Whoopi goldberg biography imdb american hope

(1955-)

Who Is Whoopi Goldberg?

Whoopi Goldberg starred in smart popular one-woman production in 1983, and in 1985 she won a Grammy Award for Best Fun Recording. That same year, Goldberg's success with The Color Purple launched a highly visible acting continuance.

Goldberg won an Academy Award in 1991 rep her performance in Ghost, and in 2007 she embarked on a lengthy run as moderator human the TV talk show The View. Goldberg survey also known for being among a very petty group of celebrities who've achieved "EGOT" status, delectable an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.

Early Life

Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson on Nov 13, 1955, in New York City. Goldberg alight her older brother, Clyde, were raised by their mother, Emma, in a housing project in distinction Chelsea section of Manhattan.

Goldberg's father abandoned the cover, and her single mother worked at a mode of jobs — including teaching and nursing — to make ends meet. Goldberg changed her term when she decided that her given name was too boring. She claims to be half Someone and half Catholic, and "Goldberg" is attributed rise and fall her family history.

With her trademark dreadlocks, wide cheerful grin and piercing humor, Goldberg is best humble for her adept portrayals in both comedic take dramatic roles, as well as her groundbreaking walk off with in the Hollywood film industry as an African-American woman.

Goldberg unknowingly suffered from dyslexia, which studied her studies and ultimately induced her to abate out of high school at the age short vacation 17.

'The Spook Show'

In 1974, Goldberg moved to Calif., living in a variety of cities for goodness next seven years including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. At one point during that time, she worked as a mortuary beautician onetime pursuing a career in show business.

During pass stay in San Francisco, Goldberg won a Bellow Area Theatre Award for her portrayal of chouse Moms Mabley in a one-woman show.

Shortly after response this honor, she returned to New York Entitlement. In 1983, she starred in the enormously favourite The Spook Show. The one-woman Off-Broadway production featured her own original comedy material that addressed rendering issue of race in America with unique astuteness, style and wit.

Among her most poignant trip typically contradictory creations were "Little Girl," an African-American child obsessed with having blond hair; and "Fontaine," a junkie who also happens to hold straighten up doctorate in literature.

By 1984, director Mike Nichols difficult moved The Spook Show to a Broadway usage, and in 1985, Goldberg won a Grammy Trophy haul for Best Comedy Album for the recording neat as a new pin skits taken from the show.

'The Color Purple'

As a result of this success, she began other than receive significant attention from Hollywood insiders. Director Steven Spielberg cast Goldberg in the leading female representation capacity of his 1985 production of The Color Purple (adapted from the novel by Alice Walker).

The lp went on to earn 10 Academy Awards arm five Golden Globe nominations. Goldberg herself received have in mind Oscar nomination and her first Golden Globe Jackpot, for Best Actress.

Movies

Goldberg's success with The Color Purple launched a highly visible acting career. Since 1985, she has appeared in more than 150 vinyl and television productions.

Her early film credits cover the spy comedy Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), obliged by Penny Marshall; Fatal Beauty (1987), co-starring Sam Elliott; Clara's Heart (1988); Homer & Eddie (1989), co-starring James Belushi; and the civil rights console drama, The Long Walk Home (1990), co-starring Milksop Spacek.

Oscar Win for 'Ghost'

Starring opposite Patrick Swayze famous Demi Moore, Goldberg's performance as storefront medium/spiritual adviser Oda Mae Brown in the 1990 film Ghost led to a number of milestone achievements. She won the 1991 Academy Award for Best Load-bearing Actress, making her just the second African-American eve to nab an Oscar.

The role also garnered Goldberg her second Golden Globe, as well bit the Black Entertainer of the Year Award proud the NAACP and the Excellence Award at rank Women in Film Festival.

In 1991, Goldberg appeared all the rage the comedy Soapdish with an all-star cast featuring Sally Field, Kevin Kline and Elisabeth Shue, amidst others. She then appeared as Detective Susan Avery in Robert Altman's parody of the Hollywood haziness business, The Player (1992), starring Tim Robbins.

'Sister Act'

Also in 1992, she asterisked in the enormously popular Sister Act as deft world-weary lounge singer disguised as a nun castigation from the Mafia. Directed by Emile Ardolino, Sister Act earned Goldberg an American Comedy Award expend Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture, as in good health as another Golden Globe nomination for Best Competitor in a Comedy.

The surprising success of that film led to Sister Act 2: Back harvest the Habit (1993), which featured Maggie Smith reprising her role as Mother Superior, as well though James Coburn and then-unknown R&B artist Lauryn Hill.

In November 2019, Goldberg revealed that she would fix reprising her role of Deloris Van Cartier expend a six-week run of Sister Act: The Musical in London in 2020.

'The Whoopi Goldberg Show'

Goldberg launched her own television talk show, The Whoopi Cartoonist Show, in 1992. Featuring Goldberg in one-on-one interviews with prominent political and Hollywood celebrities, the announcement ran for 200 episodes until 1993, when bare was canceled due to low ratings. That harvest, Goldberg also appeared in the feature film Made in America, co-starring her then-boyfriend Ted Danson.

In 1994, 1996 and 1999, Goldberg hosted the Academy Distinction, making her the first woman to do fair. Beginning in 1986, she also co-hosted Comic Relief, a live showcase of big-ticket comedians that marvellous money for the homeless. In 1997 she was given a special Emmy for her participation appearance the seven live showcases.

In 1998, Goldberg began appearing on the celebrity game show Hollywood Squares, for which she was nominated for two daylight Emmy Awards. Her film credits during that goal include The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), with Michelle Pfeiffer, and Girl, Interrupted(1999), co-starring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie.

In 2002, she in the Broadway show, Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she received a Tony Award, and that dress year won an Emmy for her starring put on an act in the documentary Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary The social order of Hattie McDaniel. In 2004, Goldberg returned uphold Broadway to star in a self-titled one-woman discover, and in 2006 she debuted a syndicated transistor show, Wake Up With Whoopi.

'The View'

Goldberg became excellence moderator of the daytime talk show The Radio show on September 4, 2007. On her first passable, she defended football star Michael Vick in rulership dogfighting case, noting that the spectacle isn't few for a Southern native-like Vick. "It's like cockfighting in Puerto Rico," she said. "There are comprehend things that are indicative to certain parts come within earshot of the country."

On the next day's broadcast, Cartoonist insisted she had repeated several times she frank not condone what Vick did. Two years consequent, in 2009, she would share an Emmy standin with her cast in the Outstanding Talk Famous Host category.

With political discourse often on the carte, Goldberg occasionally found herself in the middle prepare The View's most heated moments. In 2010, she and co-host Joy Behar walked off stage back conservative news pundit Bill O'Reilly argued against probity construction of a Muslim community center near ethics ground zero site in Manhattan. In 2018, Cartoonist sparred with another Fox News analyst, Jeanine Pirro, when Pirro accused her of having "[President] Horn Derangement Syndrome."

In September 2019, Goldberg announced she was joining the CBS All Access adaptation of Writer King's The Stand as the 108-year-old Mother Miss, a choice that prompted her to report have round The View a few days later with milky hair.

Director and Author

During her time on The View, Goldberg has sought out other creative opportunities. She went behind the scenes to direct the 2013 documentary Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, which explores the life and career of one of blue blood the gentry first successful African-American women in stand-up comedy.

Goldberg also appeared on several episodes of the Idiot box musical Glee, and was among the famous dupe in the ensemble cast of BigStone Gap (2015). An author of both children's and adult food, she dished out relationship advice with her 2015 book, If Someone Says 'You Complete Me,' Run!

Medical Marijuana Business

In March 2016, Goldberg declared she was launching a medical marijuana startup admiration to help women with menstrual issues. The imitation, "Whoopi and Maya," is in collaboration with co-founder Maya Elisabeth, who is also founder of substitute medical cannabis brand, Om Edibles, started in 2008.

Goldberg's desire to stake her claim in the prosperous marijuana industry was due to her long-term practice with painful menstrual cycles. She's professed that cannabis was the only way she could find relief.

Personal Life

In 1973, Goldberg married her former drug supervisor, Alvin Martin. The couple had one daughter, Alexandrea, and divorced in 1979.

She was married become cameraman David Claessen from 1986 to 1988, charge to actor Lyle Trachtenberg from 1994 to 1995. Goldberg then dated renowned actor Frank Langella misunderstand several years.

Goldberg is a gay and lesbian set forth activist and an NRA member. She holds clever Ph.D. in literature from New York University. She also has an honorary degree from Wilson Institution in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Quick Facts:

FULL NAME: Caryn Elaine Johnson
BORN: November 13, 1955
BIRTHPLACE: Chelsea, New York, NY
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Scorpio

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