Whoopi Goldberg Admits Choosing Her Career Over Her Daughter
Whoopi Goldberg has become a household name thanks to classic films like Sister Act, Sarafina! and Corrina, Corrina. But at what price? In a candid moment, the American comedian recently shared that she had to sacrifice her child for her fame and success.
The Academy Award winner said that she chose her acting career over her only daughter, Alexandrea Martin. Back then, Whoopi claimed that she knew the reality of the industry. She realized that the opportunity to pursue and achieve success only comes once and may never happen again.
During The View’s Tuesday episode, the 68-year-old actress told her co-hosts that her child “didn’t always like” her choice. While she described the incredible demands of her career during her younger years, Whoopi added that she never travelled anywhere without Alexandrea.
The hosts of The View ended up talking about Whoopi as a mother early in her career because of a recent comment made by Lily Allen. In a recent statement, the English celebrity remarked that “having kids ruined her career.” Lily’s confession led Whoopi to have an honest moment on-cam and come clean about life choices she made as a mother.
Whoopi became a mother in May 1974 when she was just 19 years old. The Color Purple actress explained, “My kid came before my career, and I chose my career because I knew this would never happen again. She didn’t always like it, but that is the process of being a parent—they’re not supposed to like everything you do.”
Weighing in on Whoopi’s confession, one of her co-hosts, Alyssa Farah Griffin, emphasized, “And you gave her a better life.”
Whoopi humbly said she hoped she had. Offering a glimpse into her earlier years, Whoopi explained, “I mean, even when I wasn’t famous, when we went on tour, when she sat in that theatre with me, you know, wherever I went, she went. So, it depends on what you’re able to do when you’re able to do it.”
Whoopi’s performance in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple paved the way for more acting jobs that came in fast for the actress, including the role of Deloris Van Cartier in the popular movie Sister Act.
Aside from acting, Whoopi also ventured into voice roles where she lent her voice to moves like The Lion King, The Rugrats Movie, A Christmas Carol and Toy Story 3.
Whoopi’s decision was not easy, but she made the most of her situation and embraced her projects with enthusiasm and passion. This led her to become one of the recipients of the coveted EGOT Award. She is one of 19 entertainers who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Academy, and a Tony award.
Sunny Hostin, another co-host, added her two cents, saying, “I really think that you do have to prioritize certain things like you can’t have everything all at the same time.”
The mother of two further shared, “You can have it at different times, and my mother actually sacrificed her career for the first five years of my life and stayed at home with me, and I remember that, and I stayed at home with Gabriel for the first year and a half, two years, and I stayed home for about six months with Paloma because at that point we couldn’t afford for me to not work.”
Regardless of her sacrifices, Whoopi’s success and legacy in Hollywood are undeniable.
