Cher is a performer.
Cher ( [ ˈʃɛər ] born Cherilyn Sarkisian , May 20 , 1946 ) is an American singer and actress . In 1982 , Cher made her Broadway debut in the play Come Back to the Five and Dime , Jimmy Dean , Jimmy Dean and starred in the film adaptation of the same title . She subsequently earned critical acclaim for her performances in films such as Silkwood ( 1983 ) , Mask ( 1985 ) , and Moonstruck ( 1987 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress . Cher 's first studio album in 12 years , Closer to the Truth ( 2013 ) , became her highest-charting solo album in the U.S. to date at number three .