In the early ’80s, the idea that Cher could make a successful transition from singer to actress was a bit of a public joke (blasphemy!). But even haters had to start taking her seriously when she killed it in, the tear-jerking true story of Roy Lee “Rocky” Dennis (played by Eric Stoltz), a teen with a rare bone condition that causes visible facial difference. was a critical and commercial success, thanks in large part to Cher’s tender portrayal of Rusty, Roy’s biker-chick mum. Despite Rusty’s problematic addiction to “getting loaded and laid”, as Roy puts it, she’s so effortlessly badass, it’s hard not to gush over her andfor one of history’s most iconic red-carpet looks: the huge feathered headdress and cut-out gown Cher wore to the 1986 Academy Awards. In a formidable display of self-belief, Cher donned the purposefully outrageous look as a ‘fuck you’ to Oscar voters who hadn’t given her the nomination she thought she deserved. Rusty would approve.
