Whoopi Goldberg gained widespread recognition through her performance in the landmark film The Color Purple, marking the beginning of her illustrious career.
It is fair to say that she became a prominent star almost instantly, captivating millions with this masterpiece directed by Steven Spielberg. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the movie four stars, declaring it “the year’s best film” and praising Goldberg’s performance as “one of the most remarkable debut performances in cinematic history.” Ultimately, she made history as the first Black woman to achieve all four major North American entertainment awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Growing up in a housing project in Manhattan with her mother, Goldberg recognized her passion for comedy at an early age. She left school and married Alvin Martin, her first of three husbands, at around 18, from whom she had her daughter, Alexandra, though the marriage was short-lived.
After their divorce, Goldberg and Alexandra relocated several times, living in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Although her aspiration to become a comedian remained strong, she had to take on various jobs to support her daughter. In a conversation with Oprah, Goldberg shared that she once worked as a mortuary beautician.
“I did hair and makeup on deceased individuals,” Goldberg recounted. “There was an advertisement in the paper! I’m also a licensed beautician because I attended beauty school.”
“It’s a challenging job,” she continued. “You need to be a specific type of person and genuinely care for others to ensure they receive a dignified farewell.” Concurrently, she pursued her comedy career, touring the United States and Europe with her one-woman show, The Spook Show. It was during this time that she caught the attention of the esteemed director Mike Nichols, who was captivated by her talent, leading to a Broadway production of her show.
This success paved the way for The Color Purple and a series of other blockbuster films, including Ghost, for which she won an Academy Award, along with numerous other accolades.which positioned her as the highest-paid actress in history at that time.
Recently, Goldberg faced suspension from the acclaimed talk show The View due to her use of language deemed inappropriate by the audience. Regarding her personal life, Goldberg has expressed that she feels most at peace when she is single.
From 1986 to 1988, she was married to her second husband, David Claessen, and in 1994, she wed Lyle Trachtenberg. Neither marriage endured, and Goldberg attributes the failures to her own shortcomings.
Goldberg revealed that she struggles with sharing her life with others, a challenge she faced with her former spouses.
“People expect you to have a boyfriend. They expect you to get married,” she stated in an interview with the New York Times.
“I kept trying to meet those expectations, but I didn’t want to disclose my personal information to anyone. I didn’t want to answer questions about my actions or feel the need to comfort someone else.”
She further remarked, “However, being in a relationship requires those exchanges, and it took me some time to realize that I wasn’t interested in that.” When questioned by Piers Morgan about her previous marriages, Goldberg confessed that she had never truly loved her husbands. She told Morgan, “I suppose you need to genuinely love the person you marry. A real commitment is essential, and I simply lack that commitment.”
She continued, “I thought that being married would lead to a more conventional life. Clearly, that was not the case. There is no valid reason to marry; you must genuinely desire to share a life with someone through both good and bad times. I have come to understand that this is not for me.” The actress has generally kept her private life under wraps, including her relationship with former Bond actor Timothy Dalton. The two were regarded as a prominent couple and were together for approximately a year, with Dalton accompanying her to the 1991 Oscars, where she won the Best Supporting Actress award.Goldberg was romantically involved with her fellow co-star Ted Danson, with whom she shared the screen in the comedy “Made in America” (1993).
At the onset of their relationship, Goldberg was single, while Danson was still married. When news of their affair became public, his then-wife, Cassandra Coates, ended their marriage, resulting in a substantial divorce settlement of $30 million. After his divorce, Goldberg and Danson maintained their relationship for a period and remained friends for 18 months before losing contact.
Reflecting on their separation, she revealed to Closer magazine, “It was truly painful and very public. The loss of his friendship is particularly difficult. We can never just go out for a soda anywhere.” She added, “I maintain friendships with nearly all the men I’ve dated, except for him.” Goldberg admitted to struggling with relationships, stating, “I wish I were better at them, but I’m not. I devoted all my time and resources to my child, and now I want to focus on myself,” during a 2009 interview with The Guardian.
“The only way I could ever consider marriage again is if my partner lived in another country,” Goldberg remarked. “They could visit, and it would feel like, ‘Oh, my goodness, I haven’t seen you in ages. Come here!’”
Currently, Goldberg finds joy in her life alongside her cat, Oliver.
She is recognized as a truly distinctive and prominent figure in Hollywood, and we wish her continued success in the future.
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