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Sat 17 October 2026 9:00, UK
Some roles seem tailor-made for certain actors, but that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to land them. Competition in Hollywood is fierce, even for stars as established as Cher.
Cher was a singer before she was an actor, eventually making her big-screen debut in 1969’s Chastity before returning to the screen in 1982 for Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, but she soon proved herself to be a reliable star, appearing in the likes of Silkwood with Meryl Streep and The Witches of Eastwick with Susan Sarandon, with her status elevated even higher when she won an Oscar for her performance opposite Nicolas Cage in the romantic comedy-drama Moonstruck.
Cher continued to build on her success in Hollywood, appearing in films such as the family drama Mermaids, alongside Winona Ryder, and Franco Zeffirelli’s Tea with Mussolini. However, following her Academy Award win, her acting appearances became increasingly sporadic, with music seemingly taking priority as she grew more selective about the roles she accepted.
However, there was one major role that Cher had hoped would allow her to continue her success in Hollywood, but it ultimately slipped through her fingers. Missing out on what would become a huge hit might have been a disappointment, but it wasn’t the reason her acting career slowed in the early 1990s. Cher believed that the right roles would always find their way to her, which made it easier to accept losing out on Thelma & Louise.
The movie, which arrived in cinemas in 1991, saw Sarandon star alongside Geena Davis as a pair of best friends who go on the run after killing a man in self-defence. Ridley Scott’s movie was a massive success, iconic for its final scene in which the pair hold hands and drive over the Grand Canyon while being pursued by police.
Cher was offered a role as one of the leading ladies, but she claims that she turned the part down for several reasons, including falling ill and just being a little naive.
“I got really sick, and I didn’t do anything for two years,” the actor told CBS News, “I turned down one that I really wanted. But I was sick. But I believe what belongs to you comes to you. That was Sue’s role. If it was mine, I would have done it.”
Further reading: Cutting Room Floor
Reflecting on her decision to turn the part down years later in conversation with Stephen Fry, Cher said, “It was a great script, but I was stupid”. Maybe she would’ve found further success as an actor if she’d appeared in Thelma and Louise, which grossed $45.4million against its $16m budget, but the singer was content in simply letting the right opportunities come to her.
She said in that same CBS interview, “I never thought I’d do a lot of movies. I’m surprised I did as much as I’ve done. I just knew that that wasn’t going to be a long life for me”. Clearly, then, she made peace with the fact that she missed out on something as iconic as Thelma and Louise.
