Bette Midler: Bio, Songs, Net Worth, and Current Activities

Bette Midler has been a fixture in American entertainment for decades, but ask someone what she’s up to these days and you might get a shrug. The Divine Miss M is still very much active—she just isn’t touring, and her days of belting out “Wind Beneath My Wings” on stage may be behind her. That hasn’t stopped her from filling her time with acting, social media commentary, and environmental activism.

Full Name: Bette Midler · Born: December 1, 1945 · Occupation: Singer, actress, comedian · Spouse: Martin von Haselberg (m. 1984) · Children: 1 (Sophie) · Notable Song: Wind Beneath My Wings

The following table summarizes key personal and professional details.

What song is Bette Midler known for?

The Rose

• Midler’s first major hit, “The Rose,” was released in 1980 as part of the film soundtrack. It won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (IMDb (industry database)).
• The song became her signature ballad and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wind Beneath My Wings

• Recorded for the 1988 film Beaches, this track spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Midler another Grammy for Record of the Year (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• It remains her most commercially successful single, often used in emotional tributes.

From a Distance

• Released in 1991, this cover reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• The song’s themes of peace and unity aligned with Midler’s growing public activism.

For comparisons to other singer-songwriters of her era, see Tracy Chapman: Biography, Career & Private Life.

What does Bette Midler do today?

Recent social media activity

• Midler remains active on X (formerly Twitter), posting several times daily about politics, environmental issues, and cultural commentary (Instagram (verified account) indicates continued engagement).
• In 2025 she posted on Instagram about federal program cuts, continuing her pattern of outspoken activism.

Why she stopped touring

• In 2017 Midler underwent vocal cord surgery to remove a benign polyp. She later said, “I never thought I’d stop singing, but my voice needed rest… I’m grateful to have found the problem and fixed it” (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• She has not launched a concert tour since the surgery, although she continues to make occasional live appearances, such as the 2025 NYRP Hulaween gala.

Recent acting projects

• Midler reprised her role as Winifred Sanderson in Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) (IMDb (industry database)).
• She made a cameo in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans (2022).

The implication: her digital presence now defines her public identity more than her stage work ever did.

Does Bette Midler have biological children?

Her daughter Sophie

• Midler gave birth to Sophie von Haselberg on November 14, 1986 (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
• Sophie worked briefly as an actress, appearing in TV shows such as 30 Rock, before pivoting to a career in law. She now works as a lawyer.

Her marriage to Martin von Haselberg

• Midler married Martin von Haselberg, a performance artist and businessman, on December 16, 1984 (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• The couple has been married for over 40 years, a stability rare in Hollywood.

The pattern: family stability has been a constant amid a turbulent career.

Is Bette Midler LGBTQ?

Her advocacy for LGBTQ rights

• Midler has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ community for decades. In 1993 she received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for her contributions to LGBTQ visibility (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
• She has frequently spoken in favor of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination protections.

Her own sexual orientation

• Midler has been married to a man since 1984 and has publicly identified as heterosexual (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• She has stated in interviews that she considers herself an ally, not a member, of the LGBTQ community.

What this means: her allyship is substantive, not performative.

How is Bette Midler’s health?

Vocal cord surgery in 2017

• Midler underwent a surgical procedure to remove a vocal cord polyp in 2017 (Biography (authoritative biography source)).
• She described the recovery as challenging but successful, noting she can still sing for shorter periods.

Recent health updates

• In interviews since 2020, Midler has described her overall health as “good” and continues to appear publicly without visible health issues (Bootleg Betty (entertainment blog)).
• She remains physically active, posting about walks and gardening on social media.

Is Bette Midler a nice person in real life?

• Colleagues describe her as generous, with a sharp wit and an outspoken nature (Billboard (music industry news) reported Billy Crystal brought her to tears with a tribute at NYRP Hulaween).
• She has a reputation for being demanding but warm, and many costars praise her professionalism.

The catch: her outspoken nature earns both admiration and criticism.

The pattern: each decade brought a new highlight.

What this means: the knowns outweigh the unknowns, but key questions remain.

For the millions who grew up with her voice—whether belting from a boombox or cackling in a Halloween classic—Bette Midler remains a singular figure. The pattern is clear: she adapts. When the stage went quiet, the keyboard got louder. For fans in an era of 24/7 celebrity access, the trade-off is real: fewer live moments, but a front-row seat to her unfiltered opinions.

Similarly, other celebrities like Sarah Michelle Gellar have also managed health challenges while maintaining a career.