Where Are They Now?: The Original Cast of Sparkle
A look at the film's original cast.
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Sparkle (1976) - Inspired by the story of the Supremes, Sparkle told the tale of three sisters who form a singing group and then fight to keep the family from falling apart. The film — along with its soundtrack — became an instant cult classic. This Sunday, the 1976 version will air on BET's Black Star Cinema at 3:30P/2:30C.With the upcoming remake of Sparkle about to be released, let's see what the actors from the original cast have been up to.(Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)
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Philip Michael Thomas - Philip Michael Thomas orginated the role of ambitious music manager Stix. The long-time actor — who briefly had a forgettable singing career in the '80s — is best known for playing Det. Richardo Tubbs on the groundbreaking TV cop show Miami Vice.(Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Photo By Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage
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Irene Cara - Four years after starring in the classic kids show Electric Company, Irene Cara landed the breakout character role in Sparkle. The actress and singer made her mark mostly through music, singing the classic themes for the films Fame (1981) and Flashdance (1983), for which she won a Best Original Song Oscar.(Photo: Ron Wolfson /Landov)
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Lonette McKee - Lonette McKee's portrayal of Sparkle's wayward sibling, Sister, defined the character for the remake. Since then, she has churned out career-defining roles like lesbian urbanite Lorraine in the TV mini-series Women of Brewster Place (1989) and the mother in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992).(Photo: Joseph Marzullo/Wenn.com)
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Dwan Smith - This relatively unknown actress played Sparkle's introspective sister Delores. After the 1976 film's release, Smith's acting career was sparse. She landed guest spots on TV shows like The Jeffersons and played Master P's mom in the straight-to-DVD film MP Da Last Don (1998)(Photo: Facebook)
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