Whoopi Goldberg changed her name for a variety of reasons. First, she wanted to distance herself from her given name, which she felt was too masculine. Secondly, she believed that a new name would better suit her career goals.
Finally, she thought that it would be easier for people to remember her if she had a more unique name.
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York City. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and her father, Robert James Johnson, Jr., was a clergyman. She changed her name to Whoopi Goldberg when she started her professional career as a stand-up comedian.
The name was inspired by a line from the Whoopi Goldberg character in the film “The Color Purple”.
Whoopi Goldberg Name Change
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York City on November 13, 1955. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and her father, Robert James Johnson Jr., was a clergyman. She has been an actress, comedian, and television host for over 30 years.
In 1992, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Ghost. Goldberg began her career as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco during the late 1970s. She made her film debut in The Color Purple (1985) as Celie Harris Johnson, opposite Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey.
For her work on the film, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She had starring roles in such films as Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986), Burglar (1987), Fatal Beauty (1987), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Rat Race (2001), Kingdom Come (2001), and Our Family Wedding (2010). On television, Goldberg is best known for her role as Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1988 to 1993.
She has also appeared on such shows as Hollywood Squares, Saturday Night Live, The View, Soap Opera Digest Awards Showcase Special: All My Children’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, and Sesame Street Presents: The Cookie Thief. In addition to her acting career, Goldberg is also a producer and director. She produced the films Boys on the Side (1995) and Girl 6 (1996).
She made her directorial debut with the HBO film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge starring Halle Berry in 1999.
Why Did Whoopi Choose That Name?
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York City on November 13, 1955. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and a nurse, and her father, Robert James Johnson Jr., was a clergyman. Whoopi’s recent ancestors were from Georgia, Florida, and Virginia.
She has stated that the name “Whoopi” was taken from a nickname her mother gave her when she was a baby (“whoopee”).
What is Whoopi Goldberg’s Legal Name?
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955. Her stage name is a combination of her childhood nickname “Whoopi,” which she got from her mother because she made a lot of noise when she was a baby, and the surname “Goldberg,” which she took from her stepfather, who was African American.
Goldberg has been married three times and has two daughters.
She was previously married to Alvin Martin from 1973-1979 and David Claessen from 1986-1988. She married actor Lyle Trachtenberg in 1994, but they divorced in 1995.
Conclusion
Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York City. Her mother, Emma, was a nurse and teacher, and her father, Robert James Johnson Jr., was a clergyman. She has eight siblings.
When she was three, her parents divorced and she changed her last name to “Goldberg” after her maternal grandfather. Whoopi Goldberg is an American actress, comedian, author, and television host. She has been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards and has won two Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.
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