Whoopi Goldberg: biography, personal life, filmography and photos

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Whoopi Goldberg's constant professional search and active life position make her one of the greatest, unclassifiable actresses. She is not a Hollywood prima donna, but a genius dedicated to her craft. Whoopi's success is deserved, she went straight, without resorting to banal tricks and dishonest deals. Her motto is: "Take the best of what is offered to you - and that's all you can do."

Whoopi Goldberg. Short biography

Born in New York in 1955, Caryn Elaine Johnson (her real name) wanted to be an actress from the very beginning. She acted in children's plays at the Hudson's 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 whole idea that you can pretend to be someone else, and the audience will like it. But, having reached the age of high school, the girl lost her desire and did not see herself as an actress in the future. These were 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 herself in hippie culture. Realizing the problem, Whoopi found the strength to seek help, underwent a course of treatment and even married an activist of the movement "Against Drugs" Alvin Martin, who helped her in her recovery. A year later, their daughter Alexandra was born. But the first marriage was short-lived, 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. She now has three grandchildren. Whoopi Goldberg's biography, Alexandra's children are frequent topics of discussion in the press.

Career start

In 1974, Whoopi traveled to San Diego, California, pursuing her childhood dream of acting. She landed roles in plays at the San Diego Theatre. Then her pseudonym appeared - Whoopi Goldberg. At first, acting did not bring enough money to take care of yourself and your daughter. The young woman had to work as a bank teller, working at a construction site, and even as a make-up artist in a mortuary. She lived on welfare for several years.

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 were able to be realized. Having played two characters at once in the production of "Mother Courage",the actress came up with an interesting idea - to play a one-man show. After all, she was able to play the roles of all 17 characters in the show for one woman. She called the project Spook Show (Ghost 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 reincarnate and natural charm did not go unnoticed. The ability to completely melt into the role, and not 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 arranged for 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.

Movie debut

Another Hollywood director fascinated by the talent of the actress was Steven Spielberg, who at that time was making a film based on the novel "Purple Flowers". To participate in the filming, Whoopi herself made a lot of efforts. Active from birth, she wrote a letter to the author of the novel, Alice Walker, asking her to play in this African-American version of Gone with the Wind. Whoopi was ready to do anything for 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 lead role of Celia Johnson. This was her first film appearance. She wasvery believable in this role, and a powerful performance has not gone 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. That's how the career of film actress Whoopi Goldberg began. The biography, filmography of the actress will be incomplete without mentioning this fact.

Social activity

Despite the not-so-lukewarm reception of the film as a whole, Goldberg's own ratings rose. In addition to her film awards, she won a Grammy 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. Wide fame, recognition allowed Goldberg to engage in social activities, concentrating on the problems that bothered her at a time when she herself needed public assistance. With the growth of her popularity, the opportunities of the actress as a public figure grew. Starting in 1986, she and actors Billy Krystal and Robin Williams co-hosted the annual Comic Relief event, which raises money for the homeless through He alth for the Homeless.

Whoopi thinks homelessness in America is just disgusting. She appeared on Capitol Hill with Senator Edward Kennedy at the forum,against proposed cuts in federal subsidies. The protests are not limited to issues of social inequality. Goldberg also campaigns for the environment, populations in starving countries, AIDS and drug abuse education, and women's right to free choice. She has received several humanitarian awards. The actress does not hide her radical social views, 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 an increase in success. She went on to star in critically acclaimed films such as Jumping Jack, The Thief, Pretty Fatal, Telephone, Clara's Heart, and Homer and Eddie. It seemed that as soon as she managed to get up, she fell again. It took "its own lifeboat" to save it. Whoopi was annoyed by gossip and rumors that Hollywood was ready to write her off. To keep calm, the woman simply stopped listening to ill-wishers. She believed that she 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 failure of films at the box office was not at all her acting, because "Ms. Goldberg is funny, even when she is given half a chance."

Ghost

It seemed that the actress just needed a suitable "vehicle" capable of conveying hercomic approach to everything. The chance came with the 1990 film Ghost. Whoopi finally got the opportunity to showcase his best acting skills to the fullest. The role of the flamboyant eccentric psychic Oda Mae Brown, she sought from the management of the studio for more than six months, and perseverance paid off. Ghost was the highest grossing film of 1990. Goldberg received an Academy Award for this work, making her the second black woman in Academy Awards history to be so honored (the first was Hattie McDaniel, who won an Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind in 1939).

Long way

As the final acknowledgment of Goldberg's wide range of acting, came the dramatic role in the movie Long Way Home that immediately followed the comedy role in "Ghost". This film is a vivid memory of the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, a pivotal event in the American civil rights movement. The complexity of the role was the lack of words. It was possible to play only with high acting skills. And she did.

1992 also brought a series of successful film roles. Whoopi started the year portraying a homicide detective in Robert Altman's highly anticipated and later acclaimed Hollywood satire The Gambler.

She also landed the lead role in Go Sister, the top-grossing comedy of the year. And in the fall, she again returned to the dramatic role in the film"Sarafina". Filming took place entirely in South Africa.

The actress has starred in many films, including Made in America, Act Sister 2 (for which she was paid eight million dollars), on the side and other world-famous paintings. Until now, she has been actively acting in films and participating in theater projects. Today, the biography of actress Whoopi Goldberg is still of interest. She is still in demand and highly paid, unique in her own way.

Television

Goldberg has also confirmed her double talent on television. Beginning in the 1988-89 season, she received awards for occasionally appearing as a team 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 a talk show host in 1992. Whoopi devoted each program to just one guest. interviews with actress Elizabeth Taylor, heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield and many other celebrities The show was canceled in 1993.

Host of the Oscars

In 1994 and 1996, Goldberg appeared as the host of the Oscars. It took great courage, given that she was the first African American and the first woman to host the event inalone. Over one billion people watch the awards show. In 1994, critics and reviewers gave Whoopi unanimous praise for her bright comments, good jokes, and ability to make a three-hour show fun.

In 1996, large-scale protests swept over the absence of African American voters and candidates. Against this backdrop, the Academy Awards, with Whoopi Goldberg as its savvy host, set a new tradition for the Oscars.

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 "fart pillow" while Goldberg is a Jewish family name meant to make her an acting career.

Despite the far from ideal external data of Whoopi Goldberg, her biography, her personal life has always been stormy. She has three official marriages. Alvin Martin is the first husband and father of her only daughter. The second marriage to photographer David Kassen lasted two years. The third time Goldberg went down the aisle with businessman Michael Trachtenberg, but this union was short-lived. Known for her novels with actors Timothy D alton, Ted Danson, Frank Langella, Eddie Gold.