The couple divorced in 1975 and Cher went out on her own. She continued to sing, recording several solo albums. Cher reached the top of the charts with such songs as "Half Breed" and "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves." Over the years,she would become equally famous for her daring costumes and unusual outfits as she was for her musical talent.

In the 1980s, Cher pursued an acting career. She appeared on Broadway in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean in 1982. She reprised the role of Sissy in the film adaptation of the play. She continued to earn the respect of movie critics and fans alike by turning in a number of strong performances in such films as Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985), and Moonstruck (1987). Cher received her first Oscar nomination for her performance in Silkwood and won her first Oscar for Moonstuck in the Best Actress category.

Cher released her last studio album in 2002 entitled Living Proof, which featured "Song for the Lonely." This track did well on the dance charts and was written in honor to those affected by the September 11th terrorist attacks. She then said so long to performing live with a 325-date farewell tour that concluded in 2005.

NBC aired one of her live performances as Cher: The Farewell Tour in 2003. The program was nominated for six 2003 Emmy Awards and won three of them. The show earned the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special; Outstanding Camerawork, Video for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; and Outstanding Costumes for a Variety or Music Program.

In 2006, she auctioned off furniture, paintings, and decorative objects from her home in Malibu, California, as well as many personal items of memorabilia, jewelry, and stage costumes. The auction brought in $3.5 million with a portion of proceeds going to the Cher Charitable Foundation.

Cher debuted a show entitled Cher at the Colosseum, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on May 6, 2008. She is scheduled to perform 200 shows there over three years.