Cher doesn’t hold back as she exposes the one director she ‘really, really disliked’

Cher has never been one to shy away from speaking her mind, and in her newly released memoir, she’s finally responding to filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich’s criticism of her. In a 2019 interview with Vulture, Bogdanovich claimed that Cher was difficult to work with, suggesting that she didn’t get along with men and even implying that she lacked acting talent. He credited her award-winning performance in Mask solely to his direction, claiming that he made her performance look good. Unfortunately, Bogdanovich passed away in 2022 before Cher had a chance to publicly address his remarks.

In her memoir, Cher didn’t hold back when it came to her feelings about working with Bogdanovich. She referred to him as an “asshole” and a “pig,” stressing that she “really, really disliked him.” Cher described how their professional relationship was strained due to a power struggle on set. She recalled a particular incident where Bogdanovich asked for her input on how to film a scene. When Cher suggested reusing the kitchen for the scene, he became enraged, claiming she was trying to take control of the film. Cher said he screamed at her, declaring he could cut her from the film at any time and dismissing her as a “nobody.”

Cher’s response also sheds light on the differences between her experiences with other directors, such as Mike Nichols and Bob Altman, with whom she had positive working relationships. She noted that learning to listen to directors and being less confrontational, as Meryl Streep advised her, allowed her to contribute more to the creative process.

Cher’s reflections on working with Bogdanovich reveal a strong dislike for his arrogance and unkind treatment of women, especially actresses. She also pointed out that Bogdanovich seemed to believe that an actress’s success in film was owed solely to him, not their own merit. It seems that despite his legendary status, his attitude toward women in the industry remained unchanged until the end of his career.