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Whoopi Goldberg

Acting

Born November 13, 1955 · New York City, New York, USA

Also known as Caryn Elaine Johnson · Whoopie Goldberg

Biography

Whoopi Goldberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson; November 13, 1955) is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, and talk show host. Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple (1985) playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won her first Golden Globe Award for her role in the film. In 1990, she starred as Oda Mae Brown, a psychic helping a slain man (Patrick Swayze) find his killer in the blockbuster film Ghost. This performance won her a second Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Notable later films include Sister Act and Sister Act 2, The Lion King, Made in America, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Girl, Interrupted and Rat Race. She is also acclaimed for her roles as the bartender Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation and as Terry Dolittle in Jumpin' Jack Flash. Her latest role is the voice of Stretch in Toy Story 3. Goldberg has been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards for her work in television. She was co-producer of the popular game show Hollywood Squares from 1998 to 2004. She has been the moderator of the daytime talk show The View since 2007. Goldberg has a Grammy, two Emmys, two Golden Globes, a Tony, and an Oscar. In addition, Goldberg has a British Academy Film Award, four People's Choice Awards and has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.

Awards & recognition

  • Disney Legends · 2017
  • Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host · 2009
  • Crystal Award · 2001
  • Mark Twain PrizeAmerican Humor · 2001
  • GLAAD Vanguard Award · 1999
Show all 23 awards →
  • Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year · 1993
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 1991
  • Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award · 1991
  • Saturn AwardBest Supporting Actress · 1991
  • BAFTA AwardBest Actress in a Leading Role · 1990
  • Golden Globe Awards · 1986
  • Grammy AwardBest Comedy Album · 1986
  • Theatre World Award · 1985
  • Drama Desk Awards
  • Drama League Award
  • Emmy Award
  • Grammy Awards
  • honorary doctor of Brandeis University
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Tony Awards
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 1991 · nominated
  • Golden Raspberry AwardWorst Actress · 1989 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 1986 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Our Barbara

2023as Self

Tony Bennett: Forget Me Not

2022as Self

Walter Winchell: The Power of Gossip

2020as Narrator

Chez Whoopi

1991as Self - Host

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

2019as Self

Hollywood Black

2024as Self (archive footage)

Citizen Rose

as Self

Amphibia

2019as Mother Olm (voice)

The Most Magnificent Thing

2019as Narrator (voice)

Whoopi Goldberg: The Winning Act

2022as Self (archive footage)

BoJack Horseman

2014as Mikhaela (voice)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

1987as Guinan

Bill Cosby: Walking Free

2022as Self (archive footage)

The Lion King

1994as Shenzi (voice)

Reading Rainbow

1983as Self

Butterfly in the Sky

2022as Self

Toy Story 3

2010as Stretch (voice)

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

2024as Self

Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King

2020as Self - Co-host, "The View"

Godfather of Harlem

2019as Miss Willa

Everybody Hates Chris

2005as Louise Clarkson

The Nanny

1993as Edna

Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20

2022as Self

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?

2019as Whoopi Goldberg (voice)

Olympia

2018as Self

Tales from the Crypt

1989as Peligre

Staged

2020as Mary

Mister Rogers: It's You I Like

2018as Self

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999as Janette Grayson

Liberation

1994as Narrator

Janet Jackson.

2022as Self

Blackfish

2013as Self

Blue Bloods

2010as Regina Thomas

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

1998as Self

Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica

1992as Self

Like Tears in Rain

2024as Self

Luck

2022as Captain (voice)

Summer Camp Island

2018as Barb (voice)

Liberty's Kids

2002as Robert Shirtliff (voice)

Classic Albums

1997as Self (archive footage)

Whoopi Goldberg's Fontaine... Why Am I Straight?

1988as Fontaine

The Color Purple

1985as Celie

The Middle

2009as Jane Marsh

Bubble Guppies

2006as Pirate Myra (voice)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

2001as Chesley Watkins

Girl, Interrupted

1999as Valerie

Hollywood Squares

1998as Self - Panelist

The Long Walk Home

1990as Odessa Cotter

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It

2021as Self

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years

2016as Self