7 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Mask,’ Cher’s 1985 Breakthrough Film

MASK, Cher, Sam Elliott, 1985 — Everett Collection

Cher‘s recent performance on Saturday Night Live‘s 50th Anniversary Concert reminded us all that the “Believe” singer remains a vocal powerhouse. But do you remember when the diva was more well-known for her acting than her pipes? Cher’s film career kicked off in 1982’s Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, and she picked up a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for 1983’s Silkwood. But Cher officially rose to the rank of leading lady with Mask, which hit theaters on March 8, 1985.

Also co-starring Eric Stoltz and Sam Elliott (with an early career performance by Laura Dern), Mask tells the true, if somewhat altered, story of Rocky Dennis (played by Stoltz), a teenager who suffered from craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, also known as “lionitis” — a rare genetic disorder that causes abnormal bone growth in the skull and face. Cher plays “Rusty” Dennis, Rocky’s single mom who struggles to care for her son while fighting her own personal demons.

Critics loved Mask, a fact that was proven when both Cher and Stoltz scored Golden Globe nominations for their respective roles. Still considered a classic, the movie has been embraced by multiple generations of fans over the years, but do they (or you) know everything there is to know about it? Read on and find out!

1 Cher wanted a different actor to play her boyfriend

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While veteran actor Sam Elliott rarely fails to impress in any role, he wasn’t Cher’s first choice to play her significant other in Mask. That’s because she was pushing for her real-life boyfriend at the time — none other than Val Kilmer. The movie’s decision-makers didn’t agree with Cher’s choice (they thought Kilmer was too young for the part), instead handing the role to Elliott, who happened to be a full 17 years older than Kilmer.

2 Eric Stoltz was practically unrecognizable in his makeup — even to the cast

Everett Collection

Mimicking the real-life distorted face of Rocky Dennis (and others who suffer from this painful disease), Stoltz’s makeup was so on-point that it scored an Oscar. Ironically, Stoltz’s haunting visage — which he was forced to maintain for many hours each day — made it tough for his coworkers to know what he really looked like without the makeup. In fact, he actually had to show ID to security to gain entry into the movie’s post-production party, where he spent time reintroducing himself to cast and crew members who has never seen his real face.

3 Mask was shot in Rocky and Rusty’s actual neighborhood

Largely filmed in the same Californian neighborhood where Rocky and Rusty lived, Mask‘s production quickly caught the attention of the local community. In fact, Cher claims that Stoltz was approached by an ecstatic older resident of the area who mistook him for the real Rocky and shared his relief that he was still alive. According to Cher, Stoltz graciously greeted the elderly neighbor, unable to bring himself to tell him the truth about Rocky’s fate.

4 Cher and director Peter Bogdanovich didn’t get along

Cher’s relative inexperience as a film actress made her an immediate target for Bogdanovich, who showed little patience for his star’s inability to maintain character for his typical long takes. With tension palpable throughout the film’s production, the director eventually compromised by shooting Cher in shorter close-ups to better capture her natural charisma and expressive eyes.

5 They swapped Springsteen for Seger… and back again

Various songs by Bruce Springsteen, the real Rocky Dennis’ favorite musician, had always been planned to be included in the film. Even Bruce himself was on board, but the studio could not come to a reasonable agreement with the owners of Springsteen’s catalogue in time, forcing a last-minute switch to a handful of Bob Seger‘s hits. Years later, Springsteen intervened to help negotiate a deal for his songs to be re-added to the soundtrack in time for the release of the 2004 director’s cut.

6 The movie wasn’t entirely accurate

While Mask was “based on a true story,” Bogdanovich and his team showed a willingness to veer away from certain details of Rocky’s actual journey to help enhance the script. For instance, while Rusty and Gar visit Rocky’s grave at the end of the movie, the real Rocky wasn’t buried at all, as his mom had agreed to donate his body to UCLA for medical research. Also, the movie depicts Rocky teaching Diana, a young blind girl played by Laura Dern, about the concept of colors. This was pure fiction, as Rocky was actually legally blind himself.

7 The real Rocky Dennis defied all expectations

Due to a plethora of medical complications related to his condition, the real Rocky Dennis was only given until the age of seven to live. Instead, he fought to hold onto life for as long as possible, surviving until the age of 16 before finally succumbing to his tragic ailments. His story, both on screen and in real life, remains an inspiration to us all.