Caryn Elaine Johnson, professionally known as Whoopi Goldberg, is a celebrated American entertainer, recognized for her achievements across acting, comedy, and television. Born in New York City in 1955, she began her career in theater, developing one-woman shows that eventually led to national recognition. Her groundbreaking performance in the Broadway production of "Whoopi Goldberg" earned her a Grammy Award, marking her as the first Black female comedian to receive this honor. She later achieved critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for her role in Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple."

Goldberg's career expanded to include major film roles, notably her Academy Award-winning performance in "Ghost" as an eccentric psychic, which made her the second African-American woman to win an Oscar. She continued to star in successful films like "Sister Act," becoming one of the highest-paid actresses at the time. Beyond acting, she has had a significant television presence, co-hosting "The View" and hosting the Academy Awards multiple times. Her extensive accolades include an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award, making her one of the few entertainers to achieve the EGOT.

Born Caryn Elaine Johnson in Manhattan, Whoopi Goldberg was raised in a public housing project by her mother, Emma Johnson, who was a nurse and teacher. Goldberg's upbringing was influenced by a diverse religious background, including Catholicism, Baptist, Jewish, and Buddhist traditions. Her family roots trace back to Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. She attended St. Columba's parochial school and later dropped out of high school. Goldberg's ancestry, as explored in a DNA test, revealed West African origins from the Papel and Bayote people, with no known Jewish ancestry. In her youth, she moved to California, working various jobs, including as a waitress, bank teller, mortuary cosmetologist, and bricklayer. She also joined an avant-garde theater troupe, the Blake Street Hawkeyes, and experienced a traumatic midair plane collision in San Diego, which led to a fear of flying and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Goldberg honed her acting skills under Uta Hagen at HB Studio in New York City. Her early career included avant-garde film work and theatrical productions. She gained national attention with her one-woman show, "Moms," portraying Moms Mabley, which she performed in Berkeley and San Francisco. In 1983, she developed "The Spook Show," a collection of character monologues. Director Mike Nichols discovered her, significantly impacting her career by helping her bring the show to Broadway as "Whoopi Goldberg." This production, which ran from 1984 to 1985, was taped and aired as an HBO special, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album and making her the first Black female comedian to win the award.

Her Broadway success caught the attention of director Steven Spielberg, who cast her in the lead role of "The Color Purple" (1985). Her performance as Celie earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and an Academy Award nomination, marking her as the first Black actress to win in that Golden Globe category. Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Goldberg starred in numerous films, including "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986), "Clara's Heart" (1988), and the critically acclaimed "Ghost" (1990). In "Ghost," her portrayal of an eccentric psychic earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the second Black woman to win an Oscar. She also took on roles in "Sister Act" (1992) and its sequel, solidifying her status as a major Hollywood star and, at one point, the highest-paid actress.

Beyond her film work, Goldberg has made significant contributions to television. She held a recurring role as Guinan in the science fiction series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1988–1993) and reprised the character in later "Star Trek" projects. She has also been a prominent figure in hosting, notably emceeing the Academy Awards ceremony four times, beginning in 1994, and receiving praise for her hosting abilities. Since 2007, she has been a co-host and moderator of the daytime talk show "The View," for which she has won a Daytime Emmy Award. Her career also includes stage revivals and producing credits, demonstrating her enduring presence in the entertainment industry.