Whoopi Goldberg is an American actress, comedian, author, and television host. She is one of the few entertainers to have achieved EGOT status, having won at least one Emmy Award, Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Tony Award. Born as Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955, in New York City, she grew up in a housing project in Chelsea and attended a performing arts school, where her interest in acting first flourished.
Goldberg began her career on stage, performing with the Black playwrights of the 1970s and developing her unique comic voice. Her one-woman show, "The Spook Show," earned critical acclaim and was brought to Broadway by producer Mike Nichols. The Broadway production ran for 156 performances and established her as a major talent, ultimately leading to her film debut.
Goldberg made her film debut in Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple" (1985), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Ghost" (1990), becoming only the second African American woman to win an acting Oscar at that time. She also starred in comedy hits like "Sister Act" (1992) and its sequel "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), and voiced the hyena Shenzi in Disney's "The Lion King" (1994). Her other film credits include "Eddie," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," and "Rat Race."
From 2007 onward, Goldberg has been a co-host and moderator of the daytime talk show "The View," where she is known for her candid commentary and humor. She has also hosted the Academy Awards ceremony multiple times (1994, 1996, 1999, 2002) and was the first woman to host the ceremony alone. Her television work has earned her a Daytime Emmy Award as both producer and host. She has also authored several books, including a memoir titled "Is It Just Me?" and children's books.
Goldberg is a prominent humanitarian and activist for civil rights, women's rights, and LGBTQ equality. She has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2001. In 2017, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Her broad influence across film, television, theater, and activism makes her one of the most enduring and respected figures in American entertainment.