Cher’s Oscar Win Triggered a Stunningly Annoyed Look From a Fellow Nominee

There are few bigger stars than Cher. A triple-threat performer who has been in the spotlight since the ’60s, Cher is a fashion icon, a pop culture superstar, and a singer who has inspired generations. While Cher initially rose to fame for her work in the music industry, she expanded her efforts in the ’80s, becoming a critically-acclaimed movie actor.

That decade, Cher appeared in several popular movies, including the 1987 classic Moonstruck. Cher would ultimately win big at the Academy Awards thanks to her performance in Moonstruck – and while fans were thrilled for her, one fellow nominee was captured on camera looking less than thrilled when Cher’s win was announced.

Cher won an Academy Award for her work in the film ‘Moonstruck’

Cher was a huge star by the time she entered the movie industry, making her big film breakthrough in the 1983 movie Silkwood. While some might have initially questioned Cher’s acting ability, once the film was released, it became abundantly clear that she was a gifted performer.

In fact, according to IMDb, Cher scored a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture due to her work in Silkwood. 

In the years that followed, Cher appeared in Mask and The Witches of Eastwick, both films that are now considered to be classics. In 1987, Cher played Loretta Castorini in Moonstruck, a romantic comedy that co-starred Nicolas Cage as Cher’s love interest. While Moonstruck initially flew under the radar, it became a big critical and commercial success, scoring six Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actress nomination for Cher.

How did Sally Kirkland react when Cher’s Academy Award win was announced?

At the 1988 Academy Awards, expectations were high – but few could have anticipated the reaction from fans and nominees when Cher’s big win for Best Actress for Moonstruck was announced. According to Looper, Cher looked absolutely thrilled to have won the prestigious award, smiling and rising to her feet to accept her Oscar.

However, actor Sally Kirkland, who was also nominated for the Best Actress award, could be seen making several outraged facial expressions. Looper notes that Kirkland gave a giant eye-roll before clenching her lips together and looking away.

While Kirkland composed her expression rather quickly, the moment was captured forever on cameras recording the event. Viewers can watch the award announcement for themselves on YouTube, and decide whether Kirkland was reacting to Cher’s win specifically.

Cher made a fashion statement at the 1988 Oscars

It wasn’t just Cher’s acting that made headlines in the ’80s, but her fashion choices as well. In 1986, two years before she won the Oscar, Cher walked the Academy Awards red carpet in a midriff-baring black gown that featured a giant feathered headdress.

Reportedly, Cher worked with designer Bob Mackie to create the dress, which she intended as a “revenge” look that would get the Academy to notice her – because the actor was upset that she hadn’t received more critical attention for her work in the movie Mask.

In 1988, when she won the Academy Award, she rocked another Mackie creation. This gown, according to HuffPost, was a black garment that featured strategic sheer fabric to show off her toned stomach and legs. All these years later, Cher still hasn’t lost her passion for the entertainment industry.

According to The Netline, Cher is currently collaborating on a biopic about her life, one that is guaranteed to give fans an in-depth look at some of her most iconic moments over the years.