelligent arguement. We need to support all of our black women and not try to bring them down.
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