Who Is Bette Midler? Singer and Award-Winning Performer

Bette Midler is a singer who expressed support for protecting copyright holders' rights through the Human Consent Foundation and endorsed an amicus curiae submission supporting the lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft.

At Ban the Bots, we track the people and organizations fighting AI: the activists, union leaders, lawmakers, plaintiffs, researchers and founders pushing back on how AI is built and used.

Midler has won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and starred in films including 'The Rose', 'Beaches', 'The First Wives Club', and 'Hocus Pocus'.

Where Bette Midler Is Now

Bette Midler is an award-winning singer and performer who recently supported legal efforts regarding artificial intelligence, as reported by Zócalo.

• Current role: Singer
• Organization: None stated
• Known for: Hit song 'Wind Beneath My Wings', films such as 'Hocus Pocus', and winning Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards
• Recent news: Endorsed an amicus curiae submission supporting the lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, and received the 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize

Entertainment Career and Achievements

Midler has won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards, and is a two-time Academy Award nominee, according to The Kansas City Star. Her albums have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, and she is the singer of the hit song 'Wind Beneath My Wings'.

Her film career includes starring roles in 'The Rose', 'Beaches', 'The First Wives Club', and 'Hocus Pocus', as noted by The Kansas City Star. On Broadway, Midler starred as Dolly Gallagher Levi in 'Hello Dolly!' and won a Tony Award in 2017 for her performance.

Recent News and the Woody Guthrie Prize

Midler received the 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, where she took part in a conversation with music journalist Rona Elliot, according to IJR and The Kansas City Star.

At the event, Midler performed an updated version of Woody Guthrie's protest song 'All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)', which she co-wrote with Eric Kornfeld, as reported by IJR and The Kansas City Star. Midler stated that the updated song reflected her belief that art can speak to justice when institutions fall short, and she was featured in a music video for the song co-directed by Toni Basil and Seanne Farmer.

Advocacy and Causes

Midler expressed support for protecting copyright holders’ rights through the Human Consent Foundation, according to Maeil Business Newspaper. Additionally, she endorsed an amicus curiae submission supporting the lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, as reported by Zócalo.

Midler founded the New York Restoration Project in 1995 and is recognized as an advocate for environmental conservation, public spaces, LGBTQ+ rights, and public health initiatives, according to The Kansas City Star. She is also a longtime opponent of Donald Trump and celebrated a Democratic midterm victory online, stating, 'I am OVERJOYED! What a great, great night! Thank you, America! You’ve saved your beloved country!!', as reported by The Guardian.

Sources

• ijr.com
• kansascity.com
• mk.co.kr
• theguardian.com
• zocalo.com.mx

More people pushing back on AI are mapped in our guide to who is fighting AI, and the unions, companies and governments drawing the line are tracked on Fighting Back.