This day in history: Cher wins Oscar for best actress
This day in history: Cher wins Oscar for best actress
Nourhan SandoukSat, April 11, 2026 at 9:56 AM UTC
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On this day in history, April 11, 1988, Cher, the iconic singer and actress, stood on the stage at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles to accept the Oscar for Best Actress. This win was for her performance in the romantic comedy Moonstruck.
Cherilyn Sarkisian, known as Cher, first became famous in the 1960s. She was one-half of the popular 1960s and 1970s American pop duo Sonny & Cher. Together with her husband Sonny Bono, she had huge hits like “I Got You Babe.” Later, she became a solo music star with songs like “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.”
By the late 1970s, Cher’s career had slowed down. She decided to try something new and began studying at the famous Actors Studio in New York. This move changed her life. She proved she was a serious actress in films like Silkwood and Mask. Even though she was already a superstar, she had to work hard to earn the respect of the film industry.
In 1987, Cher starred in Moonstruck, a movie directed by Norman Jewison. She played a widow from Brooklyn who falls in love with her fiancé’s brother, played by Nicolas Cage. The film was a massive hit. On Oscar night, Moonstruck won three awards: Best Actress for Cher, Best Supporting Actress for Olympia Dukakis, and Best Original Screenplay.
Cher also made headlines for her fashion. She wore a stunning, black mesh dress designed by Bob Mackie. Cher and Mackie had worked together for years, and this outfit became one of the most famous looks in Oscar history.
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When Cher took the stage to accept her award from presenter Paul Newman, she was so emotional. In her speech, she shared a sweet memory from her childhood. She said, “When I was little my mother said, ‘I want you to be something.'”
She noted that the Oscar represented over 20 years of hard work. Cher ended her speech with a humble and famous line: “I don’t think that this means that I am somebody, but I guess I’m on my way.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
