Cher is a performer.
Cher . She is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment , as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances during her five-decade-long career . Cher gained popularity in 1965 as one-half of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher after their song `` I Got You Babe '' reached number one on the American and British charts . 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 .