Bette Midler’s daughter, Sophie von Haselberg, followed in her acting footsteps.
Midler married artist Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984, and two years later they expanded their family with the birth of Sophie, who was born on November 14, 1986 in Los Angeles.
Growing up, she respected her mother’s work, but decided to study sociology with a focus on East Asian studies at Yale University. When she was ready to graduate, though, she realized she wanted to pursue acting on her own terms, and no one was more surprised than Midler.
“This is the first time she mentioned work, but God bless her… You know, everyone has to follow their own bliss,” she told The Insider in April 2008.
Talking to vanity fair in May 2017, Sophie revealed why she changed her mind. “I wanted to clear my own path!” she said. “I never wanted to be compared [my mom]but since then I’ve accepted it as something completely inevitable.”
Sophie is best known for her roles in Tower of cards, Pose and American Horror Story.
From her career in Hollywood to her sweetest moments with mom, here’s everything you need to know about Bette Midler’s daughter, Sophie von Hasselberg.
Bette Midler’s life in pictures
She focused on her studies
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Sophie attended the Nightingale-Bamford School for Girls in New York, an inspiring private high school Gossip girlfictional Constance Billard. After that, she was accepted to Yale University, where she received a BA in Sociology and East Asian Studies in May 2008.
During her college career, Sophie explored various industries, including the world of publishing after gaining an internship at vanity fair the summer before senior year.
The California native also studied abroad in China during her undergraduate studies and later returned to the country to work at an advertising agency, where she focused on her Mandarin skills.
“I was so, so mesmerized living there, using my Mandarin every day, surrounded by the extreme hustle and bustle of Chinese cities, this constant sense of exploration and adventure,” she told Suzee Behind Scenes in September 2016. “It was absolutely one of the most formative experiences in my life.”
She was inspired to act by her mother
Bette Midler and daughter Sophie von Haselberg attend the 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors in December 2021 in Washington, DC. Paul Morigi/Getty
At first, Midler did not want Sophie to pursue an acting career.
“My mom in particular was against me going into showbiz,” Sophie told Suzee backstage in September 2016. “That’s why I constantly pushed myself to explore new paths. At various times in my life I thought I was going to be an astrophysicist, an architect , editor… The list goes on.”
Despite her mother’s hesitation, Sophie “always knew” she would pursue acting, she said New York Post in October 2014. However, she first embarked on other careers to try to find her own path. “You know you’re always going to be compared to your parent,” Sophie explained of why she initially resisted following in her mom’s footsteps.
After her time in China, she returned to Yale in 2011 to study at their drama school, later graduating with an MFA in 2014. This was followed by her theater debut in the play Off-Broadway Billy and Ray in New York the same year.
Growing up, she didn’t watch her mother’s movies
Bette Midler and her daughter Sophie von Halsenberg in ‘Hocus Pocus’ inspired Halloween costumes in October 2016.
Rebecca Smeyne/Getty
Although Midler is a household name, known for acting in various genres of film and theater productions during her nearly 60-year career, Sophie didn’t watch her mother’s work when she was a child.
She said Interview magazine in June 2017 that it was because Midler didn’t bring her projects home with her.
“She wasn’t the kind of person who was always standing around talking about what she was working on and how excited she was to see it,” Sophie recalled. “It got to a certain point where I think she realized I’d barely seen any of her movies, and she said, ‘Okay, maybe we should show you one or two just so you can get a feel for what I do.’ ”
As an adult, she watched most of her mother’s films. Sophie described seeing her on the big screen as an “emotional experience”.
“I remember watching Beaches and Rose, and to be such a mess afterwards,” she told the newspaper.
She got married during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sophie von Haselburg and her husband Harry JN Guinness celebrate on their wedding day in June 2020. Sophie Von Haselburg Instagram
In June 2020, Sophie married her boyfriend, Harry JN Guinness, in an intimate ceremony attended by just 11 people, including their parents. Her mother took care of the flowers while her father prepared the dinner menu, she said Today in October 2021.
“What made the whole thing so special was that we did it all ourselves,” Sophie said of the big day.
Sophie first shared the news of her wedding on Instagram with an adorable wedding photo showing the newlyweds feasting on cake.
“It’s great when someone you love smears cake on your face! And I bloody love this man!” she wrote the picture.
Talking to Manila BulletinMidler revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than just the size of their wedding.
“It was a pandemic wedding, a very small wedding, and her husband, her new husband, hadn’t cut his hair in three months,” Politician the star said of her daughter’s preparations for the ceremony. “So she looked up how to get a haircut online and she gave him a pretty good haircut.”
He has an eclectic acting resume
Bette Midler and daughter Sophie von Haselberg arrive at the 2019 Met Gala on May 2019 in New York City. Theo Wargo/WireImage
Sophie’s first acting role was as an extra as a “party girl” in the 1991 rom-com. Frankie and Johnnystarring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.
After making her off-Broadway debut, she starred in a Woody Allen film Irrational man as a character in April 2015. Sophie continued to work on other films such as historical drama Ask for Janefinancial thriller Equity capital and Hallmark’s holiday movie Broadcasting Christmas.
On the small screen, Sophie’s television role was as Tanya Benson in two episodes Tower of cards 2017. Since then, in American Horror Story, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: An American Crime Story and Pose.
In addition to her acting career, Sophie also performs in live theatre. After Billy & Rayit was inserted What are we talking about when we talk about Anne Frank? in 2022
She also tried her hand at working behind the camera. In 2017, her short film YOYO premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, marking her first project as a producer.
Although Midler was initially opposed to her daughter taking up acting, she only supported her career. While speaking with PEOPLE in February 2023, Midler praised Sophie’s appearance in the 2022 thriller. Have mercy on me! describing her performance as “fantastic”.
She was the co-host of the podcast
Actress Bette Midler with her daughter Sophie von Haselberg on a walk together.
Steve Eichner/WWD/Penske Media/Getty
Sophie co-created and hosted the podcast Overnight stay with Ariana Venturi for four years. The audio project celebrated the lost art of evening entertainment, with the pair cooking up dishes while interviewing culinary talent and other celebrities, including NFL star Patrick Mahomes.
After launching the podcast in early 2019, Sophie participated in dozens of weekly episodes, one of which was dedicated to her surprise weddings. The co-hosts concluded their show in August 2023 with the last episode.
Additionally, they teased that it might come back in a different way.
“We’re hoping to take Having A Night in some *live*, *theatrical* directions,” the duo said in the description of their latest podcast episode. “So if you have any ideas for theaters or anything you’d like to see live and live… Let us know!”
She is close to her parents
Bette Midler and her husband Martin Von Haselberg with their daughter Sophie von Haselberg attend a Broadway event at The Russian Tea Room in April 2013 in New York City. Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
As an only child, Sophie always had a particularly close relationship with her parents. Actually, she said New York Post In 2014, the three of them still had dinner together every Sunday.
When it came time to introduce her future husband to her mom and dad, Sophie felt extra pressure.
“I mean, it’s obvious to me that she’s always just going to be my mom,” she recalled Today. “Of course I’m very, very aware of her status in the culture, but she’s also my mom and I think being an only child, bringing someone home means a lot more because of that.”
However, Midler immediately supported her daughter’s relationship.
“They’re very happy together. So that gives me a lot of happiness, tremendous happiness,” she told PEOPLE after Sophie’s wedding. And although she and her daughter are still very close, the iconic actress has more of a free hand these days.
“I think the best thing you can do if you’re a mother-in-law is to step back and let them live their lives and realize that you’re not living their life and you don’t have all the answers and it’s up to them to find their own life and answers,” Midler said.
She accepts being a “nepo baby”
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Sophie has come to terms with the “nepo baby” label.
“I can’t help who my parents are. I was born and they were who they were, and that’s it,” she told PEOPLE in February 2024. “I also can’t help how much I love acting.”
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Source: HIS Education