Bette Midler

Director Mark Rydell's The Rose documents the meteoric rise and fall of a brash but troubled rocker loosely modeled after legendary howler Janis Joplin. That said, the music feels far more 1970s Springsteen than hippie-era San Francisco. Midler shines regardless. As the versatile singer has proven time and time again, she can sing just about anything: R&B, country, disco, classic rock 'n' roll, the phone book. Midler won the 1979 Academy Award for best actress. Not bad at all for her film debut.