Cher and Val Kilmer experienced a brief and widely publicized romance during the early ’80s after they first crossed paths. “I met him at a birthday party my friend was having for me,” she explained. “She said, ‘I invited this guy, and I think either you or my friend who’s an editor will like him.’ We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. He would sleep over, and it was just a friendship [at first]. That took a long time. Well, I guess not really a long time.”
Despite the initial excitement surrounding their relationship, it proved to be short-lived due to their demanding careers and conflicting schedules, ultimately leading them to part ways in 1984. Although It’s been almost four decades since the duo split, Cher recently revealed that she still harbors feelings for the 63-year-old actor. “I loved him — and I love him,” she admitted.
Cher says Val Kilmer’s braveness attracted her to him
In conversation with People, the 77-year-old disclosed that she found herself drawn to Kilmer shortly after their first encounter. Despite his younger age, what captivated her was his courage, as he demonstrated the confidence to engage with her on an equal footing. “The truth was if I hadn’t gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date,” Cher noted. “Younger men weren’t intimidated by older women. But older men in my age category, they weren’t having it.”
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Cher also highlighted that the actor maintained a strong bond with her children, which was an act she deeply appreciated. “He was so good with my kids,” she said. “He used to let Elijah drive the truck on his property. He couldn’t even see over the dashboard. He might have been nine. He wouldn’t be ashamed or think it was anything. He was a free spirit.”
She says she and Val Kilmer are still best of friends.
The singer noted that she and Kilmer remained friends naturally over the years, even though they never made any conscious efforts. “I don’t know how we stayed friends, we just did. We didn’t try. We just were, We called ourselves Sid and Ethel,” Cher admitted. “Val didn’t want to yell ‘Cher,’ and I didn’t want to yell ‘Val.’ We also called ourselves Valus Maximus and Cherus Reprimandus. It was just kind of who I was in the household. Of course, he was Maximus, come on.”
Cher revealed that their separation stemmed from the fact that both of them possessed strong personalities, which resulted in conflict. “He stretches every boundary,” she confessed. “We had unbelievable times and then put up with some times when they weren’t [that way], because we were both Alpha males. We were both individuals, and neither of us was going to give up on that.”