Who is Conrad E Palmisano? All about Irene Cara's ex-husband as Flashdance singer passes away at 63

A tragic news surfaced on the internet on Friday, November 25, revealing that the Flashdance... What a Feeling singer, Irene Cara, has passed away at the age of 63. Cara's publicist, Judith A. Moose, confirmed her sad passing as she disclosed that the Fame star passed away at her Florida home.

Moose tweeted from Irene Cara's handle to confirm the unfortunate news. However, the exact cause of the death remains unknown as of this writing. In the message Judith A. Moose tweeted, she asserted that reps would reveal more information later, as the family needs privacy to process their grief.

Cara's representative also wrote from the singer's Twitter account that,

"It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara. I can't believe I've had to write this, let alone release the news. Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene. I'll be reading each and every one of them and know she'll be smiling from Heaven. She adored her fans."

The one-time Academy and two-time Grammy Award winner was married to stuntman and film director Conrad Palmisano between 1986 and 1991. In the following section, readers can find out more about Palmisano.

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Irene Cara was formerly married to Conrad E Palmisano, a film director, and stuntman

Conrad Palmisano has been a stuntman and film director for years (Image via Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures)

Conrad E Palmisano is a stuntman and former film director who was previously married to Irene Cara. Palmisano started his career in 1970 and since then has worked on several productions that include Rush Hour 2 (2001), Rush Hour 3 (2007), The Other Guys (2010), RoboCop 3 (1993), Batman Forever (1995), and many more.

In 1988, he became one of the first stunt coordinators to be integrated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Palmisano is a lifetime member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures and has served as the body's president for four terms.

The Fame and Flashdance artist, Cara, married her ex-husband Conrad Palmisano on April 13, 1986, almost two years after the couple met. Interestingly, in 1984, Palmisano was the stunt coordinator on the set of Certain Fury (1985), where he met Cara. The singer was starring in the movie as Tracy.

After their marriage, Cara and Palmisano worked together again in Busted Up. Their wedding lasted almost five years before the couple parted ways in 1991. Cara never married again after her divorce and never had any children. On the other hand, Palmisano married again in 2000 to actress Kathryn Anderson, who passed away in 2019.

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Tributes poured in as news of the legendary singer's demise broke out on the internet

Since news of Irene Cara's demise has been confirmed by her representative, netizens have started pouring out tributes. Many remembered how Flashdance... What a Feeling was among the celebrated songs in their childhood that earned Cara her Oscar award.

Here are some of the reactions from various Twitter users who paid homage to Cara:

Some users even thanked Cara for being influential in developing their taste in music as they thanked the departed singer.