The Costume Designers Guild announced today that the legendary Bette Midler will be honored with the Distinguished Collaborator Award at the 25th CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards). Midler is the latest honoree who will be joined by Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett who will be honored with the Spotlight Award, followed by Academy Award® winner Deborah L. Scott who will be recognized with the Career Achievement Award, and Emmy-nominated costume designer Rachael M. Stanley who will receive the Distinguished Service Award.
The Distinguished Collaborator Award honors individuals who demonstrate unwavering support of Costume Design and creative partnerships with Costume Designers. Past recipients include Shonda Rhimes, Adam McKay, Ryan Murphy, Meryl Streep, Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo Del Toro, Lorne Michaels, Helen Mirren, Judd Apatow, Clint Eastwood, Amy Pascal, Rob Marshall, and James Burrows, among others.
“In my very long career, I have been blessed to work with some of the greatest costume designers ever in the worlds of stage and film. It’s been a wild ride, and I am delighted that they have chosen me as their honoree this year; I truly owe them everything. I look forward to thanking each and every one of them; geniuses all” said Bette Midler, recipient of the Distinguished Collaborator Award at the 25th CDGA.
“This is such an exciting awards year for us at the Guild,” said Terry Gordon, President of the Costume Designers Guild, IATSE Local 892. “Not only are we celebrating our milestone 25th CDGA, but we’re also honoring an extraordinary group of talented women, a group that now includes the luminous Bette Midler. All of our illustrious honorees are leaders, amazing collaborators, glass-ceiling breakers, and proven icons in their art and craft. We are proud to stand beside them to celebrate their achievements, and we look forward to celebrating an amazing gathering of talent!”
Over the past month, the Costume Designers Guild revealed the official honorees and nominees in eight categories for the 25th CDGA and the winners will be announced live at the ceremony. Celebrating excellence in film, television, and short form costume design, the annual awards ceremony will take place live on Monday, February 27th at The Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the CDGA and is the one night a year that designers spend together celebrating their work and their contemporaries. Additional details regarding the 25th CDGA host, presenters, and sponsors will be announced in the coming weeks
This year’s ceremony is sponsored by Westfield Century City, Campari®, and produced by NVE Experience Agency. For more information on the awards show, please visit the CDGA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Bette Midler – 2023 Distinguished Collaborator Award Recipient
Bette Midler is a legendary actress and multi-platinum singer whose accolades span over five decades and include four Grammy Awards, two Academy Award® nominations, three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards. Beginning her career as a Broadway singer and recording artist, Midler has released fourteen studio albums since 1970 and sold over thirty million records worldwide. Making the jump into motion pictures, Bette made her film debut in 1979 with the musical drama The Rose where she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and a nomination for an Academy Award®. In the years since, Midler has received industry praise for films including Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Ruthless People (1986), Big Business (1988), and Beaches (1988). Entering the 90s with force, her starring role in For the Boys (1991) earned her a second Academy Award® nomination followed by Gypsy (1993), with the latter winning her two Golden Globe Awards. Later that year, Midler starred in the cult-favorite Disney film Hocus Pocus followed by The First Wives Club (1996). In April 2017, Bette made her highly anticipated return to Broadway, taking on the role of “Dolly Gallagher Levi” in Hello, Dolly!, winning a Tony Award for her performance. One of the most celebrated musicals in theater history, the adaptation was directed by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks. In October 2017, Bette’s iconic 1972 debut album The Divine Miss M was re-issued. The Divine Miss M: Deluxe Edition is a 2-CD set that includes the remastered album, plus a bonus disc of singles, outtakes, and demos, as well as new liner notes written by Miss M. In December 2021, Midler was inducted as part of the 44th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements. Most recently, Bette has starred in two seasons of Ryan Murphy’s The Politician on Netflix while also reprising her iconic role in 2022 as Winifred Sanders in Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2.
About The Costume Designers Guild
The Costume Designers Guild, IATSE local 892, is a union formed for the promotion and protection of the art of costume design. Members, including costume designers, assistant costume designers, and illustrators, use their artistry and technical expertise to create believable characters within the narratives of motion pictures, television, commercials, music videos, and new media. Over 1,200 members strong, the CDG is a proud affiliate of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @CDGlocal892.
