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
Diane Warren: Relentless
Self
2025
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion
Self
2024
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2023
Self - Special Guest
2023
Cher Meets Rylan
Self
2023
Christmas at Graceland
Self
2023
ET Vault Unlocked: Cher
Self
2023
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self - Guest
2023
Meat Loaf - A Celebration Of Life
Self
2023
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021
A Night at the Academy Museum
Self
2021
Cher at the BBC
Self (archive)
2021
Bobbleheads: The Movie
Bobblehead Cher (voice)
2020
Bang
Self
2020
Cher: Life in the Spotlight
Self (archive footage)
2019
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Ruby Sheridan
2018
The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years: A Long Road to Freedom
Self
2018
Larger than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story
Self
2017
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Self
2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
2014
Six by Sondheim
Self (archive footage)
2013
Dear Mom, Love Cher
Self
2013
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
(archive footage)
2012
Zookeeper
Janet the Lioness (voice)
2011
Becoming Chaz
Self
2011
Burlesque
Tess
2010
The Wrecking Crew
Self - Backup Singer, The Ronettes
2008
AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition
Self
2007
Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family
Self (archival footage)
2006
Die 90er - Popwunder & Popsünden
Self
2004
Cher – The Very Best Of Cher - The Video Hits Collection
2004
ABBA - The Last Video
Self
2004
Stuck Together: Bringing Stuck on You to the Screen
Self
2004
Stuck on You
Cher
2003
The Best Of Beat
Self (archive footage)
2003
Cher: The Farewell Tour
Self
2003
VH1: Divas Las Vegas
Self - Performer
2002
The Best of Max
Self
2002
Cher: Live in Concert
Self
1999
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
Self
1999
The Sonny Bono Story
Self (archive footage)
1999
VH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music
Self - Performer
1999
Tea with Mussolini
Elsa Strauss-Almerson
1999
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: America's Greatest Movies
Self / Host
1998
If These Walls Could Talk
Dr. Beth Thompson
1996
Faithful
Margaret
1996
Prêt-à-Porter
Self
1994
The Player
Cher
1992
Euro Disney : L'Ouverture
Self - Chanteuse
1992
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
Self
1991
Cher... at the Mirage
Self
1991
Mermaids
Rachel Flax
1990
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Self
1988
Moonstruck
Loretta Castorini
1987
Suspect
Kathleen Riley
1987
The Witches of Eastwick
Alexandra Medford
1987
Live Aid
Self
1985
Mask
Rusty Dennis
1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Silkwood
Dolly Pelliker
1983
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Sissy
1982
Rona Looks at Raquel, Liza, Cher and Ann-Margret
1975
Chastity
Chastity
1969
Wild on the Beach
Self
1965
Gardel
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Self
2025
Music by John Williams
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2024
Joan Rivers at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
Impact x Nightline
Musician · (34 episodes)
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2022
Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl
Self
2022
Val
Self (archive footage)
2021
Cher: In Her Own Words
Self
2021
Cher & the Loneliest Elephant
Self
2021
This Is Pop
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2021
The BRITs at 40
Self (archive footage
2020
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(3 episodes)
2019
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?
Cher (voice) · (1 episode)
2019
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
Self (archive footage)
2018
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Chicken Shop Date
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2014
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Inventing David Geffen
Self
2012
Southern Rock At The BBC
Self
2012
Fashion !
Self · (1 episode)
2012
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Self · (1 episode)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (5 episodes)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
2007
Dancing with the Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2005
Detroit Rock City
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1999
Will & Grace
Cher · (2 episodes)
1998
Vivement dimanche
Self · (1 episode)
1998
So Graham Norton
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1998
The Magic Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1998
Millionär gesucht! - Die SKL Show
Self · (1 episode)
1998
Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers
Self
1998
Parkinson
Self · (1 episode)
1998
An Audience with Elton John
Self
1997
The View
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
Self
1997
E! True Hollywood Story
(1 episode)
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1996
Die Harald Schmidt Show
Self · (1 episode)
1995
Trailer Camp
(Archival)
1995
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Self · (1 episode)
1995
Parabéns
Self · (1 episode)
1992
ECHO-Verleihung
Self · (1 episode)
1992
The Grand Opening of Euro Disneyland
Self - Performer
1992
Cherfitness: Body Confidence
Self
1992
Robert Altman's Players
Self
1992
Cherfitness: A New Attitude
Self
1991
Bon Jovi | Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey
Self
1990
AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Self
1990
Stars 90
Self · (1 episode)
1990
Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1990
This Morning
Self · (1 episode)
1988
Going Live!
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Superstars and their Moms
Self
1987
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self (archive footage)
1986
Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary
Self
1986
Women in Rock
Self
1986
Rabbit Ears: The Ugly Duckling
Narrator (voice)
1985
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (2 episodes)
1984
Al TV
Self · (1 episode)
1984
Cher... A Celebration at Caesars
Self
1983
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Wetten, dass..?
Self · (5 episodes)
1981
Paul McCartney & Wings: Wings Over the World
Audience member
1979
Cher... and Other Fantasies
Self
1979
Standing Room Only: Cher in Concert
Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Cher... Special
Self / Various
1978
An Audience with...
Self · (1 episode)
1978
The Sonny and Cher Show
Self - Host · (34 episodes)
1976
Donny & Marie
Self · (1 episode)
1976
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1975
Cher
Self - Host · (29 episodes)
1975
Dinah!
Self · (1 episode)
1974
Musikladen
Self · (2 episodes)
1972
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
Cher (voice) · (1 episode)
1972
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
(90 episodes)
1971
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest
Self
1971
The Sonny & Cher Nitty Gritty Hour
Self - Co-Host
1970
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour : Christmas Special 1969
1969
Love, American Style
(1 episode)
1969
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self · (3 episodes)
1969
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
Self · (1 episode)
1967
Good Times
Cher
1967
Die Drehscheibe
Self · (1 episode)
1964
Top of the Pops
Self · (2 episodes)
1964
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (5 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
1961
Kraft Music Hall
Self · (2 episodes)
1958
The Oscars
Self · (2 episodes)
1953
Bambi-Verleihung
Self · (1 episode)
1948