Biography
Who is Whoopi Goldberg?
Early life and real name
Caryn Elaine Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York City, on November 13, 1955. Her mother, Emma Johnson, worked as a nurse and teacher, while her father, Robert James Johnson Jr., served as a Baptist clergyman. Whoopi grew up in a public housing project known as the Chelsea-Elliot Houses located in New York City. She attended a local parochial school in Manhattan named St Columba's before dropping out of Washington Irving High School.
During the 1970s, Whoopi Goldberg relocated to San Diego, California, where she took a job as a waitress. She later moved to Berkeley and worked several odd jobs, including acting as a bank teller, a mortuary cosmetologist, and a bricklayer. While living there, she joined an avant-garde theater troupe called the Blake Street Hawkeyes and taught comedy and acting classes.
Rise to fame
Whoopi Goldberg first gained national attention through her one-woman stage shows where she portrayed various character monologues. Director Mike Nichols discovered her performance and helped transfer her production to Broadway under the title Whoopi Goldberg. The show ran from October 24, 1984, to March 10, 1985. An HBO special captured the performance, and the resulting audio recording earned a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
Following her stage success, director Steven Spielberg cast Whoopi in the leading role of Celie for his period drama film The Color Purple, released in late 1985. Her strong film debut earned critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her powerful performance in the movie.
Career highlights and awards
Whoopi Goldberg achieved major mainstream success when she played an eccentric psychic in the romantic fantasy film Ghost, released in 1990. This memorable role won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the second African-American woman to win an Oscar. She also collected a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for her work in the film.
Continuing her career in film, she headlined the hit comedies Sister Act in 1992 and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in 1993, which made her the highest-paid actress at that time. She also provided the voice for Shenzi the hyena in the animated feature film The Lion King. Since 2007, she has worked as a co-host and moderator on the daytime talk show The View.
Personal life and relationships
Whoopi Goldberg has been married three times throughout her life. Her past spouses include Alvin Martin, David Claessen, and Lyle Trachtenberg. She has one daughter named Alex Martin from her family. In 1978, she witnessed a midair collision of two planes in San Diego, an event that led her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder and a lasting fear of flying.
Birthday and age
Whoopi Goldberg was born on November 13, 1955, which makes Whoopi 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Whoopi shares the date with 25 other famous people.
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