Contents
Whoopi Goldberg
Combining dramatic roles, comedy and television, from The Color Purple to Sister Act.
Ghost · The View
- Born
- 13 November 1955
- Birthplace
- New York City, United States
More people
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American performer and television host. Her character-based stage comedy led to film stardom and a career spanning acting, recordings, theatre production and daytime television.
Early life
New York childhood
Born Caryn Elaine Johnson, she grew up in Manhattan and acted with a children’s theatre group.
West Coast theatre
She worked in California theatre before developing a solo show built around sharply different characters.
Career
- 1984
Broadway breakthrough
Mike Nichols brought her one-woman show to Broadway.
- 1985
Film lead
The Color Purple introduced her as a major dramatic screen actor.
- 1990–1992
Comedy stardom
Ghost brought an Oscar, followed by Sister Act’s box-office success.
- 2007
Daytime television
She joined The View as a moderator and co-host.
Selected work
The Color Purple
She played Celie in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel.
Ghost
Her comic medium Oda Mae Brown helped a murdered man communicate.
Sister Act
She portrayed a singer hiding in a convent and transforming its choir.
Beyond work
A varied awards career
Her work earned Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards across different media.
Books and advocacy
She has written for children and adults and supported HIV/AIDS-related causes.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: PhilipRomano. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
