Whoopi Goldberg. short biography
Born in New York in 1955, Caryn Elaine Johnson (her real name) wanted to become an actress from the very beginning. She acted in children's plays at the Hudson Guild Theater at the age of eight. As a child, I loved cinema, sometimes I could even watch three or four films a day. She liked the idea that you could pretend to be someone else and the audience would like it. But, having reached the age of high school, the girl lost her desire and no longer saw herself as an actress in the future. It was the 1960s. Katherine started taking drugs because, according to her, in those days they were available to everyone. It was Woodstock time. The future Hollywood star dropped out of school and completely immersed himself in hippie culture. Realizing the problem, Whoopi found the strength to seek help, underwent treatment and even married anti-drug activist Alvin Martin, who helped her in her recovery. A year later, their daughter Alexandra was born. But the first marriage was short-lived, and less than a year later the family broke up. Katherine was not yet twenty years old.
By the way, at the age of 34 she became a grandmother for the first time. Now she has three grandchildren. Whoopi Goldberg's biography and Alexandra's children are frequent topics for discussion in the press.
early life
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955 in New York City. Goldberg and her older brother Clyde were raised by their mother Emma in a housing project in the Chelsea section of Manhattan.
Goldberg's father abandoned the family, and her single mother worked a variety of jobs, including teaching and nursing, to make ends meet. Goldberg changed her name when she decided her name was too boring. She claims to be half Jewish and half Catholic, and "Goldberg" is attributed to her family history.
With her signature dreadlocks, wide, impromptu grin and piercing humor, Goldberg is best known for her roles in comedy and drama films, as well as her pioneering work in the Hollywood film industry as an African-American woman.
Goldberg unknowingly suffered from dyslexia, which affected her studies and ultimately caused her to drop out of school at 17.
One Actress Show
In the late seventies, Goldberg moved north to Berkeley, California, and joined the Blake Street Theater in an avant-garde comedy troupe. Finally, her powerful comedic acting skills could be realized. Having played two characters at once in the production of Mother Courage, the actress came up with an interesting idea - to perform a one-woman show. After all, she was capable of playing the roles of all 17 characters in a one-woman show. She called the project Spook Show. It was an incredible success on the West Coast, other cities in America, Canada and Europe. Reviews for this performance were mixed but mostly positive. The innate ability to transform and natural charm did not go unnoticed. The ability to completely lose herself in a role rather than just outwardly imitate comic types allowed Whoopi to take some unexpected risks on this show. This performance attracted the attention of the famous Mike Nichols. The director organized her performances on Broadway. The young talent was invited to several productions, including “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Whoopi Goldberg, biography, photos of this actress often appear on the pages of various publications.
Theater career
While performing in the theater, Caryn immediately took the pseudonym Whoopi Goldberg. In San Diego, she first played in the city's new Repertory Theater, then began working at the Black Street Theater (San Francisco). At the same time, the actress played in a number of amateur troupes.
Forced to replace one of the actresses in the production, Whoopi had a brilliant idea - to make a one-woman show where she would play all six roles. This is how the “Ghost Show” project was born, which was a huge success with viewers. Whoopi performed with him not only in the USA, but also in Europe and Canada. In 1984, Whoopi managed to break through to Broadway. Director Mike Nichols helped her with this. The actress’s talent was highly appreciated and invited to several productions, including the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
In subsequent years, Whoopi is filming more and more - there is practically no time left for the theater.
Film debut
Another Hollywood director, fascinated by the actress’s talent, was Steven Spielberg, who at that time was shooting a film based on the novel “The Color Purple.” Whoopi herself made a lot of efforts to participate in the filming. Active from birth, she wrote a letter to the novel's author, Alice Walker, asking her to star in this African-American version of Gone with the Wind. Whoopi was ready to do anything for the sake of filming and was so eager to get a role in this film! Fate gave her this gift. The writer gave the letter to the director, and Spielberg offered the actress the leading role of Celia Johnson. This was her first film appearance. She was very believable in the role and her powerful performance did not go unnoticed. For this role, Whoopi Goldberg received the prestigious Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination. But the film itself was not praised. Much of the criticism was directed at Spielberg. This is how the career of film actress Whoopi Goldberg began. The biography and filmography of the actress will be incomplete without mentioning this fact.
What the grandiose Whoopi Goldberg looked like 40 years ago
Next year, Caryn Elaine Johnson (real name Whoopi Goldberg) will celebrate her 65th birthday. But she speaks about age and female beauty like a real comedian: “I don’t look like HalleBerry. But there is a possibility that over time she will look like me.” The actress considers her main mission to be the ability to bring a smile, to make the world more harmonious and happy, to look at life from a funny side.
One of the richest actresses in the world has no dilemma: to be beautiful or to remain herself. She firmly believes that Mother Nature really doesn't care what economic bracket you're in. Whoop's dream is for people to stop being surprised when someone gets older. After all, older means smarter.
She admits her resentment towards those who, because of her appearance, could not understand for a long time how she made her career. An amazing career! Goldberg is one of the few celebrities who has been awarded four major American prestigious awards: Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony. She also has two Golden Globes, a BAFTA and a star on the Walk of Fame. Her comic talent was noticed first on Broadway, then in Hollywood. Whoopie recalls: “Nobody encouraged me. I managed it myself. I was a dumb and shy child. I was the last of those who could lay claim to success in acting. People told me: “You’re like a fart pillow,” and that’s how my acting name Whoopi came about. Noya always felt that if I continued, something would definitely happen.”
As a child, Caryn Johnson suffered from dyslexia and had to drop out of school due to difficulty mastering reading and writing skills. At the age of 14 she left home and joined the hippie movement. Since then, “beauty” and “freedom” are identical concepts for her and are a purely spiritual problem.
Let's see how Whoopi Goldberg has changed over the years:
80s, photo: WireImage/Ron Galella Collection
1984, photo: Getty Images/Archive Photos
1984, photo: Corbis via Getty Images/Corbis Entertainment
1985, photo: Legion-Media
1986, photo: Getty Images/Moviepix
1987, photo: Getty Images/Hulton Archive
1990, photo: Legion-Media
1990, photo: Legion-Media
1991, photo: Legion-Media
1992, photo: WireImage/Ron Galella Collection
1993, photo: Getty Images/Moviepix
1999, photo: Legion-Media
2002, photo: Legion-Media
2008, photo: Legion-Media
2011, photo: Legion-Media
2012, photo: Legion-Media
2021, photo: Legion-Media
2021, photo: Legion-Media
2021, photo: Legion-Media
She was married three times and gave birth to her only daughter, Alexandra, at the age of 17, who at the age of 16 made Whoopi a grandmother. At 34, the brilliant actress exclaimed that all mothers are given handbags, flowers or wallets for their birthday, and her daughter gave her granddaughter Amara, and this is the best gift of her entire life.
At 58, Whoopi Golberg became a great-grandmother. She shared this good news with subscribers on Instagram, where she posted a touching video with a baby in her arms. In the commentary, she explained that the family had met a new person named Charlie Rose - her great-grandson.
Now the star of theatrical musicals, films and television admits that life has tested her strength and now she doesn’t mind being alone, because she doesn’t like commitments. She does not like to depend on anyone, ask permission for her actions and share her money with anyone. She is quite content with the company of her 20-year-old cat, Oliver. “I am the embodiment of the American dream. After all, its essence is that you can come from anywhere and become whoever you want. This is exactly what happened to me,” the movie star calmly argues.
Social activity
Despite the less than warm reception of the film overall, Goldberg's ratings rose. In addition to her film accolades, she won a Grammy Award in 1985 for the comedy album Whoopi Goldberg and received an Emmy nomination the following year for her guest appearance on the television series Moonlighting. . Widespread fame and recognition allowed Goldberg to engage in social activities, concentrating on the problems that bothered her at a time when she herself needed public help. As her popularity grew, so did the actress’s opportunities as a public figure. Beginning in 1986, she and actors Billy Crystal and Robin Williams organized the annual Comic Relief event, which raises money for the homeless through the Healthcare for the Homeless Project. Whoopi Goldberg, biography, family are directly related to her active lifestyle.
Whoopi thinks homelessness in America is disgusting. She appeared on Capitol Hill with Senator Edward Kennedy at a forum opposing proposed cuts to federal aid. The protests are not limited to issues of social inequality. Goldberg also campaigns for the environment, people in starving countries, awareness of AIDS and drug abuse, and women's rights to free choice. She has been awarded several humanitarian awards. The actress does not hide her radical social views and actively advocates for the equality of cultures and religions.
Career development
The first success was followed by other roles. However, the number of roles did not lead to increased success. She continued to star in films that were criticized by film critics: "Jumping Jack", "The Thief", "Beauty Fatale", "Telephone", "Clara Heart" and "Homer and Eddie". It seemed that as soon as she managed to get up, she fell again. The rescue required “our own lifeboat.” Whoopi was irritated by gossip and rumors that Hollywood was ready to write her off. To remain calm, the woman simply stopped listening to her ill-wishers. She believed that she had starred in good films that she herself liked. And it doesn't matter what others think about it. And many believed that the reason for the films’ failures at the box office was not her acting at all, because “Miss Goldberg is funny even when she is given half a chance.”
Ghost
It seemed that the actress simply needed a suitable "vehicle" that could convey her comic approach to everything to the audience. The opportunity came with the 1990 film Phantom. Whoopi finally has the opportunity to fully demonstrate her best acting capabilities. She sought the role of the flamboyant, eccentric psychic Oda Mae Brown from the studio management for more than six months, and her persistence paid off. Phantom became the highest-grossing film of 1990. Goldberg won an Oscar for her work, becoming the second black woman in Academy Awards history to receive this honor (the first was Hattie McDaniel, who won an Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind in 1939).
Ghost
Starring opposite Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, Goldberg's performance as the average/spiritual store consultant Oda Mae Brown in the 1990 film Spook led to a number of important achievements. In 1991, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the second African-American woman to win an Oscar.
The role also earned Goldberg her second Golden Globe, as well as the NAACP's Black Entertainer of the Year Award and the Women in Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 1991, Whoopi Goldberg appeared in the comedy Soapdish with a star-studded cast featuring Sally Field, Kevin Kline and Elisabeth Shue, among others. She next appeared as Detective Susan Avery in Robert Altman's spoof of the Hollywood movie business, The Player (1992), starring Tim Robbins.
Long haul
As a final recognition of Goldberg's wide acting range, Goldberg immediately followed her comedic role in Phantom with a dramatic role in the film The Long Way Home. The film is a powerful evocation of the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, a key event in the American civil rights movement. The difficulty of the role was the lack of words. It was possible to play only with high acting skills. And she did it.
1992 also brought a series of successful film roles. Whoopi started the year by portraying a homicide detective in the highly anticipated and subsequently acclaimed Hollywood satire The Player, directed by Robert Altman.
She also got the lead role in Sister Action, the top-grossing comedy of the year. And in the fall she returned to a dramatic role in the film “Sarafina”. The filming took place entirely in South Africa.
The actress starred in many films, including “Made in America,” “Sister Act 2” (for which she was paid eight million dollars), “Corrina, Corrina,” “Scamps,” “Boys on the Side” and others worldwide. famous paintings. To this day, she actively acts in films and participates in theater projects. Today, the biography of actress Whoopi Goldberg still arouses interest. She is still in demand and highly paid, unique in her kind.
A television
Goldberg has also proven her outstanding talent on television. Beginning in the 1988-89 season, she received awards for her occasional appearances as a crew member on the successful Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Although her 1990 stint on Bagdad Cafe was short-lived, Goldberg landed a coveted position as host of the original talk show in 1992. Whoopi dedicated each program to just one guest. She interviewed actress Elizabeth Taylor, heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield and many other celebrities. The show was canceled in 1993.
Host of the Oscars ceremony
In 1994 and 1996, Goldberg appeared as the host of the Oscars. This took enormous courage, considering she was the first African American and first woman to hold the event alone. The awards show is watched by over one billion people. In 1994, critics and reviewers unanimously praised Whoopi for her lively commentary, good jokes, and ability to make a three-hour show fun.
In 1996, there were large protests over the lack of African American voters and candidates. Against this backdrop, the Academy Awards, with Whoopi Goldberg as its savvy host, set new Oscar traditions.
Personal life and interesting facts
Few people know, but her great-great-grandmother is an emigrant from Odessa.
Whoopi is a nickname from a difficult childhood and means “pillow-fart”, and Goldberg is a surname on the Jewish side of the family, designed to give her significance in her acting career.
Despite Whoopi Goldberg's far from ideal external data, biography, and personal life, her personal life has always been stormy. She has three official marriages. Alvin Martin is her first husband and father of her only daughter. The second marriage to photographer David Kassen lasted two years. For the third time, Goldberg went down the aisle with businessman Michael Trachtenberg, but this union was short-lived. Her novels with actors Timothy Dalton, Ted Danson, Frank Langella, and Eddie Gold are known.
First family and meeting Whoopi Goldberg
Ted Danson's first wife from 1977 to 1993 was producer Casey Coates, and their family had been in turmoil since the birth of their first child.
Casey Coates suffered a massive stroke on Christmas Eve 1979 while giving birth. The promising young actor had to take a break from his career to take care of his sick wife and newborn baby.
Moreover, doctors assumed that Casey would never be able to walk again, but she managed and got back on her feet. However, after the birth of their second child, their already not very stable marriage began to crack at the seams. And then Ted Danson fell in love with his co-star Whoopi Goldberg and absolutely lost his head over her.
Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg first met in 1988 on the set of the talk show The Arsenio Hall Show. The host then said that a woman cannot be beautiful and funny at the same time, but Danson protested and pointed at Whoopi: “You are wrong. Here's a very sexy and funny lady."
“It was the first time that someone publicly stated that I was actually very feminine and very beautiful,” Whoopi Goldberg recalled that situation.
