ACTOR · BORN 1955
Whoopi Goldberg
- Born
- 13 November 1955, New York City, New York, USA
- Known for
- The Lion King (1994), Toy Story 3 (2010), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Ghost (1990)
71 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
9 Facts About Whoopi Goldberg's Life and Family
- #006
Whoopi Goldberg's youth was quite difficult. After dropping out of high school she became addicted to heroin and, during that period, married her drug counselor; she divorced him after overcoming her addiction. In 1974 she moved to California and helped found the San Diego Repertory Company, where she used the name 'Whoopi Cushion.' Before her acting career began, she supported herself working as a bank teller, a bricklayer and in a morgue.
- #011
In 1991, at the funeral of 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry, Whoopi Goldberg took part as a mourner alongside fellow 'Star Trek' stars Nichelle Nichols and Patrick Stewart. Goldberg showed her admiration and respect for Roddenberry in this way. The ceremony once again demonstrated her strong bond with the 'Star Trek' family.
- #029
Whoopi Goldberg's nickname "Whoopi" emerged during her youth, when she was doing stand-up comedy. Because she often farted during performances in the small clubs that had no room to change backstage, people began calling her "Whoopee Cushion." Goldberg wanted to use the name as her stage name, but her mother persuaded her not to give up her surname; later, researching her family history, they found an ancestor who bore the surname "Goldberg."
- #031
In February 2019, Whoopi Goldberg suffered a life-threatening bout of double pneumonia and sepsis and was treated in hospital for three weeks. This health crisis was a serious, life-threatening period, and after the difficult ordeal Goldberg recovered and continued her work.
- #033
Whoopi Goldberg became a great-grandmother at the age of 58. Her daughter Alex Martin's grandchild Amarah Dean gave birth to a girl named Charlie Rose on March 15, 2014. Goldberg greeted the event with great joy and expressed her contentment at her family's expansion.
- #035
One of Whoopi Goldberg's favorite films is the 1967 classic "Valley of the Dolls." The film deals with Hollywood of the era and the difficulties women faced, and Goldberg has said she watches it often and has expressed her admiration for it.
- #038
Whoopi Goldberg is the mother of the actress and producer Alex Martin. Through her daughter Alex Martin she has three grandchildren: Amarah Skye (b. 1989), Jerzey (b. 1995) and Mason (b. 1998). Her grandchild's daughter Charlie Rose was born on March 15, 2014, and Goldberg's brother Clyde Johnson died on May 11, 2015.
- #041
On the program "African American Lives" (2006), a DNA test revealed that Whoopi Goldberg's genetic ancestry is 92% Sub-Saharan African and 8% European. The test provided important information about the origins of her ancestors, and Goldberg shared the results on the program, creating an emotional moment with the audience.
- #062
Whoopi Goldberg is the daughter of Emma (Harris), a teacher and nurse, and Robert James Johnson Jr., a clergyman. Her close ancestors were African Americans from Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Goldberg has said she is proud of her family's origins and that this heritage shaped her.
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