Cher
Biography
Cher (born Cheryl Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Goddess of Pop", she is known for her androgynous contralto voice, multifaceted career, bold visual presentation and continuous reinvention of her image and sound. Her adaptability has fueled multiple comebacks, cementing her status as a cultural icon over a career spanning seven decades. Cher gained fame in 1965 as part of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher, while also achieving solo success with top-ten singles including "All I Really Want to Do" and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". In the 1970s, she divorced from Sonny Bono and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves", "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady", becoming the female solo artist with the most number-one singles in US history at the time. Following a hiatus to focus on acting, Cher returned to music with the rock-inflected albums Cher (1987), Heart of Stone (1989) and Love Hurts (1991), earning international number-one singles with "If I Could Turn Back Time" and "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)". She reached a commercial peak with the dance-pop album Believe (1998), which introduced the "Cher effect", an extreme, stylistic use of Auto-Tune to distort vocals. The title track became 1999's number-one song in the US and the UK's best-selling single by a female artist. 21st-century releases include Closer to the Truth (2013) and Dancing Queen (2018), both debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 and becoming her highest-charting solo albums in the US. Cher rose to television stardom in the 1970s with her CBS shows The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, attracting over 30 million weekly viewers, and the namesake Cher. She made her Broadway debut in 1982 with Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and starred in its film adaptation. She earned critical acclaim for roles in Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985) and Moonstruck (1987), winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the latter. Cher went on to star in Mermaids (1990), If These Walls Could Talk (1996), where she made her directorial debut, Tea with Mussolini (1999), Burlesque (2010) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). Her life and career inspired the 2018 jukebox musical The Cher Show. With 100 million records sold, Cher is among the world's best-selling music artists. Her accolades include an Academy Award, an Emmy, a Grammy, three Golden Globes, the Billboard Icon Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, honors from the Kennedy Center and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cher is the only solo artist with a number-one single on a Billboard chart in seven consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s. Her 2002–2005 Living Proof: The Farewell Tour was the highest-grossing concert tour by a female artist at the time, earning US$250 million (about $390 million in 2023). Cher is also known for her fashion, political views, social media presence, philanthropy and activism, including LGBTQ rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Known For
Loretta Castorini
Moonstruck
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Cher
Stuck on You
Elsa Strauss-Almerson
Tea with Mussolini
Cher
The Player
Rachel Flax
Mermaids
Rusty Dennis
Mask
Self
A Night at the Academy Museum
Alexandra Medford
The Witches of Eastwick
Self
Die 90er - Popwunder & Popsünden
Kathleen Riley
Suspect
Dolly Pelliker
Silkwood
Self
Cher: The Farewell Tour
Dr. Beth Thompson
If These Walls Could Talk
Tess
Burlesque
Self
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Live Aid
Janet the Lioness (voice)
Zookeeper
Self - Guest
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Margaret
Faithful
Self
Cher... at the Mirage
Sissy
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Self
Meat Loaf - A Celebration Of Life
Self - Chanteuse
Euro Disney : L'Ouverture
Self
Cher: Live in Concert
Self - Performer
VH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music
Self - Performer
VH1: Divas Las Vegas
Self
Becoming Chaz
(archive footage)
Final Cut: Hölgyeim és uraim
Chastity
Chastity
Self
Wild on the Beach
Self / Host
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: America's Greatest Movies
Self (archive footage)
Cher: Life in the Spotlight
Self (archive footage)
The Sonny Bono Story
Rona Looks at Raquel, Liza, Cher and Ann-Margret
Self
Prêt-à-Porter
Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self
Christmas at Graceland
Self
ET Vault Unlocked: Cher
Self
Cher Meets Rylan
Self (archive)
Cher at the BBC
Self - Special Guest
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023
Self
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Self
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
Self
Diane Warren: Relentless
Gardel
Cher
Good Times
Self
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
Self
The Best of Max
Self - Backup Singer, The Ronettes
The Wrecking Crew
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour : Christmas Special 1969
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Detroit Rock City
Self
Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion
Self
AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition
Self
Dear Mom, Love Cher
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
Self
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Self / Various
Cher... Special
Ruby Sheridan
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Cher – The Very Best Of Cher - The Video Hits Collection
Self
Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary
Self
Cher... A Celebration at Caesars
Self
Robert Altman's Players
Self
Larger than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story
Self
Cher... and Other Fantasies
Self
ABBA - The Last Video
Self (archive footage)
Six by Sondheim
Self
The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years: A Long Road to Freedom
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol
Self - Co-Host
The Sonny & Cher Nitty Gritty Hour
Self
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest
Narrator (voice)
Rabbit Ears: The Ugly Duckling
Self (archival footage)
Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family
Self (archive footage)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self
Stuck Together: Bringing Stuck on You to the Screen
Self (archive footage)
The Best Of Beat
Self
Bang
Self
Bon Jovi | Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey
Bobblehead Cher (voice)
Bobbleheads: The Movie
Self
Cher & the Loneliest Elephant
Self
Inventing David Geffen
Self
An Audience with Elton John
Self
Cherfitness: Body Confidence
Self
Cherfitness: A New Attitude
Self
Cher: In Her Own Words
Self (archive footage)
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Self
Southern Rock At The BBC
Self
Night of 100 Stars
Self (archive footage)
Val
Self (archive footage)
Joan Rivers at the BBC
Self
Women in Rock
Self
2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Audience member
Paul McCartney & Wings: Wings Over the World
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Music by John Williams
Self
Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers
Self
Standing Room Only: Cher in Concert
Self
Superstars and their Moms
Self (archive footage
The BRITs at 40
Self
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Self
Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl
(Archival)
Trailer Camp
Self - Performer
The Grand Opening of Euro Disneyland
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
104
Gender
Female
Birthday
1946-05-20
Place of Birth
El Centro, California, USA
Also Known As
Cher Bono