Whoopi Goldberg net worth in 2024 is something many fans are curious about. Known for her talent and humor, Whoopi has become a major name in entertainment. Over the years, she has starred in movies, TV shows, and even on Broadway. From her iconic role in Sister Act to her long-running spot on The View, she’s kept audiences laughing and thinking.
So, let’s look into Whoopi’s income sources and see how she built her impressive fortune.
Whoopi Goldberg in Brief
| Full Name | Whoopi Goldberg |
| Date of Birth | November 13, 1955 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Actress, Comedian, Author, TV Host |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) |
| Spouse | Lyle Trachtenberg (m. 1994–1995), David Claessen (m. 1986–1988), Alvin Martin (m. 1973–1979) |
| Children | Alexandrea Martin |
| Net Worth | $30 million |
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What is Whoopi Goldberg Net Worth in 2024?
Whoopi Goldberg is an American actress, comedian, author, and television personality with a net worth of $30 Million as of 2024. Whoopi Goldberg wealth mainly comes from her long career in entertainment.
She first became famous as a comedian and actress in movies like The Color Purple and Ghost, which won her an Academy Award. She also starred in popular films like Sister Act, bringing in big paychecks and raising her fame.
Besides acting, Whoopi earns a lot as a co-host on the talk show The View, where she has worked since 2007. Her salary from the show, along with royalties from movies and TV shows, has been a big part of her income. She also earns from voice acting, book deals, and producing projects. All these sources have helped build her wealth over many years in show business.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Early Life
Caryn Elaine Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York, on November 13, 1955. She is the daughter of Emma Johnson, a nurse and teacher, and Robert James Johnson Jr., a Baptist clergyman. She grew up in a public housing project, the Chelsea-Elliot Houses, in New York City. Caryn had a brother named Clyde, who passed away in 2015.
Her mother, Emma, raised her as a single mom. Caryn went to a Catholic school called St. Columba’s and later dropped out of Washington Irving High School. Her family came from places like Faceville, Georgia, Palatka, Florida, and Virginia. Caryn has said that her stage name “Whoopi” came from a Whoopee cushion because she was always making jokes.
She also chose the last name “Goldberg” because it was part of her family heritage. She has said that her family includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, and Catholic traditions. Caryn once mentioned that people would ask her if she was Jewish, and she would respond, “Would you ask me that if I was white?”
A DNA test showed that Caryn’s ancestors were all black, and part of her family came from the Papel and Bayote people in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Her great-great-grandparents were William and Elsie Washington, who became landowners in Florida after the Civil War.
Caryn became a fan of Star Trek after watching the show as a young girl. She saw Nichelle Nichols as Uhura and thought it was amazing that a black woman was on TV playing a strong role. This led her to be cast as Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In the 1970s, she moved to San Diego and worked as a waitress. Later, she moved to Berkeley, where she worked different jobs, like a bank teller and a bricklayer. Caryn joined a theater group called the Blake Street Hawkeyes and even taught comedy and acting. One of her students was Courtney Love. She also appeared in many theater productions. However, a plane crash she witnessed in 1978 gave her a fear of flying and caused post-traumatic stress disorder.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Career
Early Work
Whoopi Goldberg trained under Uta Hagen in New York City. Her first role was in Citizen: I’m Not Losing My Mind, I’m Giving It Away. In 1983, she gained attention with her one-woman show, Moms, where she portrayed Moms Mabley. Director Mike Nichols saw her perform and helped her bring the show to Broadway in 1984, renamed Whoopi Goldberg. The Broadway show was taped and aired by HBO as Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway, winning Goldberg a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.
In 1985, Steven Spielberg cast her in The Color Purple, where she played Celie. The film was a success, and Goldberg’s performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Film Stardom
Between 1986 and 1988, Goldberg starred in several films like Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Burglar, and Fatal Beauty. In 1990, she became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ghost. She also won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards for her performance as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost.
Goldberg continued her film career with hits like Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. In 1994, she hosted the Academy Awards, becoming the first Black woman to do so. During the 1990s, she was in The Lion King (voice), Made in America, and Moonlight and Valentino.
Established Actor
In the 2000s, Goldberg became an EGOT winner, achieving the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. She returned to Broadway in 2003 to star in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Goldberg also hosted TV shows and acted in films like For Colored Girls and Toy Story 3. She played Carmen Tibideaux in Glee and had roles in films like Big Stone Gap and Nobody’s Fool.
Goldberg voiced characters in Descendants 2 and The 7D. She also appeared in the superhero film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Recent Work
Goldberg reprised her role as Guinan in Star Trek: Picard in 2020. She starred in The Stand, a series based on Stephen King’s novel. She is also set to return in Sister Act 3, produced by Tyler Perry. Goldberg starred in Till, a biographical film she also produced. She guest-starred on Amphibia as Mother Olms.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Personal Life
Relationships
Whoopi Goldberg has been married three times. Her first husband was Alvin Martin, a drug counselor. They were married from 1973 to 1979. Then, she married David Claessen, a cinematographer, from 1986 to 1988. Her last marriage was to union organizer Lyle Trachtenberg, from 1994 to 1995. After that, Goldberg had live-in relationships with actor Frank Langella and playwright David Schein.
She also dated businessman Michael Visbal, orthodontist Jeffrey Cohen, camera operator Edward Gold, and actors Timothy Dalton and Ted Danson. Danson once wore blackface during a roast, which Goldberg defended because she helped write his jokes.
Goldberg says she doesn’t want to marry again. She told Piers Morgan in an interview that she never truly loved the men she married. She added, “Some people are not meant to be married and I am not meant to. I’m committed to my family.”
Family and Losses
Goldberg has one daughter, Alexandrea Martin, who also acts and produces. Through Alexandrea, Goldberg has three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Goldberg’s mother, Emma Johnson, passed away in 2010 after a stroke.
At the time, Goldberg was performing in the musical Sister Act in London. She returned to the stage a few weeks after her mother’s death. In 2015, her brother Clyde died from a brain aneurysm.
Views on Abortion
Goldberg has been open about her past abortions. She discussed one in the book The Choices We Made: Twenty-Five Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion, where she shared how she used a coat hanger to end a pregnancy at age 14.
She has said she had multiple abortions by age 25 because birth control sometimes failed her. In 2022, after the Kansas abortion referendum, Goldberg voiced that God would support abortion rights, as he gave women the freedom to choose.
Drug Use and Health
Goldberg once admitted to being a “functioning” drug addict. She even smoked marijuana before accepting her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Ghost. In 2019, she revealed she had fought pneumonia and sepsis, which made her take time off from The View.
Dyslexia and Living Arrangements
Goldberg has dyslexia. She lives in a private neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey, and has a summer home on the coast of Sardinia. She prefers being called an “actor” instead of “actress” because she feels it allows her to play any role, not just female ones.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Philanthropy
In 2006, Whoopi Goldberg joined the 20th anniversary of Comic Relief. She is a strong supporter of human rights. In 2008, she led a panel at the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit to talk about using social media to fight extremism. She also moderated a panel at the United Nations in 2009, discussing human rights, children, armed conflict, and terrorism.
In 2010, Goldberg teamed up with Cyndi Lauper to launch the Give a Damn campaign. This campaign worked to raise awareness about discrimination against the LGBT community. Goldberg has been an ally of the LGBT community since the 1987 March on Washington. She also supported transgender rights at the 28th GLAAD Media Awards in 2017.
Goldberg is on the Board of Selectors for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service. She also helps the National Museum of American Illustration as part of its National Council Advisory Board. In 2017, she spoke at the Women’s March in New York City, and she returned to speak again the next year.
On January 24, 2021, Goldberg joined Tom Everett Scott for a special fundraising episode of The George Lucas Talk Show. They raised money for the ASPCA while talking about her role in Snow Buddies.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Real Estate
Whoopi’s Homes
In 1993, Whoopi Goldberg bought a home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. She paid $2.6 million for it. In January 2018, she put it up for sale at $8.8 million. A month later, she sold it for $8.795 million.
Other Properties Sold
Whoopi once owned a huge 745-acre farm in Vermont. She sold this farm for $2 million. She also owned an apartment in Manhattan that she sold in 2010 for $3 million. In 2015, she sold her home in Berkeley for $2.05 million.
Residence in New Jersey
Now, Whoopi’s main home is a large estate in West Orange, New Jersey. She bought it in 2009 for just under $3 million.
