biography

Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Johnson in New York City in 1954. By the age of eight she was already appearing on stage and was a member of a New York children's theater. She went on to appear on Broadway in cult musicals "Hair" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." In 1974 she gave birth to her daughter Alexandra, and was divorced that same year.

She then left New York to try her luck on the other side of the country in San Diego and San Francisco. There she conjured up the idea of a lifetime for a one-woman show in which she changed characters in rapid succession. Her gig was so successful that she took her show on a European tour and became a hot performer in New York as well. Director Mike Nichols produced her stage show as a television series which also sold well on video. Her success caught the eye of another director, Steven Speilberg in 1985, and she was cast in the main role as Celie in "The Color Purple." She was so astoundingly convincing in her first film role as the oppressed farmers wife that she received an Oscar nomination.

She again proved her talent as the experienced domestic servant Clara, in the drama "Claras Heart." She also appeared in such films as "The Long Walk Home," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," " Burglar," "Fatal Beauty," and "Made in America" to name a few. But it was in the supporting role in the film "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore that Whoopi finally got the recognition she deserved. She won an Oscar for her portrayal of the absurd and chaotic fortune teller Oda Mae Brown. She went on to score big in the world-wide hit "Sister Act." She earned over $20 million with her following two films and has become one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood.

In 1994 she made perhaps one of the greatest cameo appearances for which she was neither given credit for or paid. It was in the role of Guinen, a wise and mysterious extraterrestrial in the film "Star Trek: Generations." An avid Trekkie, Goldbers says, "Star Trek is something I wanted to do since I was a little girl. It was the first show that said, yes, there's a future for black folks."

Her talent for comedy hasn't gone un-noticed either. Her first album, which was a recording of her Broadway show, won a Grammy Award as Best Comedy Recording of the Year and her second album, "Fontaine…Why am I Straight?" also earned her a Grammy Award nomination.

Goldberg is well-known for her tireless humanitarian efforts on behalf of children the homeless, human rights, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS. She has appeared along side Robin Williams and Billy Crystal to co-host HBO's "Comic Relief" specials which benefit the nation's homeless.