Whoopi Goldberg
American actor, comedian, and singer.
Whoopi Goldberg, born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955, in Manhattan, is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality. She is one of only 28 entertainers to achieve EGOT status, having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award, along with a BAFTA and two Golden Globes. Her career began with one-woman stage shows; a recording of her Broadway production earned her a Grammy for Best Comedy Album, making her the first Black female comedian to win that award. She gained film prominence playing a mistreated woman in Steven Spielberg's *The Color Purple* (1985), winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress and an Academy Award nomination. She later won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as an eccentric psychic in *Ghost* (1990), becoming the second African-American woman to win an Oscar. She headlined the comedies *Sister Act* (1992) and its sequel, becoming the highest-paid actress at the time, and voiced a hyena in *The Lion King* (1994). On television, she played Guinan in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1988–1993) and later reprised the role in *Star Trek: Picard* (2022). Since 2007, she has co-hosted and moderated the daytime talk show *The View*, winning a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host. She has also hosted the Academy Awards four times and won a Tony Award for producing the musical *Thoroughly Modern Millie* (2002). Her other accolades include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2001), the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2010), and the Disney Legend Award (2017).
- field
- Actor, comedian, singer
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- EGOT winner, Oscar-winning role in Ghost, co-host of The View
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Goldberg started her career as a comedian performing her one woman show Spook Stories off-Broadway. Mike Nichols saw her performing and helped her adapt the show for Broadway with the show titled, Whoopi Goldberg (1984). She gained career stardom after portraying Celie Harris Johnson in the Steven Spielberg directed coming-of-age epic The Color Purple (1985), which was based on the Alice Walker novel of the same name. For her performance Goldberg was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost (1990), becoming the second African-American woman after Hattie MacDaniel for Gone with the Wind to win the award. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her performance in the comedy Sister Act (1992). She reprised the role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993). On television, she is best known for her recurring role as Guinan in the science-fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988–1993) and Star Trek: Picard (2022). She has hosted the Academy Awards four times in 1994, 1996, 1999, and 2002. She currently co-hosts and moderates the talk show The View (2007–).
Reader's Guide
Goldberg's career is marked by major milestones. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost (1990), becoming the second African-American woman after Hattie MacDaniel for Gone with the Wind to win the award. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Color Purple (1985) and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for that role. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Sister Act (1992). She has hosted the Academy Awards four times: 1994, 1996, 1999, and 2002. She has acted in films such as Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Clara's Heart (1988), Soapdish (1991), Sarafina! (1992), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Rat Race (2001), For Colored Girls (2010), and Till (2022). She has voiced roles in The Lion King (1994), The Pagemaster (1994), and Toy Story 3 (2010). On television, she is best known for her recurring role as Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988–1993) and Star Trek: Picard (2022). She has guest starred on shows such as Moonlighting, A Different World, Sesame Street, Law & Order, 30 Rock, and The Conners.
Did You Know?
- Whoopi Goldberg won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Ghost (1990), becoming the second African-American woman after Hattie MacDaniel for Gone with the Wind to win the award.
- She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Color Purple (1985) and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for that role.
- She has hosted the Academy Awards four times: in 1994, 1996, 1999, and 2002.
- Goldberg started her career as a comedian performing her one woman show Spook Stories off-Broadway, which Mike Nichols helped adapt for Broadway as Whoopi Goldberg (1984).
- She currently co-hosts and moderates the talk show The View, a role she has held since 2007.
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