Whoopi Goldberg spent several years trying to keep real name a secret for protection
Whoopi Goldberg’s real name may be easy to Google now, but the star spent several years trying to keep it on the down low for an important reason. The movie star wanted to keep some areas of her life private, so decided on changing her name for showbiz. The celebrity even said in an old […]
Whoopi Goldberg’s real name may be easy to Google now, but the star spent several years trying to keep it on the down low for an important reason.
The movie star wanted to keep some areas of her life private, so decided on changing her name for showbiz. The celebrity even said in an old interview that some of her close friends weren’t away of her true moniker. Whoopi Goldberg may be a household star now, but if you heard her real name on the street, would you turn?
Whoopi Goldberg’s real name
Whoopi Goldberg’s real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson, but she wanted something better for Hollywood. She actually crafted her stage name from a funny childhood memory, blaming it on her farting so much that people would refer to her as a whoopee cushion. The actor says she chose the surname Goldberg because of her Jewish descent.
Despite the hilarious story behind her real name, Whoopi Goldberg’s childhood was far from perfect.
The star, who has spoken about her learning difficulty dyslexia, dropped out of school. She slept rough for a while after leaving home and admits she formed a drug habit. She even worked as a bricklayer and a makeup artist in a morgue to try and make ends meet.
Her counselor helped her get clean for her health and when she was 20 they tied the knot. The couple shared a child together before the marriage broke down and they divorced. But she continued with the odd jobs while she tried to break into the acting world.
It was when Steven Spielberg saw Whoopi’s one-woman show that he drew inspiration. He cast her in The Color Purple, despite the star turning down the role at first. It obviously paid off as it was the start of her career that catapulted her into further success.
She won’t even say her real name
Despite being about to freely find out her birth name, Whoopi doesn’t even use it herself. She says she does this, so she can keep “her personal life personal”.
“The name,” she tells the Washington Post, “came out of the blue. It was a joke. First it was Whoopi Cushion. Then it was French, like Whoopi Cushon.
“My mother said, ‘Nobody’s gonna respect you with a name like that.’ So I put Goldberg on it. Goldberg’s a part of my family somewhere, and that’s all I can say about it. It’s like Rip Torn, you know?”
Whoopi Goldberg admits that only her nearest and dearest know and call her by her real name.
She explains: “I’m protecting my family. As it is now, I can go home and live as this other person and even though I might look like Whoopi Goldberg on the street, I can whip out my driver’s license and say, ‘Hey, but I’m not.’ “
If you’ve been affected by this story you can contact American Addiction Centers on (877) 686-7688 or Talk To Frank on 0300 123 6600 in the UK.