Cher: I still don’t think of myself As A grown-up

The living legend talks turning back time, low-key love and embarrassing mums

Seriously, name a more enduring pop icon than Cher – the one-syllable powerhouse, whose career has spanned six decades and has brought the world those deep, distinctive, playfullyautotuned vocals. It’s almost impossible to imagine the 72 year old living an ordinary life – surely, she only exists glistening in a sequinned bodysuit, rocking a foot-high wig and roaring into a rhinestone mic. She’s simply inimitable (though many drag queens have tried).

But, as she explains, she has two sides: the one we see strutting on stage and screen, and the one who feels more comfortable holding chilli cook-offs with friends and working up a sweat in a Zumba class. Speaking as she continues her Abba-filled

Here We Go Again tour, following her scene-stealing performance as grandmother Ruby in Mamma Mia!

Here We Go Again, the diva chats Swedish pop, changing times, and why she prefers to keep her love life under wraps. Oh, and why, although she may be older, she’s most certainly NOT old, thank you very much… You’ve released an album of ABBA hits, but we heard that you used to hate them – is that true? In the beginning, in America, they weren’t talked about the way you would talk about The Beatles. I knew Mamma Mia and

Waterloo, but I just thought of them as cool pop songs. Then Muriel’s Wedding came out, and it was filled with ABBA music and I loved it. I went to see the

Mamma Mia! stage show, like, three times. You started out before ABBA in the ’60s, and yet you’re still performing and they’re gone… I wouldn’t say they are gone. Their songs are still very much alive. They’re making millions of people happy with their music every day. You don’t seem to age – what’s your secret? I don’t know. I am very immature as a person, maybe that helps. I’m not dumb, but I still don’t think of myself as a grown-up. All my girlfriends and I used to have these insane concepts about what it would be like when you got to a certain age, like cutting your hair a certain length or wearing your skirt a certain length. But none of us are any different to when we were young. So, even though we have responsibilities, I don’t see any of us as

grown-ups, but more like older teenagers. I think having fun keeps your soul young. You’ve also kept a pretty youthful figure… I work so hard every day, harder now than ever before. I’ve been working out forever. I love hiking. Being physical was always part of who I am. All my friends come to the gym with me, so it’s social, too. We talk, we gossip. I do weights, and I do the Power Plate. And I do Zumba, I try to mix it up. I like sweating. Working out with your girlfriends just makes it so much better. Would you say you’re having more fun now? I’ve had fun on and off all my life. It hasn’t been all fun, for sure. I’ve had fun and tragedy, because life is a mixed bag. I’ve had fun and I’ve been broke. Why did you take such a long break from making movies? I got really sick and I lost all my momentum, but when I got better, I went back out on the road. I made Mermaids [in 1990] and Burlesque in 2010 [before returning in

Mamma Mia! 2 this year]. There’s been a massive gender equality shift with the #Metoo movement. Does the industry feel different? For sure. It’s better today than when I was starting. Women have more power – I just used to see women being patted on the head and being treated like girls. But there is always pressure and fear if you have family and bills to pay. But you think things are changing for the better? I think this will change everything – #Metoo is here to stay. Most men are going to think twice. The feelings of some of these men and women might not go away, but they will call it out. I had an experience once, I was quick and I thought to myself, “This is not going to happen.” When it happened to me, I was already famous. This person just tried over and over. But I just said that I was excited about the meeting, but I was sick all day and I wanted to go home. My mind was racing. When girls are young and they have a guy who wants to go too far, I know their mind is racing like crazy about what to do. All women go through it. Are you any different from your onstage persona? To a certain point, yes. The public persona you know is just part of who I am. It’s not all of me. I try to be honest, but there are some things I just don’t want to talk about. I like doing my work, that’s what I really like. Are you surprised to have become a massive gay icon? Well, it just happened. Gay guys have loved me since the Sonny &

Cher Show [the variety TV show she made with her ex-husband Sonny Bono] in the ’60s. I think it’s because we were both very androgynous, and I am sure some guys must have seen me and thought that was interesting. Gay guys either don’t know who you are, or they are intrigued by you. How about your love life? Is there someone special? Not right now. But I’ve had better experiences with relationships by not saying anything and without social media. The paparazzi used to be much nicer back in the day, as well. Now, I’ve been chased down streets – I thought I was going to be killed one time. Two guys were running towards me, then they whipped out cameras and scared me to death. I don’t think it serves any purpose to let people know about boyfriends. We live in different times. It’s easier to keep it low-key. But can you still get away with walking down the street unrecognised? It’s not very easy. People are very nice, but everybody wants a selfie. If they didn’t put it on social media, I wouldn’t really care. But if it’s a bad picture, it will be out there forever. Nowadays, I see people taping my concerts, but I just want them to enjoy the show – it’s not the way I grew up. The world is a less safe place for me now. How do you have fun in your time off? I still go to the movies with my friends. I have four close friends – we spend time on a boat in the summer. We just hang out together, dance and go to great restaurants. Is it more difficult to have friends when you’re in the public eye? I don’t think so. Most of my friends

‘The paparazzi used to be a lot nicer back in the day’

are very old friends. You can just tell when somebody is your friend, and when somebody is with you because of who you are. We all work hard, then we enjoy ourselves. I like to hang out with a great group. It’s always easier when I am in the middle of everybody. We like to have a chilli cook-off in Malibu. But last time I wanted to go, the paparazzi came out of nowhere and I fell and tripped. I’ve never felt that chased down just to have my picture taken. In your opinion, can men and women be friends? Yes, I think they can. I have male friends. But I do have another rule I follow. If your girlfriend has a boyfriend, then he automatically becomes your brother. That’s an unwritten law that I have. You left home at 16 – what was that like? I didn’t want to be there any more. I wanted to be a grown-up and was in a hurry to start my own life. I was a bit of a rebel. I always was. That was my personality. I never disrespected my mother – you just don’t do that. There were certain things that just pissed my mum off, like when I chewed gum. But she was OK with me leaving at 16. She wasn’t happy, but she helped me. I was dyslexic, so school for me was a nightmare, anyway. There wasn’t a moment in school I liked, except the playground, plays and sports. Do you have any regrets? Of course I do. You make choices and sometimes they aren’t the right choices. You are offered an opportunity and you don’t take it. I’ve had moments in my life where I’ve asked myself, “Why didn’t you take another moment to think about your decision?” We are making choices all the time – some are good and some are bad. It’s called life. There should be a penalty to be paid for things you don’t do right. Even if you are disappointed in yourself and nobody else. But my mum has a five-year rule: after that time period, mistakes should be forgiven. But after all this time and all this success, we love that your 91-year-old mum still brags about you… It’s so embarrassing at times. My mother will tell anybody that I am her daughter. But it’s a mother thing.