Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg , is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality. A recipient of numerous accolades, Goldberg is one of sixteen entertainers to have won an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award.
Goldberg's breakthrough came in 1985 for her role as Celie, in Steven Spielberg's period drama film The Color Purple, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won her first Golden Globe Award. For her performance in the romantic fantasy film Ghost (1990) Goldberg won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1992 Goldberg starred in the comedy Sister Act, earning a third Golden Globe nomination, her first for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. She reprised the role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), making her the highest-paid actress at the time.
A theatre performer and producer, Goldberg has performed in Broadway productions, one of which produced a comedy album that earned her a Grammy Award. She has also won a Tony Award as a producer of the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. In television, Goldberg is known for her role as Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation and for co-hosting and moderating the talk show The View since 2007, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award. She portrays Mother Abagail in the CBS ALL Access 2020 miniseries The Stand
Trivia
Jamey Sheridan's first movie role was as a New York City Police officer in Whoopi Goldberg's starring vehicle Jumping Jack Flash (1986). They have a short scene together when he arrests her. It's interesting to note that Sheridan would go on to play Randall Flagg (the leader of the Las Vegas faction) in The Stand (1994 Miniseries) while Goldberg would play Mother Abagail (spiritual leader of the Boulder faction) in The Stand (2020 Miniseries).