10 Best Cher Movies, Ranked

The Grammy-winning artist known by the singular name Cher known is most famous for her music, which she started releasing in the 1960s with her former husband, the late Sonny Bono. She went on to have one of the most successful music careers in history. In fact, she is the only solo artist to have a number one single seven decades in a row. Cher's time in the music industry may be legendary, but her years as an actress are also noteworthy. 

Cher's first foray into films was playing herself alongside Bono in "Good Times" in 1967. She then played the titular role in "Chastity" in 1969, which Bono wrote. Neither film was a success, and it would take more than a decade before she tried to prove herself as an actor again. She began to shine on the silver screen in the 1980s, eventually winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988 for "Moonstruck." That film, among many others, showcases the pop star's immense acting talent.

From appearing in popular musicals to starring in heartfelt dramas, Cher has displayed her range time and time again. She has also cameoed as herself in some great films such as "The Player," but this list sticks to movies that feature Cher playing a character. 

So without further ado, let's break down the best Cher movies.

Written and directed by Steven Antin, "Burlesque" is a backstage musical starring Christina Aguilera and Cher. The film was not much of a success when it hit theatres in 2010. The reviews were mostly weak, and the box office haul was mediocre. While "Burlesque" is not exactly good, it is a good time. In the years since its release, it has become a camp classic, especially within the queer community.

"Burlesque" marked the first real acting role for Aguilera, who played Ali Rose, a small-town singer trying to make it in Los Angeles. She gets a job at a burlesque theatre run by Cher's Tess Scali, whom she eventually impresses with her vocal talents. Ultimately, the movie is memorable for its catchy tunes and stacked cast. "Burlesque" also features Stanley Tucci, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Julianne Hough, Alan Cumming, Peter Gallagher, and Kristen Bell. 

 "Burlesque" may have had its haters, but that did not stop the film from being nominated for three Golden Globes, including Best Comedy or Musical. Diane Warren even won the award for Best Original Song for "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me." The movie also earned two Grammy Award nominations and a Critics Choice nomination. 

The Razzies also "nominated" Cher for Worst Supporting Actress, but she got the last laugh. More than 15 years later, you cannot hear the words "Wagon Wheel Watusi" without thinking of her now-beloved role in this film. She is and always will be a fabulous, screen-stealing diva. 

"Suspect" is one of the lesser-known movies in Cher's filmography, but it holds up as a solid courtroom drama and intriguing political thriller. Directed by Peter Yates and written by Eric Roth, "Suspect" stars Cher as Kathleen Riley, a public defender tasked with representing a homeless, deaf-mute veteran named Carl Wayne Anderson (Liam Neeson). Carl is accused of murdering a D.C. law clerk after he is found near her body with a knife and the victim's belongings. Kathleen works alongside a member of the jury, political lobbyist Eddie Sanger (Dennis Quaid), to prove Carl's innocence and uncover a larger conspiracy.

While "Suspect" is admittedly not one of the best political thrillers ever made, it is filled with a lot of exciting twists and turns. Cher is put through the wringer in the movie, all while having great chemistry with Quaid. Meanwhile, Neeson shines in the role even though he does not speak. The project also features John Mahoney as Judge Matthew Bishop Helms, marking his first of two film collaborations with Cher in 1987. The other, of course, being "Moonstruck." 

While promoting the film, Cher talked about the challenges of playing a lawyer: "The easy part is being in front of the jury; the hard part is acting well enough to make people believe that you know what you're doing. You have to make them believe that you have been a student, gone to college, gone to law school, and have been doing this," she explained (via TV plat47). 

"If These Walls Could Talk" is a 1996 made-for-TV anthology film about abortion. Each segment follows a different woman living in the same house across three decades. The women are all contemplating an abortion, a choice that looked different in the '50s, '70s, and '90s. While the movie is quite harrowing, it also amplifies the importance of female autonomy. The project hit hard in 1996, but its significance has only grown since Roe vs. Wade was overturned in 2022, making movies about abortion all the more important. 

"If These Walls Could Talk" is a special entry to Cher's filmography. Not only did she give an emotional performance as an abortion doctor in the third segment, but she also directed it. The fact that Cher made her directorial debut on a film with such an important message highlights her passion. The other two segments were helmed by Nancy Savoca, who also co-wrote the film. In addition to Cher, the movie stars Demi Moore, Sissy Spacek, and Anne Heche.

"If These Walls Could Talk" debuted on HBO and earned four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie. It was also up for three Golden Globes, including a Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie nod for Cher. The movie spawned a sequel in 2000 titled "If These Walls Could Talk 2," which told three stories of lesbian couples in different decades. While Cher was not involved in the sequel, Heche returned to direct a segment. It also earned an Emmy win and a Golden Globe win for Vanessa Regrave.

"Mermaids" is one of Cher's most endearing movies. Set in 1963, the 1990 film stars Winona Ryder as Charlotte Flax, a high-strung teenager struggling to relate to her whimsical mother, Rachel, who is played by Cher. Their little family, which includes a 10-year-old Christina Ricci in her first film role, moves every time Rachel breaks up with a boyfriend. This adds more strain to the mother-daughter relationship, which starts to shift once the Catholicism-obsessed Charlotte's hormones begin to kick in. The film also stars Bob Hoskins as Rachel's love interest, Lou Landsky. 

Written by June Roberts and directed by Richard Benjamin, "Mermaids" was based on the book of the same name by Patty Dann, and it's considered a staple in the mother-daughter compendium. The film understands the deep complexities of that relationship, and both Ryder and Cher do a wonderful job of playing off of each other. Ryder even received her first Golden Globe nomination for her performance in "Mermaids." 

Despite the film's title, it is not about mermaids. During an adorable interview with Cher, Ryder, and Ricci, the trio was asked what "Mermaids" meant. Ryder and Cher admitted they had no idea, but revealed tiny Ricci had her own theory. Cher explained, "Because even though the [Flax family] are in the world, they have their own little world. So here they are, half in the real world, and half in their own little world. Ghey would be much more understandable today than they were in the '60s, so they're kind of like..." "...Fish out of water," Ryder finished. (via KPRC-TV Collection) 

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich and written by Anna Hamilton Phelan, "Mask" is a 1985 film based on the heartbreaking true story of Rocky Dennis, a boy with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. Eric Stoltz plays Rocky, who was intelligent and incredibly kind, even though he was living with the painful disease. Stolz was lovely in the film, which came out the same year as "Back to the Future," a movie from which he was famously fired. 

As for Cher, the superstar played Rocky's mother, Rusty Dennis. She was a strong-willed and offbeat woman who was always there for her son despite her struggles with addiction. Cher gave one of the best performances of her career in the film and won Best Actress at Cannes, tying with Norma Aleandro in "The Official Story." She was also nominated for a Golden Globe but was famously snubbed by the Oscars. She presented at the ceremony in a Bob Mackie "revenge" dress that is still considered one of the most iconic looks in the show's history.

"I didn't get nominated for a movie that everyone thought I would actually win for, so was dressing that night for a kind of revenge," Cher said in the 2024 documentary, "Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion" (via BBC). Cher may have been overlooked in 1986, but her time would soon come in 1988.

"The Witches of Eastwick" is a spectacular fantasy/dark comedy directed by George Miller. Based on the novel by John Updike and adapted for the screen by Michael Cristofer, the film follows three friends who start to realize their potential as witches when a devilish man moves to their small town. Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer make up the trio of witches while Jack Nicholson plays their mysterious love interest. Meanwhile, Veronica Cartwright has a standout role as a religious townsperson who is frequently affected by the magic. 

The mystical movie is funny and sexy thanks to its enthralling leads. However, things were not perfect behind-the-scenes. "The Witches of Eastwick" pulled the rug out from underneath Sarandon on day one. She was initially cast as Alex, the character who had the best scenes with Nicholson's Daryl Van Horne. Cher ended up wanting the role and used her star power to steal it. Sarandon was forced to play Jane, a cellist. Thankfully, the two women ended up becoming pals after their rocky start. 

"They wouldn't let me out of it, and I had to learn to play the cello ... I couldn't deal with them suing me, so I stayed. And became friends with everybody. Thank God for Cher giving me her wig and her clothing, because that gold dress was Cher's. That wig was Cher's. That helped me figure out my character, because my character didn't even go to the end of the script when I got it. So, thank you, Cher," Sarandon shared with Vanity Fair. 

"The Witches of Eastwick" was nominated for two Academy Awards, including a nod for John Williams' score. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Special Effects and was nominated for a Grammy. 

"Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" was released in 2018, a full decade after the first film became a massive success. Written and directed by Ol Parker, the movie took "The Godfather Part II" approach, and spent half of the runtime showing flashbacks of Donna (now played by Lily James) while she has romantic trysts with her daughter's three possible fathers. In the present day, Donna (Meryl Streep from the first movie) has passed away, and her daughter is now trying to keep their Greek hotel afloat. The film sees the return of the first film's cast, in addition to some exciting newcomers like Cher, who plays Donna's mother in the present timeline.

Cher is only three years older than Streep in real life, and the first movie revealed that Donna's mother was dead, so her presence in the film did not entirely make sense. Thankfully, that did not stop Cher from showing up and stealing the show. She makes her dramatic entrance in the third act and crushes a rendition of ABBA's "Fernando." While her screentime in the project is limited, she proves once again how vivacious and funny she is. Shortly after the movie's release, she dropped her own ABBA cover album called "Dancing Queen." 

On paper, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" sounded like a terrible idea, but it ended up being just as beloved as the first installment. It earned a "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and made over $395,000,000 worldwide. Now, fans are waiting for news of a third installment, which Pierce Brosnan thinks will happen.

"Silkwood" is a 1983 biographical drama directed by Mike Nichols. It was written by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen, based on the book "Who Killed Karen Silkwood?" by Howard Kohn. The film starred Meryl Streep as the titular character, a real-life labor union activist and whistle-blower who set out to expose misconduct at the plutonium plant where she worked. Cher played her co-worker and roommate, Dolly Pelliker. 

"Silkwood" was a game-changer for Cher's acting career. It marked one of her first dramatic turns and got her noticed in a big way. There were a lot of layers to Pelliker, who was an out lesbian in Oklahoma in the 1970s. Cher was praised for embodying the "soft butch" character and scored her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also received a BAFTA nomination and a Golden Globe win. It was her second Globe win after earning Best TV Actress for "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" in 1974. 

Dusty Ellis, on whom Cher's character was based, continued her activism after Silkwood's death. That includes taking 170 people hostage in a nursing home after learning the residents were treated poorly. Hollywood definitely dropped the ball, because that would have been an excellent sequel idea for Cher to star in. 

In addition to being one of Cher's best films, "Silkwood" is also considered to be one of the best in Streep's filmography. She received her fifth Oscar nomination for the movie, which was also up for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing. Cher and Streep first met on the movie and are still friends to this day.

"Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" was a play written by Ed Graczyk that debuted on Broadway in 1982. Robert Altman directed the production, which was not successful, only running for 52 performances. Despite negative reviews, Altman believed in the story and decided to adapt the play into a feature film with the same cast. The line-up included Sandy Dennis, Cher, Karen Black, Sudie Bond, Mark Patton, Marta Heflin, and Kathy Bates. 

The movie told the story of a former James Dean fan club who reunite in the 1970s at the five-and-dime store they worked at in the '50s. The project was a critical success, but it opened small and made very little money. The movie may not have been a massive hit, but "Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" was a turning point in Cher's life. It was her first movie since "Chastity" in 1969, and it helped jumpstart her acting career.

Even though Dennis and Black give the movie's most emotional performances, it was Cher who earned the film's only Golden Globe nomination. She had undeniable charm, which was also present in the Broadway production. Mike Nichols saw her performance in New York and decided to cast her in "Silkwood," which earned her her first Oscar nomination. 

There is no greater film in Cher's catalog than "Moonstruck." The 1987 picture is considered to be one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. The New York-set movie follows Italian-American Loretta Castorini (Cher) as she falls for her fiancé's younger brother, Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage). Directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley, the movie has all of the puzzle pieces needed for a humorous romance.

After seeing Cage in Francis Ford Coppola's "Peggy Sue Got Married," Cher fought to have him play opposite her, despite their 18-year age difference. She even threatened to quit the production if he was not cast. Once she secured her Ronny, it became clear that she was right about seeing something special in Cage. They have dynamite chemistry throughout the film and are able to match each other's ever-changing energy. Cher famously slaps Cage in the movie, which led to Cage occasionally getting slapped by strangers in real life. 

"Moonstruck" went on to win three Academy Awards: Cher took home the prize for Best Actress, Olympia Dukakis won Best Supporting Actress, and Shanley won Best Original Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Vincent Gardenia). Cher won a Golden Globe for her performance and was nominated for a BAFTA.