At 78, Bette Midler Admits To Having 'Some Tailoring Done’ On Her Face After Seriously Considering It Years Ago

Mar 03, 2023

Bette Midler must have had star written all over her the moment she was born, as she was named Bette after renowned actress Bette Davis, and she sure has lived up to her moniker. She was born in Hawaii but left the island for New York City in 1965 and found her way to show business.

Her start in the industry was instant, as she first began by studying theater at HB Studio before appearing in various off-off-Broadway plays. Just one year later, she landed the role of Tzeitel in "Fiddler on the Roof" on Broadway, which she played for three years.

She moved on to other musicals and even had a stint singing at local bathhouses, which is where she earned her core following of fans. It was around this time that she worked with and became close with her piano accompanist, who happened to be none other than Barry Manilow. He would produce her first album, 1972's "The Divine Miss M," which would earn Midler her first Grammy.

The '70s saw her fame continue to grow with appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and a number of other album releases, which only boosted her popularity. She eventually moved to television and movies, with her first film role in 1979's "The Rose" earning her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win.

Because of her renowned work in the entertainment world, it is no surprise that she was awarded the Distinguished Collaborator Award by the Costume Designers Guild Awards in February 2023.

During her acceptance speech, Midler cheekily revealed that in 60 years of her career, she had already done “some tailoring” on her face, sending the crowd to a cheer because of her revelation dressed in a witty pun. 

Read on to learn more about Midler and her thoughts on getting plastic surgery. 

For her role in 1991's "For The Boys" Midler would earn her second Oscar nomination, but once again, she wouldn't win. The next few decades only added to her already stellar reputation in Hollywood. Perhaps one of the most iconic modern roles of Midler's was in the iconic Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus” in 1993. She famously reprised her role again in 2022 – sealing her place as one of the most revered icons in modern pop culture. 

With a career that's spanned over half a century and counting, Midler's contributions to the entertainment industry have been heavily praised and she has the awards to prove it. On top of countless nominations, in her career, she's won four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. 

Midler, who is most notably known for being a showgirl and an artist in her own right, sat down with Extra in 2008 for a personal interview before she launched her very first Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at The Ceasar’s Palace titled “Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On.”

In the interview, Midler was candid in her answers, confessing that it was the “sexiest show” she have ever done back then. Aside from her overflowing talent, the outlet also noted that Midler was described as having “fabulous legs.” 

Asked about getting plastic surgery in 2008, Midler had this to say: “Doesn't everybody consider it? When it really starts to cave in, I probably will start to give it a real good think."

Midler admitted she was also “really disciplined” when it came to her regimen. She doesn’t keep strange hours and she does not smoke. 

Evidently, that “discipline” of Midler's paid off, since at 78, she still looks brilliant and fashionably beautiful, combatting the highly-controversial topic of ageism in Hollywood. 

In 2017, Midler returned to Broadway for the 2017 revival production of “Hello, Dolly!” where she played the titular character. She went on to receive her second Tony, her very first competitive Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. 

On Feb. 27, 2023, Midler was invited to the 25th Annual Costume Designer Guild Awards, where she received one of the highest honors of the night – the Distinguished Collaborator Award. 

Midler, dressed in a stunning black gown with bejeweled beadwork from the neck down, turned heads because of her elegant and timeless beauty at the famed costume gala. In her speech, Midler joked about the compliments she received for having her ageless appearance. 

“Time has a way of smoothing everything out. I’ve been at it for close to 60 years –,” she said as she was interrupted by a cheering crowd. “and I do look fabulous, I know,” 

But the next revelation in her speech seemed to finally confirm the growing speculation of plastic surgery experts that she's had facelifts, injections and face fillers. 

“I’ve had some tailoring done on my face,” she revealed before throwing in her funniest punchline of the night. “But I do wanna say: I’ve been at it for close to 60 years and during that time, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart – you have dressed me, you have fed me, and you have stolen from me.” 

If the “tailoring” has brought her anything, it was renewed vitality, timeless beauty, and even more confidence as she will most likely be active in the industry in the years to come until she retires. 

Do you think Bette Midler had plastic surgery? What do you think about her beauty? Do you prefer natural beauty over “enhanced” beauty? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Bette Midler fans!