Caryn Elaine Johnson was born inManhattan, New York City,[7] on November 13, 1955,[1][2][3] the daughter of Emma Johnson (née Harris),[8] a nurse and teacher,[9] and Robert James Johnson Jr., aBaptist[10] clergyman. She was raised in a public housing project, theChelsea-Elliot Houses, in New York City.[11]
She has stated that her stage forename ("Whoopi") was taken from awhoopee cushion: "When you're performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a littlegassy, you've got to let it go. So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."[18]
About her stage surname, she claimed in 2011, "My mother did not name me Whoopi, but Goldberg is my name—it's part of my family, part of my heritage, just like being black," and "I just know I am Jewish. I practice nothing. I don't go to temple, but I do remember the holidays."[19] She has stated that "people would say 'Come on, are you Jewish?' And I always say 'Would you ask me that if I was white? I bet not.'"[19] One account suggests that her mother, Emma Johnson, thought the family's original surname was "not Jewish enough" for her daughter to become a star.[19] Goldberg has said that her family is "Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, and Catholic."[20]
ResearcherHenry Louis Gates Jr. found that all of Goldberg's traceable ancestors were black, that she had no known Jewish ancestry, and that none of her ancestors were named Goldberg.[15] Results of aDNA test, revealed in the 2006PBS documentaryAfrican American Lives, traced part of her ancestry to thePapel and Bayote people of modern-dayGuinea-Bissau of West Africa.[21] The show identified her great-great-grandparents as William and Elsie Washington, who had acquired property in northern Florida in 1873, and mentions they were among a very small number of black people who became landowners through homesteading in the years following the Civil War. The show also mentions that her grandparents were living in Harlem, and that her grandfather was working as aPullman porter.[22]
According to an anecdote told byNichelle Nichols inTrekkies (1997), a young Goldberg was watchingStar Trek, and on seeing Nichols' characterUhura, exclaimed, "Momma! There's a black lady on television and she ain't no maid!"[23] This spawned Goldberg's lifelongStar Trek fandom. Goldberg lobbied for and was eventually cast in a recurring guest starring role asGuinan onStar Trek: The Next Generation.
In the 1970s, Goldberg moved to San Diego, California, where she became a waitress, then toBerkeley,[24] where she worked odd jobs, including as a bank teller, a mortuary cosmetologist, and a bricklayer.[25] She joined the avant-garde theater troupe the Blake Street Hawkeyes[25] and gave comedy and acting classes;Courtney Love was one of her acting students.[26] Goldberg was also in a number of theater productions.[27] In 1978, she witnessed amidair collision of two planes in San Diego, causing her to develop a fear of flying andpost-traumatic stress disorder.[28][29]
In 1983[31] and 1984, she "first came to national prominence with her one-woman show"[32] in which she portrayedMoms Mabley,Moms, first performed in Berkeley, California, and then at theVictoria Theatre in San Francisco; theOakland Museum of California preserves a poster advertising the show.[33]
She createdThe Spook Show, a one-woman show composed of different character monologues in 1983. DirectorMike Nichols "discovered" her when he saw her perform.[34] In an interview, he recalled that he "burst into tears", and that he and Goldberg "fell into each other's arms" when they first met backstage.[35] Goldberg considered Nichols her mentor.[36] Nichols helped her transfer the show toBroadway, where it was retitledWhoopi Goldberg. The show ran from October 24, 1984, to March 10, 1985, and was taped and broadcast byHBO asWhoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway.[37] The recording of the special was awarded theGrammy Award for Best Comedy Album, making Goldberg the first Black female comedian to win the Grammy.[38]
Between 1985 and 1988, Goldberg was the busiest female star, making seven films.[43] She starred inPenny Marshall's directorial debutJumpin' Jack Flash (1986) and began a relationship withDavid Claessen, a director of photography on the set; they married later that year. The film was a modest success, and during the next two years, three additional motion pictures featured Goldberg:Burglar (1987),Fatal Beauty (1987), andThe Telephone (1988). Though they were not as successful, Goldberg garnered awards from theNAACP Image Awards. Goldberg and Claessen divorced after the poor box office performance ofThe Telephone, in which she was contracted to perform. She tried unsuccessfully to sue the film's producers.Clara's Heart (1988) did poorly at the box office, though her own performance was critically acclaimed.
Goldberg was involved in controversy at a fundraiser forJohn Kerry atRadio City Music Hall in New York in July 2004 when she made a sexual joke about PresidentGeorge W. Bush by waving a bottle of wine, pointed toward her pubic area, and said, "We should keepBush where he belongs, and not in the White House." As result,Slim-Fast dropped her from their ad campaign.[61] Later that year, she revived her one-woman show at theLyceum Theatre on Broadway in honor of its 20th anniversary;Charles Isherwood ofThe New York Times called the opening night performance an "intermittently funny but sluggish evening of comic portraiture".[34] Goldberg made guest appearances onEverybody Hates Chris as elderly character Louise Clarkson.[62]
From August 2006 to March 2008, Goldberg hostedWake Up with Whoopi, a nationally syndicated morning radio talk and entertainment program.[62] In October 2007, Goldberg announced on the air that she was going to retire from acting because she was no longer sent scripts, saying, "You know, there's no room for the very talented Whoopi. There's no room right now in the marketplace of cinema".[63] On December 13, 2008, she guest starred onThe Naked Brothers Band, aNickelodeonrock-mockumentary television series. Before the episode premiered, on February 18, 2008,the band performed onThe View and the band members were interviewed by Goldberg andSherri Shepherd.[64] That same year, Goldberg hosted62nd Tony Awards.[65]
Goldberg returned to the stage playingMiss Hannigan in the musicalAnnie as part of a limited engagement atThe Theater at Madison Square Garden from December 4, 2024, to January 5, 2025.The New York Times praised Goldberg's performance describing her as a "holiday gift" adding, "In a just sweet enough production with a strong cast, the "View" host delivers a performance that reaffirms her savvy as a comic actor."[87] Patrick Ryan ofUSA Today agreed writing, "[She] is perfectly prickly and altogether hilarious in her first stage acting role in more than 15 years".[88]
Goldberg (lower right) on the Spring 2003 cover ofMs. magazine
In 2006, Goldberg appeared during the 20th anniversary ofComic Relief.[90] Goldberg is an advocate for human rights, moderating a panel at theAlliance of Youth Movements Summit on how social networks can be used to fightviolent extremism in 2008,[91][92] and also moderating a panel at the UN on human rights, children and armed conflict, terrorism, and reconciliation in 2009.[93] On an episode ofThe View that aired on May 9, 2012, Goldberg stated she is a member of theNational Rifle Association of America.[94][95]
Goldberg co-founded Whoopi & Maya, a company that mademedical cannabis products for women seeking relief frommenstrual cramps.[103] Goldberg says she was inspired to go into business by "a lifetime of difficult periods and the fact that cannabis was literally the only thing that gave me relief".[104] The company was launched in April 2016 but announced in February 2020 that it was ceasing operations.[104][105] In 2021, Goldberg announced the launch of a new line of cannabis products, "Emma & Clyde", named for her late mother and brother.[106][107]
On Friday, June 13, 2025, Goldberg appeared on the CBS Mornings to announce that she had co-founded an all women's sports network, AWSN, that is now streaming on Pluto TV.[108]
In July 2006, Goldberg became the main host of theUniversal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour, in which she appears multiple times in video clips shown to the guests on monitors placed on the trams.[110]
She made a guest appearance on the situation comedy30 Rock during the series' fourth season, in which she played herself, counselingTracy Jordan on winning the "EGOT", the coveted combination of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.[111] On July 14, 2008, Goldberg announced onThe View that from July 29 to September 7, she would perform in the Broadway musicalXanadu.[112] On November 13, 2008, Goldberg's birthday, she announced live onThe View that she would be producing, along withStage Entertainment, the premiere ofSister Act: The Musical at theLondon Palladium.[113][114]
She gave a short message at the beginning of theJunior Eurovision Song Contest 2008 wishing all the participants good luck, and stressing the importance ofUNICEF, the official charity of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.[115] Since its launch in 2008, Goldberg has been a contributor forwowOwow.com, a new website for women to talk culture, politics, and gossip.[116]
Goldberg made herWest End debut as the Mother Superior in amusical version ofSister Act for a limited engagement set for August 10–31, 2010,[119] but prematurely left the cast on August 27 to be with her family; her mother had had a severe stroke.[120] However, she later returned to the cast for five performances.[121] The show closed on October 30, 2010.[122]
On September 4, 2007, Goldberg became the new moderator and co-host ofThe View, replacingRosie O'Donnell.[123] Goldberg's debut as moderator drew 3.4 million viewers, 1 million fewer than O'Donnell's debut ratings. However, after 2 weeks,The View was averaging 3.5 million total viewers under Goldberg, a 7-percent increase from 3.3 million under O'Donnell the previous season.[124]
Goldberg has made controversial comments on the program on several occasions.[125] One of her first appearances involved defendingMichael Vick's participation indogfighting as a result of "cultural upbringing".[126][127] In 2009, she opined thatRoman Polanski's rape conviction of a thirteen-year-old in 1977[128][129] was not "rape-rape".[130][131] She later clarified that she had intended to distinguish betweenstatutory rape andforcible rape.[132] The following year, in response to alleged comments byMel Gibson considered racist, she said: "I don't like what he did here, but I know Mel and I know he's not a racist".[133]
In 2015, Goldberg was initially a defender ofBill Cosby from therape allegations made against him, questioning why Cosby had never been arrested or tried for them.[134][130] She later changed her stance, stating that "all of the information that's out there kinda points to 'guilt'."[135] After learning that thestatute of limitations on these allegations had expired and thus Cosby could not be tried, she also stated her support for removing the statute of limitations for rape.[136]
On January 31, 2022, Goldberg drew widespread criticism for stating on the show thatthe Holocaust was not based onrace but "about man's inhumanity to man",[137] telling her co-hosts: "This is white people doing it to white people, so y'all going to fight amongst yourselves."[138] She apologized on Twitter later that day.[139] She maintained that theNazis' issue was withethnicity and notrace onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert that same day, which drew further criticism.[140] Goldberg issued another apology on air the following day.[141] She was subsequently suspended fromThe View for two weeks over the comments.[142]
Goldberg has been married three times. She was married to drug counselor Alvin Martin from 1973 to 1979;[148][149] to cinematographerDavid Claessen from 1986 to 1988;[149][150] and to union organizer Lyle Trachtenberg from 1994 to 1995.[149] She has had live-in relationships with actorFrank Langella[151] and playwright David Schein.[152] Her other ex-boyfriends include businessman Michael Visbal,[153] orthodontist Jeffrey Cohen,[154] camera operator Edward Gold,[155] and actorsTimothy Dalton[156] andTed Danson.[157] Danson controversially appeared inblackface during his 1993Friars Club roast; Goldberg wrote some of his jokes for the event and defended Danson after a media furor.[158]
She has stated that she has no plans to marry again: "Some people are not meant to be married and I am not meant to. I'm sure it is wonderful for lots of people."[149] In a 2011 interview withPiers Morgan, she explained that she was never in love with the men she married[159] and commented: "You have to really be committed to them...I don't have that commitment. I'm committed to my family."[148]
On May 9, 1974, Goldberg gave birth to a daughter,Alexandrea Martin, who also became an actress and producer.[160] Through her daughter, Goldberg has three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.[161] On August 29, 2010, Goldberg's mother, Emma Johnson, died after having a stroke.[162] She left London at the time, where she had been performing in the musicalSister Act, but returned to perform on October 22, 2010. In 2015, Goldberg's brother Clyde died of abrain aneurysm.[163]
Goldberg has stated that she was once a "functioning" drug addict.[167] She has stated that she smoked marijuana before accepting theBest Supporting Actress award forGhost in 1991.[168][169]
Goldberg hasdyslexia.[170] She has lived inLlewellyn Park, a neighborhood inWest Orange, New Jersey, saying she moved there to be able to be outside in private.[171] She maintains an additional summer residence on the coast ofSardinia.[172] She has expressed a preference for defining herself by the gender-neutral term "actor" rather than "actress", saying: "An actress can only play a woman. I'm an actor—I can play anything."[5] In March 2019, Goldberg revealed that she had been battlingpneumonia andsepsis, which caused her to take a leave of absence fromThe View.[173]
Having acted in over 150 films, Goldberg is one of the 19 people toachieve the EGOT, having won the four major American awards for professional entertainers: anEmmy (Television), aGrammy (Music), anOscar (Film), and aTony (Theater).[175][176][177] She is the first black woman to have achieved all four awards.[178]
In 1990, Goldberg was officially named an honorary member of theHarlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team by the members.[187] In 1999, she received theGay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Vanguard Award for her continued work in supporting the gay and lesbian community, as well as theWomen in FilmCrystal Award for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.[188] In July 2010, theRide of Fame honored Goldberg with a double-decker tour bus in New York City for her life's achievements.[189] In 2017, Goldberg was named aDisney Legend for her contributions tothe Walt Disney Company.[190]
Goldberg, Whoopi (October 2015).Whoopi's Big Book of Relationships: If Someone Says "You Complete Me," RUN!. New York: Hachette.ISBN978-0-316-30200-5.
Goldberg, Whoopi (May 7, 2024).Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me. Ashland, OR: Blackstone Publishing.ISBN9798200920235.OCLC1428736887. Autobiography.
^Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)."Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade"Archived February 8, 2021, at theWayback Machine.The Fremont News-Messenger. November 29, 1984. Retrieved January 22, 2021. "I'm an actor. That's what I do. I'm not a stand-up comic ... I do characters. I'm very good. I'll be better. But right now I'm a very good actor."
^"Sietse Bakker".Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Junioreurovision.tv. December 3, 2011.Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. RetrievedMay 3, 2012.
^McDonald, Soraya Nadia (October 29, 2020)."Movies Were Better When Whoopi Goldberg Was in Them".New York.Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. RetrievedDecember 20, 2020.That singularity is evident in her EGOT status; she's the only Black woman in history to have nabbed each of the major award statues, and she did it with a handicap.
^"1986 Oscar Nominations". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 4, 2014.Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. RetrievedApril 25, 2020.
^"The 63rd academy awards - 1991". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 4, 2014.Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. RetrievedApril 25, 2020.
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