| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/WhoopiGoldberg_6841.jpg]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | ->''"You know, be an actor because you love to act. Don't be an actor because you think you're going to get famous, because that's luck."'' |
| 4 | |
| 5 | 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. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Known for tackling serious issues with a sense of humor, she became the highest-paid actress of all time during her peak in TheNineties. Whoopi's first film appearance was in the movie ''Film/{{The Color Purple|1985}}'', where she garnered an MediaNotes/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|1990}}''. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Her famous roles are as foot-dragging ghost possesee Oda Mae Brown in the aforementioned ''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. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | 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 ''Film/{{The Color Purple|1985}}''), and was suddenly committing to a semi-regular role on television. As she explained to an equally confused Creator/GeneRoddenberry, 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. From 1998-2002, she served as executive producer and center square on the Creator/TomBergeron-hosted revival of ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares''. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | She's appeared in over 150 different movies, and has won two Golden Globe Awards, an Oscar, [[MediaNotes/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 MediaNotes/TheEGOTs, the first African-American performer to do so, and one of just four out of those sixteen whose Emmy is a ''Daytime'' Emmy, not a ''Primetime'' Emmy.[[note]]The others are Robert Lopez, John Legend, and Alan Menken.[[/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''. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | She has been a moderator of the daytime panel talk show ''Series/TheView'' since 2007. |
| 16 | ---- |
| 17 | !!Her acting credits include: |
| 18 | |
| 19 | [[folder:Live-action]] |
| 20 | * ''Film/{{The Color Purple|1985}}'' (1985) as Celie Johnson |
| 21 | * ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'' (1986) as Camille Brand |
| 22 | * ''Film/JumpinJackFlash'' (1986) as Terry Doolittle |
| 23 | * ''Film/{{Burglar}}'' (1987) as Bernice 'Bernie' Rhodenbarr |
| 24 | * ''Film/FatalBeauty'' (1987) as Rita Rizzoli |
| 25 | * ''Series/DCFollies'' (1988) as herself |
| 26 | * ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' (1988-93) as Guinan |
| 27 | ** ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' (1994) |
| 28 | ** ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' (2002) |
| 29 | * ''Film/BagdadCafe'' (1990-91) as Brenda |
| 30 | * ''Film/{{Ghost|1990}}'' (1990) as Oda Mae Brown |
| 31 | * ''Series/ADifferentWorld'' (1991) as Dr. Jordan |
| 32 | * ''Film/SoapDish'' (1991) as Rose Schwartz |
| 33 | * ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' (1991) as Peligre |
| 34 | * ''Film/{{House Party|1990}} 2'' (1991) as The Professor |
| 35 | * ''Literature/ThePlayer'' (1992) as Detective Susan Avery |
| 36 | * ''Film/SisterAct'' (1992) as Deloris Van Cartier |
| 37 | ** ''Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit'' (1993) |
| 38 | * ''Film/LoadedWeapon1'' (1993) as Sgt. Billy York |
| 39 | * ''Film/MadeInAmerica'' (1993) as Sarah Mathews |
| 40 | * ''Film/TheLittleRascals'' (1994) as Buckwheat's Mom |
| 41 | * ''Film/CorrinaCorrina'' (1994) as Corrina Washington |
| 42 | * ''Film/BoysOnTheSide'' (1995) as Jane [=DeLuca=] |
| 43 | * ''Film/TheodoreRex'' (1995) as Katie Coltrane |
| 44 | * ''Film/TheSunshineBoys'' (1996) as Nurse |
| 45 | * ''Film/BordelloOfBlood'' (1996) as Hospital Patient |
| 46 | * ''Film/TheAssociate'' (1996) as Laurel Ayres |
| 47 | * ''Film/GhostsOfMississippi'' (1996) as Myrlie Evans |
| 48 | * ''Film/InAndOut'' (1997) as herself |
| 49 | * ''Film/AnAlanSmitheeFilmBurnHollywoodBurn'' (1997) as herself |
| 50 | * ''Film/HowStellaGotHerGrooveBack'' (1998) as Delilah Abraham |
| 51 | * ''Series/TheNanny'' (1998) as Edna, herself |
| 52 | * ''Film/AKnightInCamelot'' (1998) as Dr. Vivien Morgan/Sir Boss |
| 53 | * ''Theatre/{{Alegria}}'' (1999) as Baby Clown |
| 54 | * ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|1999}}'' (1999) as Cheshire Cat |
| 55 | * ''Film/GirlInterrupted'' (1999) as Valerie Owens |
| 56 | * ''Series/StrongMedicine'' (2000) as Dr. Lydia Emerson |
| 57 | * ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRockyAndBullwinkle'' (2000) as Judge Cameo |
| 58 | * ''Film/{{Monkeybone}}'' (2001) as Death |
| 59 | * ''Film/RatRace'' (2001) as Vera Baker |
| 60 | * ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie'' (2002) as Daniel's Boss |
| 61 | * ''Series/AbsolutelyFabulous'' (2002) as Goldie |
| 62 | * ''Series/BearInTheBigBlueHouse'' (2003) as The Great Bandini |
| 63 | * ''Series/{{Whoopi}}'' (2003-2004) as Mavis Rae |
| 64 | * ''Superbabies: Film/BabyGeniuses 2'' (2004) as herself |
| 65 | * ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' (2006) as Chesley Watkins |
| 66 | * ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'' (2006) as Louise Clarkson |
| 67 | * ''Series/ThirtyRock'' (2007, 2009) as herself |
| 68 | * ''Series/{{Entourage}}'' (2008) as herself |
| 69 | * ''Film/AMuppetsChristmasLettersToSanta'' (2008) as Taxi Driver |
| 70 | * ''Film/MadeaGoesToJail'' (2009) as herself |
| 71 | * ''Theatre/ForColoredGirls'' (2010) as Alice Adrose / Lady in White |
| 72 | * ''Film/{{The Muppets|2011}}'' (2011) as herself |
| 73 | * ''Series/{{Glee}}'' (2012, 2014) as Carmen Tibideaux |
| 74 | * ''Series/TheMiddle'' (2012) as Jane Marsh |
| 75 | * ''Series/SixHundredSixtySixParkAvenue'' (2012) as Maris Elder |
| 76 | * ''Film/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|2014}}'' (2014) as Bernadette Thompson |
| 77 | * ''Film/TopFive'' (2014) as herself |
| 78 | * ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' (2015) as Janette Grayson |
| 79 | * ''Series/BlueBloods'' (2016-17, 2020) as Regina Thomas |
| 80 | * ''Series/{{Nashville}}'' (2016) as herself |
| 81 | * ''WesternAnimation/AskTheStoryBots'' (2016) as The Tooth Fairy |
| 82 | * ''Series/{{The Tick|2016}}'' (2016) as herself |
| 83 | * ''Series/WhenWeRise'' (2017) as Pat Norman |
| 84 | * ''Series/{{Instinct}}'' (2018) as Joan Ross |
| 85 | * ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'' (2018) as Good Witch |
| 86 | * ''Series/{{The Stand|2020}}'' (2020-21) as Mother Abagail Fremantle |
| 87 | * ''Series/{{Staged}}'' (2021) as Mary |
| 88 | * ''Film/{{Till}}'' (2022) as Alma Carthan |
| 89 | [[/folder]] |
| 90 | |
| 91 | [[folder:Voice acting]] |
| 92 | * ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' (1990-92) as Gaia |
| 93 | * ''VideoGame/DefendersOfDynatronCity'' (1992) as Ms. Megawatt |
| 94 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'' (1994) as Shenzi |
| 95 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingOneAndAHalf'' (2004) |
| 96 | * ''WesternAnimation/ThePagemaster'' (1994) as Fantasy |
| 97 | * ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfterFairyTalesForEveryChild'' (1995, 1997) as Zenobia the Hoodoo Diva, Mother Gooseberg |
| 98 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{A Christmas Carol|1997}}'' (1997) as Sprit of Christmas Present |
| 99 | * ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (1998) as The Iceberg |
| 100 | * ''[[WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer1998 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer]]'' (1998) as Stormella the Evil Ice Queen |
| 101 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheRugratsMovie'' (1998) as Ranger Margaret |
| 102 | * ''WesternAnimation/OurFriendMartin'' (1999) as Mrs. Peck |
| 103 | * ''WesternAnimation/CelebrityDeathmatch'' (2001) as herself |
| 104 | * ''WesternAnimation/DrKatzProfessionalTherapist'' (2002) as herself |
| 105 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Madeline}}: My Fair Madeline'' (2002) as Miss Clavel |
| 106 | * ''WesternAnimation/Pinocchio3000'' (2004) as Cyberina |
| 107 | * ''Film/RacingStripes'' (2005) as Franny |
| 108 | * ''[[WesternAnimation/TheMagicRoundabout2005 Doogal]]'' (2006) as Ermintrude |
| 109 | * ''WesternAnimation/EveryonesHero'' (2006) as Darlin' |
| 110 | * ''Film/FarceOfThePenguins'' (2006) as Helen |
| 111 | * ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' (2010) as Stretch |
| 112 | * ''Literature/TheLittleEngineThatCould'' (2011) as Tower |
| 113 | * ''Series/{{Suburgatory}}'' (2012) as Yakult |
| 114 | * ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' (2012) as HAL 9000, Celie Johnson, Swift Wind, Spirit |
| 115 | * ''Series/OnceUponATimeInWonderland'' (2013-14) as Mrs. Rabbit |
| 116 | * ''WesternAnimation/The7D'' (2014-16) as Magic Mirror |
| 117 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheStinkyAndDirtyShow'' (2016-19) as Meg |
| 118 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Animals|2016}}'' (2017) as Dorothy |
| 119 | * ''Film/Descendants2'' (2017) as Ursula |
| 120 | * ''WesternAnimation/ElenaOfAvalor'' (2018-20) as Lama |
| 121 | * ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' (2018) as Mikhaela |
| 122 | * ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndGuessWho'' (2019) as herself |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/SummerCampIsland'' (2019-20) as Barb |
| 124 | * ''[[WesternAnimation/MODOK2021 M.O.D.O.K.]]'' (2021) as Marian Pouncy / Poundcakes |
| 125 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Luck|2022}}'' (2022) as the Captain |
| 126 | [[/folder]] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | !!{{Trope Namer|s}} for: |
| 129 | |
| 130 | * WhoopiEpiphanySpeech |
| 131 | ---- |
| 132 | * ActorAllusion: In 1992 she had Isis Carmen Jones playing a younger version of herself in both ''Film/SisterAct'' and ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. |
| 133 | * AsHerself: In ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'''s "Dead Wait". |
| 134 | * BigApplesauce: She was born and raised in New York City. |
| 135 | * CelebrityVoiceActor: As Shenzi in ''{{WesternAnimation/The Lion King|1994}}'', Gaia in ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' and Fantasy in ''Film/ThePagemaster''. Later subverted as Whoopi has established voice acting as a second career, after her decline as a screen actor. |
| 136 | * CreatorBacklash: |
| 137 | ** Subverted with ''Jumpin Jack Flash''. She disliked it initially but warmed to it. |
| 138 | ** She says of ''The Telephone'' that "it read brilliantly but was a cockadoo on the screen". |
| 139 | ** "I'm not crazy about ''Fatal Beauty''. It could have been a whole lot better." |
| 140 | ** Tried to get out of ''Theodore Rex'', only staying for the paycheck after they threatened to sue her in response. |
| 141 | ** She initially defended Bill Cosby when his long history of sexual assault came to light, saying all the women would now be making their cases in court if it were true, not realizing the statue of limitations had run out on many of them. |
| 142 | * EruditeStoner: Her Fontaine character which got its own show, "Why Am I Straight?". From "Live on Broadway": |
| 143 | -->'''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''! ''(later)'' Now why is that so hard to believe? I mean, I'm a junkie, I'm not ''stupid''! |
| 144 | * IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: 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. |
| 145 | * LyingCreator: She used to lie about her birthdate to make herself seem older, claiming she was born in 1949. |
| 146 | * 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 "[[Film/BoxingHelena breach of contract]]" fines that derailed Creator/KimBasinger's career. |
| 147 | * NiceGirl: A really funny and pleasant person to be around. |
| 148 | * PromotedFanboy: She was a huge ''Star Trek'' fan and lobbied hard to be in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. Creator/GeneRoddenberry had thought that someone of Whoopi's pay grade would be too expensive for the direct-to-syndication show, but she was such a fan of the original series that [[AwesomeDearBoy she wanted to play a part here regardless of the size of the paycheck]]. |
| 149 | * ReclusiveArtist: When not working, she lives a very quiet life and avoids drawing attention to herself. |
| 150 | * RemakeCameo: Whoopi appeared in the musical version of ''Film/SisterAct'' for a few performances in London, this time as Mother Superior. |
| 151 | * SassyBlackWoman: Most of her roles plays this up. |
| 152 | * StarDerailingRole: ''Film/TheodoreRex'' did massive damage to her career, not least because it was planned for a theatrical release and then went direct to video. |
| 153 | * StarMakingRole: Her Oscar win for ''Film/Ghost1990'' helped make her one of the top actresses of the 90s. |
| 154 | * WhatCouldHaveBeen: |
| 155 | ** She very nearly wasn't able to take the part of Oda Mae Brown, and it almost went to Jackee Harry. |
| 156 | ** The Hyenas in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' were originally written in the hopes of reuniting Cheech and Chong. Cheech Marin agreed to play Banzai, but Tommy Chong was unavailable. Thus the hyena became female, played by Whoopi. |
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