The Only Man Who Ever Dumped Cher Might Surprise You

Aug 19, 2025 by apost team

In a candid November 2024 interview with Howard Stern, iconic singer and actress Cher revealed the name of the only boyfriend who ever left her – a rare confession from someone known for her strong presence and legendary love life.

The interview was conducted as part of the promotional campaign prior to the release of Cher’s memoir, “Cher: The Memoir,” Part One, which was released on Nov. 19, 2024. The first installment covers her life from 1946 to 1976, detailing her childhood, early career, and her relationship with Sonny Bono. It debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list and remained there for three weeks.

Cher has had her share of high-profile relationships over the decades. After her marriage to Bono ended, she married rock musician Gregg Allman in 1975, although their marriage lasted only until 1979. 

After that, Cher dated a string of well-known figures, including KISS frontman Gene Simmons, Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise, baker and actor Rob Camilletti, and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora.

As of June 2025, Cher remained in a relationship with Alexander “AE” Edwards, a 39-year-old music executive and rapper. The two met at Paris Fashion Week in late 2022 and quickly formed a deep bond. Despite their 40-year age gap, the couple has remained inseparable, often sharing sweet moments on social media and in public appearances.

In the discussion with Stern, the conversation turned to the men in Cher’s past.

Stern asked: “Who could ever leave you?”

“Few men, few men… look, I was madly in love with Val Kilmer, and he left,” Cher replied.

Cher and “Top Gun” star Kilmer began dating in 1982, when Cher was 36 and Kilmer was 22. They split two years later, but the connection lingered. When Howard asked why Val left, she explained:

“Because sometimes you’re only meant to stay with someone so long… he was really young.”

Speaking to PEOPLE in 2021, Cher said they met at her birthday party and bonded over laughter, becoming friends first, although romance followed soon after.

“He was so young. Was he 22? What was I? I don’t know. Thirty-something. It was a bigger deal back then,” she recalled.

She continued:

“The truth was if I hadn’t gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date. Younger men weren’t intimidated by older women. But older men in my age category, they weren’t having it.”

Cher also spoke warmly of Kilmer, saying he was “like nobody I’ve ever known. He is exasperating and hysterical. Thrilling and funny, and doesn’t do what anyone else does.”

Kilmer, who passed in April 2025, never forgot his brief romance with Cher, writing in his 2020 memoir:

“Once Cher works her way inside your head and heart, she never leaves.”

The actor continued:

“For her true friends, her steadfast love and loyalty never die.”

Cher wrote an essay in reply to Val’s 2021 documentary, which explored his career and his battle with throat cancer, saying:

“Valus Maximus, I’m sorry if I did anything to piss you off or hurt your feelings. I love you, and your documentary was all things... I love the things that pissed me off, the things that made me hysterical, amazed, hurt, astonished, etc. You are brave and beyond brilliant.”

She signed it “Ethel,” her nickname for the actor.

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Cher’s life is a powerful blend of love, heartbreak, and unforgettable moments. Have you dived into her memoir yet? Let us know what you’ve discovered, and then pass this along to all the Cher fans who need to experience her story!