History Creator / WhoopiGoldberg

Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in the 1990s. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', where she garnered an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mistreated African American woman in the DeepSouth. Five years later, she won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her performance in the blockbuster title ''Film/Ghost1990''.

Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as [[StageNames Whoopi Goldberg]], is a highly successful American actor,[[note]]she prefers the gender-neutral term "actor" over "actress", as she believes the latter implies that she could only play a woman[[/note]] comedian, author, and talk show host. Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in the 1990s. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', where she garnered an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mistreated African American woman in the DeepSouth. Five years later, she won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her performance in the blockbuster title ''Film/Ghost1990''.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/WhoopiGoldberg_6841.jpg]]

Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as [[StageNames Whoopi Goldberg]], is a highly successful American actor,[[note]]she prefers the gender-neutral term "actor" over "actress", as she believes the latter implies that she could only play a woman[[/note]] comedian, author, and talk show host. Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in the 1990s. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', where she garnered an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mistreated African American woman in the DeepSouth. Five years later, she won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her performance in the blockbuster title ''Film/{{Ghost}}''.

Her famous roles are as foot-dragging ghost possesee Oda Mae Brown in ''{{Film/Ghost}}'', bartender/hat enthusiast Guinan on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', and showgirl-turned-mob informant-turned-nun Sister Mary Clarence in the ''Film/SisterAct'' films. She's also fondly remembered as the Hyena leader, Shenzi, in the animated movie ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'' and also did voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' as Stretch.

* StarMakingRole: Her Oscar win for ''{{Film/Ghost}}'' helped make her one of the top actresses of the 90s.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animals}}'' (2017) as Dorothy
* ''Film/{{Descendants}} 2'' (2017) as Ursula

** The Hyenas in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' were originally written in the hopes of reuniting Cheech and Chong. Cheech Martin agreed to play Banzai, but Tommy Chong was unavailable. Thus the hyena became female, played by Whoopi.

Has been moderator of the daytime panel talk show ''Series/TheView'' since 2007.

* MoneyDearBoy: She agreed to do ''Film/TheodoreRex'' for a $2 million increase to her original salary, as well as to avoid getting the same kind of "breach of contract" fines that derailed Creator/KimBasinger's career.

* ''Literature/ThePlayer'' (1992) as Detective Avery
* ''Film/SisterAct'' (1992) as Deloris

* ''Film/BoysOnTheSide'' (1995) as Jane

* ''Film/GirlInterrupted'' (1999) as Valerie

Her famous roles are as foot-dragging ghost possesee Oda Mae Brown in ''{{Film/Ghost}}'', bartender/hat enthusiast Guinan on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', and showgirl-turned-mob informant-turned-nun Sister Mary Clarence in the ''Film/SisterAct'' films. She's also fondly remembered as the Hyena leader, Shenzi, in the animated movie ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and also did voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' as Stretch.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: As Shenzi in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'', Gaia in ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' and Fantasy in ''Film/ThePagemaster''.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: As Shenzi in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' and Fantasy in ''Film/ThePagemaster''.

Her casting as Guinan came as a surprise to the public and was seen as something of a step down: Goldberg had already enjoyed success in big budget films (including a critically acclaimed turn in Steven Spielberg's ''Literature/TheColorPurple''), and was suddenly committing to a semi-regular role on television. As she explained to an equally confused Gene Roddenberry, Whoopi is an AscendedFangirl of [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries The Original Series]], with Creator/NichelleNichols' role as Uhura was one of her biggest driving inspirations for becoming an actress. In the late 1990s, she served as the center square on a revival of ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares'' but later left.

She's appeared in over 150 different movies, and has won two Golden Globe Awards, an Oscar, [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward a Grammy]], a Tony, three People's Choice Awards, two American Comedy Awards, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and two Daytime Emmy Awards. This makes her one of just sixteen people to have won UsefulNotes/TheEGOTs, and one of just two out of those twelve whose Emmy is a ''Daytime'' Emmy, not a ''Primetime'' Emmy.[[note]]The other is Robert Lopez.[[/note]] (But it still counts. [[Series/ThirtyRock Girl's gotta eat!]]) With such a large list of films she's been in, they tend to vary from great inspirational roles like in ''The Color Purple'', to… [[StarDerailingRole well]], ''Film/TheodoreRex''.

She's appeared in over 150 different movies, and has won two Golden Globe Awards, an Oscar, [[UsefulNotes/GrammyAward a Grammy]], a Tony, three People's Choice Awards, two American Comedy Awards, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and two Daytime Emmy Awards. This makes her one of just twelve people to have won UsefulNotes/TheEGOTs, and one of just two out of those twelve whose Emmy is a ''Daytime'' Emmy, not a ''Primetime'' Emmy.[[note]]The other is Robert Lopez.[[/note]] (But it still counts. [[Series/ThirtyRock Girl's gotta eat!]]) With such a large list of films she's been in, they tend to vary from great inspirational roles like in ''The Color Purple'', to… [[StarDerailingRole well]], ''Film/TheodoreRex''.

Whoopi Goldberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955 in New York City, New York) is a highly successful American actress/singer/comedian. Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in the 1990s. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', where she garnered an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mistreated African American woman in the DeepSouth. Five years later, she won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her performance in the blockbuster title ''Film/{{Ghost}}''.

'''Trope Namer'''

* RemakeCameo: Whoopi appeared in the musical version of ''Film/SisterAct'' for a few performances in London, this time as the Mother Superior.

Current moderator for the daytime panel talk show ''Series/TheView''.

Currently, she leads the roundtable of women that comprise ''The View''.

Her famous roles are as foot-dragging ghost possesee Oda Mae Brown in ''{{Film/Ghost}}'', bartender/hat enthusiast Guinan on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', and showgirl-turned-mob informant-turned-nun Sister Mary Clarence in the ''Film/SisterAct'' films. She's also fondly remembered as the Hyena leader, Shenzi, in the animated movie ''Disney/TheLionKing'' and also did voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' as Stretch.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: As Shenzi in ''Disney/TheLionKing'' and Fantasy in ''Film/ThePagemaster''.

** The Hyenas in ''Disney/TheLionKing'' were originally written in the hopes of reuniting Cheech and Chong. Cheech Martin agreed to play Banzai, but Tommy Chong was unavailable. Thus the hyena became female, played by Whoopi.

-->'''Fontaine:''' ''(on being at the Anne Frank House)'' I noticed a small staircase leading to a big bookcase, and I'm into books you know, I got a [=PhD=] in Literature from Columbia... ''(audience roars with laughter -- Fontaine stares at them)'' I know you don't think I was ''born'' a junkie. I have an education. I got a [=PhD=] I can't do ''shit'' with so I stay high ''so I don't get mad''!

Whoopi Goldberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955) is a highly successful American actress/singer/comedian. Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in the 1990s. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', where she garnered an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mistreated African American woman in the DeepSouth. Five years later, she won both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for her performance in the blockbuster title ''Film/{{Ghost}}''.

* IWantYouToMeatAnOldFriendOfMine: When Franchise/TheMuppets guest-starred on ''The View'' to promote the release of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' on DVD, Kermit brought up the time Whoopi played God in their ItsAWonderfulPlot adaptation.

* IWouldLikeYouToMeatAnOldFriendOfMine: When Franchise/TheMuppets guest-starred on ''The View'' to promote the release of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' on DVD, Kermit brought up the time Whoopi played God in their ItsAWonderfulPlot adaptation.

* IdLikeYouToMeatAnOldFriendOfMine: When Franchise/TheMuppets guest-starred on ''The View'' to promote the release of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' on DVD, Kermit brought up the time Whoopi played God in their ItsAWonderfulPlot adaptation.

* SassyBlackWoman: Many of her roles play this up