Cher Was Almost a Transsexual!

By Michael Musto Tue., Jul. 5 2011 at 9:30 AM

In a play!

In the book Robert Altman: The Oral Biography, Cher remembers that Altman wanted her to play the transsexual Joanne in the 1981 play (and later movie) Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.

But Cher didn't want to go there.

"I read Joanne and I really wanted to read Sissy," reveals Chaz's mother in the Altman book.

"Sandy Dennis told me later it was the worst reading she had ever heard."

And Altman must have agreed, seeing as he said to Cher, "OK, right, Jo is not for you."

Instead, he cast her as the born-biologically-female Sissy and gave Karen Black the plum role of Joanne. ("Karen and I never got along," reveals Cher as a bonus.)

Still, Jimmy Dean managed to launch Cher into LGBT land.

As a result of her performance, Mike Nichols cast her as a really cool lesbian in Silkwood.

And the beat goes on.

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Barkley

The rest of Sandy Dennis' take on Cher's reading: "You gave the worst reading I ever heard, but I couldn't take my eyes off you!" .

Movielover

A great movie and Karen Black was extraordinary in the role. Loved her in a lot of things, she's so quirky and interesting. The Great Gatsby. Day of the Locusts. She's also somebody who can play a beauty or a dog. Maybe great acting. She actually has beauty, so I'm not sure. It's Glen Close and Bette D. who are not beauties, but can play them convincingly. THAT'S acting!

mjm

"she's so quirky and interesting"

because she's a Scientologist, dear...

Movielover

Ooo! Really? That does go with quirky and interesting. I always thought all those celebs in Scientology were in it so the Hollywood establishment wouldn't pressure them into joining or giving $ to more established cults.

mjm

mainly the celebs who are in $cientology are either gay (TC, JT, WS), lesbian (KA, KP, MC L, LR, JPS), junkies (Juliette Lewis, Bijou Phillips, Chaka Khan, Doug E. Fresh, and Danny Masterson), or just plain psycho (KP, JE, Karen Black, Anne Archer)