Whoopi Goldberg (born November 13, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, radio DJ, and author. Goldberg is one of only ten individuals who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award, counting Daytime Emmy Awards. She is the second African American female performer to win an Academy Award for acting (the first being Hattie McDaniel); she has also won two Golden Globe Awards. On the August 1, 2007 broadcast of The View, Barbara Walters introduced Goldberg as the show's new moderator as of September 4. Meredith Vieira and Rosie O'Donnell previously held the position.
Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York City, daughter of Emma (née Harris), a nurse and teacher, and Robert James Johnson. Goldberg's mother was a "stern, strong and wise woman" who raised her as a single mother after Goldberg's father left the family.Her stage name was taken from "whoopie cushion", which she initially wanted as her name; she stated that "If you get a little gassy, 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." She chose the surname "Goldberg" after Jewish ancestors of hers who bore the surname, having said that "Goldberg's a part of my family somewhere". A DNA test traced most of her ancestry to the Papel and Bayote peoples of Guinea-Bissau.
Goldberg's on-screen talent first emerged in 1981-82 in Citizen : I'm Not Losing My Mind, I'm Giving It Away, an avant-garde ensemble feature by San Francisco filmmaker William Farley. Goldberg created The Spook Show, a one-woman show devised of different character monologues, in 1983. Director Mike Nichols was instantly impressed and offered to bring the show to Broadway. The self-titled show ran from October 24, 1984 to March 10, 1985 for a total of 156 sold-out performances. While performing on Broadway, Goldberg's performance caught the eye of director Steven Spielberg. He was about to direct the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple written by Alice Walker. Having read the novel, she was ecstatic at being offered a lead role in her first motion picture. Goldberg received compliments on her acting from Spielberg, Walker, and music consultant [[Quincy Jones. The Color Purple was released in the late autumn of 1985 and was a critical and commercial success. It was later nominated for 11 Academy Awards including a nomination for Goldberg as Best Leading Actress. The movie did not win any of its Academy Award nominations, but Goldberg won the Golden Globe Award.
At age 18, following Goldberg's marriage to Alvin Martin who was 16, their first and only child Alexandrea was born c.1973. After Goldberg's failed marriage to Martin, she moved to California and helped found the San Diego Repertory Company, where she used the name, Whoopi Cushion. Before making it as an actress, she worked as a bank teller, a bricklayer and in a mortuary. Goldberg later went on to marry David Claessen but they divorced in 1988. Goldberg's daughter, Alexandrea, gave birth to a baby girl named Amarah Skye, born on November 13, 1989, Goldberg's birthday. Whoopi later married Lyle Trachtenberg, but their marriage lasted only one year. In 2000, Whoopi broke up with her boyfriend of five years, Frank Langella. Alvin Martin also has 2 other children from her marriage.
Goldberg was briefly involved with Ted Danson, who was married at the time and caring for his wife following her stroke. There was controversy following his stint at a comedy club, performed in blackface, despite the fact that his script was written by Goldberg.
Goldberg is the godmother of the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Serenade of the Seas, and is currently a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
