We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Bette Midler, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the singer and comedian that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: Her First Role Was as a Rock Star. In her first acting role, Midler played a rock star who was addicted to drugs. Her character was meant to be modeled after Janis Joplin, and the movie was called The Rose. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, and she ended up winning a Golden Globe for it as well.
Number Seven: She Made Many Chart-Toppers. Just a few of Midler’s songs that topped the charts include “Wind Beneath My Wings,” “Do You Wanna Dance?”, and “From a Distance.”
Number Six: She Played Animated Characters. Midler has played several animated characters in films, including the roles of an obnoxious poodle and a wooden spoon.
Number Five: Her Wedding Was Officiated by an Elvis Impersonator. Midler got married in 1984 to artist Martin Rochus Sebastian von Haselberg, and in fact, an Elvis impersonator officiated their wedding!
Number Four: She Sang With Michael Jackson. For the charity single “We Are the World” in 1985, Midler sang alongside Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie – among others.
Number Three: She Is Very Charitable. We already mentioned that Midler sang in a charity single, but she has since been charitable in many other ways. She has her own non-profit organization called the New York Restoration Project, and the project is designed to restore green areas in neighborhoods with low-income homes. Since the organization was founded in 1995, more than one million trees have been planted in New York City thanks to her.
Number Two: Her 25th Album Was a Tribute to Girl Groups. Midler made her 25th album, which was released in November of 2014, as a tribute to girl groups over the decades. In the album, she covered everyone from the Andrews Sisters to TLC.
Number One: She Is Anti-Spotify. Companies like Spotify and Pandora have recently come under fire for the lack of compensation they provide to artists, and Midler is in the camp that is adamantly against the services.