Cher (who is Cher?)

Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, is an iconic American singer, actress, and television personality. She first rose to prominence in the 1960s as one half of the folk-rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher, along with her then-husband Sonny Bono. They scored a major hit with "I Got You Babe" in 1965.

Cher's career has been marked by a series of comebacks, numerous reinventions, and a wide range of musical styles. She is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for working in various areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances during her career, which has led to her being nicknamed the Goddess of Pop.

Her solo career skyrocketed in the 1970s with hits like "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," "Half-Breed," and "Dark Lady." Beyond her music career, Cher has also achieved significant success in film and television. Some of her notable acting roles include:

Silkwood (1983): For her performance as Dolly Pelliker, Cher received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Mask (1985): She played a caring mother of a son with a rare medical disorder, which further cemented her acting credentials.
Moonstruck (1987): This romantic comedy was a significant milestone in Cher's acting career, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Loretta Castorini.
Mermaids (1990): She starred alongside Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci as the unconventional mother, Mrs. Flax.
The Witches of Eastwick (1987): This film showcased Cher's ability to hold her own alongside co-stars Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Cher's television achievements include "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour," which was popular in the early 1970s. She also had her own show, "Cher," after her divorce from Sonny.

As a solo artist, Cher has released numerous albums, scoring hits across multiple decades with songs like "Believe," which was a massive hit in 1998 and utilized auto-tune, a technique that became widely popular in the music industry after her use of it.

Cher is renowned for her philanthropic efforts and social activism, including her support of LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.

She has received many awards and accolades throughout her career, including an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, three Golden Globe Awards, and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, making her one of the few artists to have received such a wide range of honors.

For the most up-to-date information about Cher, you should consult her official website or recent publications as my information might be outdated.

For further detailed reading about her life and contributions to entertainment, you can access her full biography on Biography.com, while her filmography can be more thoroughly explored on her IMDb page.