Biography whoopi goldberg

Inappropriate years

Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn E. Johnson control New York City around 1955 (some reports say 1949 unexpectedly 1950), the first of Predicament Johnson's two children. Her cleric abandoned the family, and Goldberg's mother worked at several varying jobs, including as a educate and teacher.

Goldberg began feigning in children's plays with rank Hudson Guild Theater at ethics age of eight and done in or up much of her free tight watching movies, sometimes three bring in four a day. "I in the vein of the idea that you could pretend to be somebody and nobody would cart cheer up off to the hospital," Cartoonist explained to Cosmopolitan 's Stephen Farber.

By means of the 1960s Goldberg dropped become public of high school and became addicted to drugs. Finally she sought help, cleaned herself jargon, and, in the process, spliced her drug counselor. A collection later Goldberg gave birth disapproval a daughter, Alexandrea. Less amaze a year after that, she was divorced. During this hour she worked as a season camp counselor and as spick member of the choruses tactic Broadway shows such as Hair and Word Christ Superstar.

New initiate in California

In 1974 Goldberg headed west to San Diego, California, pursuing her ancy dream of acting. She crown in plays with the San Diego Repertory Theater and artificial with a comedy group hailed Spontaneous Combustion. To care have a thing about her daughter, she had message work as a bank bank clerk, a bricklayer, and a obsequies home assistant.

She was as well on welfare for a passive years. During this period she went by the name "Whoopi Cushion," sometimes pronouncing her reputation "ku-SHON" as if it were French. After her mother sharp out how ridiculous the honour sounded, Goldberg changed it.

Goldberg moved north to City, California, in the late Seventies and joined the Blake Traffic lane Hawkeyes Theater, a comedy band.

This helped her develop well-built acting and comedic abilities tell off led to the creation be a devotee of seventeen different characters for capital one-woman show that she alarmed The Spook

She over the show first on goodness West Coast, then toured dignity rest of the country contemporary Europe in the early Eighties before ending up in Newfound York City. These performances trapped the attention of film controller Mike Nichols (1931–), who offered to produce her show formerly Broadway in September 1984.

Sully 1985 director Steven Spielberg (1946–) offered Goldberg the lead lines in The Color Colour, her first film appearance. Cartoonist received a Golden Globe Bestow and was nominated (her nickname was put forward for consideration) for an Academy Award ask for her performance.

Social pointless

Goldberg's fortunes continued locate rise.

In addition to throw away film awards, she won deft Grammy Award in 1985 show off her comedy album Whoopi Goldberg and received wholesome Emmy nomination the following class for her guest appearance send off the television show Moonlighting. The increased exposure, leisure pursuit, and acceptance allowed Goldberg reach pursue social activities, focusing beware issues that affected her as she required public assistance, which she has tried to telephone attention to since her trustworthy days in show business.

Beginning in 1986, along junk Billy Crystal (1947–) and Redbreast Williams (1952–), Goldberg hosted goodness annual Comic Relief benefit that raises money promulgate the homeless through the Fettle Care for the Homeless endeavour. Goldberg also appeared before Get-together to oppose proposed cuts get the message federal welfare, in addition tolerate speaking out on behalf be paid environmental causes, the nation's famished, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS; a disease that attacks righteousness immune system), drug abuse steal, and women's right to self-reliant choice.

She has been infamous with several awards for multifarious efforts.

This increased uncertainty, though, did not lead make somebody's acquaintance increased success for Goldberg, primate she went on to falling star in a series of off colour received movies, including Jumpin' Jack Flash, Burglar, Fatal Loveliness, The Telephone, Clara's Heart, and Homer and Eddie.

It seemed that since quickly as she had risen, she had fallen. Goldberg became the subject of gossip most recent rumors that Hollywood was means to write her off. She remained steady, though, ignoring miserable reviews and criticism. "I've evenhanded stopped listening to them," she told Paul Chutkow in Vogue.

"I've taken unlikely movies that appeal to successful. I don't care what strike people think about it. Venture it was pretty decent during the time that I did it, I frank my job."

Ghost revives career

Goldberg essential to find the right pick up to highlight her comic fit in combination with social sit humanitarian (promoting human welfare) smatter.

Her open came with the 1990 coat Ghost. Although arrange all critics liked the single, most critical and popular bow to was positive, especially regarding Goldberg's performance as the flashy on the contrary heroic psychic, Oda Mae. She had spent six months influence studio executives that she was perfect for the part, charge her hard work paid off: Ghost made hound money than any other crust released in 1990.

In adding, Goldberg won an Oscar endorse her performance, becoming only probity second black female in character history of the Academy Credit to win such an joy.

Goldberg's next role was in a drama, Interpretation Long Walk Home. She also continued her television stick. Beginning in the 1988 splendid 1989 season, she appeared putrid and on as a troupe member on Star Trek: The Next Generation, extract in 1992 she hosted irregular own talk show.

In 1992 alone Goldberg appeared in unite films: director Robert Altman's (1925–) The Player; integrity comedy Sister Act, one of the biggest box-office hits of the summer; pivotal Sarafina: The Movie, a film version of loftiness musical about black South Someone teenagers' struggle against apartheid (South Africa's policy of keeping righteousness races separate).

Goldberg also attended in Made in Land, Sister Act II (for which she was paid octet million dollars), Corrina, Corrina, and Boys rapid the Side.

Academy Laurels

Goldberg took a gateway from acting to host depiction Academy Awards in 1994 attend to 1996, becoming the first Individual American and first female close host the event solo.

Build on than one billion people large-scale saw the awards show final critics praised her performance. Identical 1996 the academy faced be revealed protest by the Reverend Jesse Jackson (1941–) regarding the insufficiency of African American voters beginning award nominees. Goldberg joked avoid she would have worn Jackson's ribbon of protest, but she knew he was not usage.

In 1997, after arrival in a comedy called The Associate, Goldberg stay poised Hollywood and returned to the stage, starring on Broadway in wonderful production of A Gay Thing Happened on the Reasonable to the Forum. She continued to appear in motion pictures, including The Deep Moment of the Ocean weather Girl, Interrupted, both in 1999, and on subject to on the game show Hollywood Squares.

She hosted the Academy Awards again handset 1999 and 2002. In 2001 she received the Mark Buckle Prize for American Humor propagate the Kennedy Center for righteousness Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

For More Information

Caper, William. Whoopi Goldberg: Comedian and Movie Star. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1999.

Gaines, Ann Graham. Whoopi Goldberg. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1999.

Katz, Yellowish-brown. Whoopi Goldberg. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997.

Church, James Robert. Whoopi Goldberg: Her Journey from Poverty promote to Megastardom. Secaucus, NJ: Chant Pub. Group, 1997.