10 Stunning Photos of Cher That Will Turn Back Time

Cher knew she wanted to be famous from the time she was a child. When she was just 16 years old, Cher dropped out of high school and moved out of her home to pursue her acting career in Los Angeles. She took acting classes and worked to support herself at clubs along Sunset Strip, networking with other performers and managers. 

In 1962, Cher met Sonny Bono — who was working for record producer Phil Spector at the time — and the rest was history. By 1964, the two were an item, and in 1965, they traveled to England together after the release of their Billboard Hot 100 number one hit, "I Got You Babe." Also that year, Cher's debut album, All I Really Want to Do, reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 and was described as, "one of the stronger folk-pop records of the era" by AllMusic's Tim Sendra. 

Sonny and Cher were a unique couple. Starting with their age difference (Sonny was 28 when they met, while Cher was only 16), the two continued to break social norms throughout their relationship. When they moved to England in the 1960s, they were a hit with teenagers and influenced the culture of the time with their out-of-the-ordinary style of bell-bottom pants and fancy fur vests. American writer Cintra Wilson says, "English newspaper photographers showed up when S&C were thrown out of the London Hilton [because of their outfits] the night they arrived — literally overnight, they were stars. London went gaga for the heretofore-unseen S&C look, which was neither mod nor rocker."

But that was just the beginning of their success. With the music scene changing toward the late 60s, Sonny and Cher decided to try their hand at comedy. They started making comedic appearances on prime-time TV shows, and not long after, in 1971, the pair was given their own comedy show on CBS, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.

The show gave Cher an opportunity to explore acting (which she had always loved) in front of the camera. She stood out and made the most of the chance to be glamorous, often wearing extravagant costumes and low-cut gowns, and as usual, rocking her signature dramatic eye makeup and long, dark hair. 

Like the relationship between Sonny and Cher, the show unfortunately didn't last. The couple hit a breaking point before their first and only child, Chaz (formerly Chastity) Bono, was born, and by 1975 they were officially divorced. But that didn't stop Cher from claiming her place in the spotlight. Through the troubled ending of her relationship with Sonny, it was clear that nothing was going to dull her shine. Following the divorce, she continued with her own TV show called Cher, hosting guest appearances from artists like Ray Charles and David Bowie.

Just days after divorcing Sonny, Cher married Gregg Allman on June 30, 1975 in Las Vegas. In his memoir, Allman described the first time he met Cher, saying she "smelled like I would imagine a mermaid would smell . . . [I] didn't say hello or nothing at all, because I was so blinded by her." And about a year later, in July of 1976, they had a son, Elijah Blue Allman. 

This marriage didn't last very long, either. In 1978, Allman and Cher divorced after a reportedly turbulent relationship. Now a single mother of two, the singer decided to redirect her career in music, and it worked! In 1979, she released an album and single both titled Take Me Home, and they were instantly successful in the 70s disco culture of the time. Later that year, Cher shifted her musical focus once more towards rock and roll and cut her signature long black hair, opting for an edgier look. She formed her own rock band called Black Rose, and advocated for equal pay among band members, even though she was the lead singer. 

Though the band made appearances on TV, they failed to sell records or draw a loyal fanbase and eventually broke up shortly after their first album was released. By this time, though, it was clear that nothing could keep the diva from her place in the limelight: Cher continued to pursue acting, but this time in film. She moved to New York and was given an acting role by director Robert Altman in his play Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean on Broadway, and was cast in the film adaptation of the play later that year.

Cher later starred in films like Mask, which had great success in the box office, and Silkwood, in which she starred alongside Meryl Streep. For the film, Cher was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Golden Globe for best supporting actress in 1984.

Throughout the ups and downs in her relationships and career, one thing is true: Cher has firmly established herself as one of the most iconic women in pop culture. We can't wait to see what the future has in store for her.