Whoopi Goldberg Recalls Why Her Mom Chose Not to Attend Oscars the Year She Won

Mar. 15, 2025

Whoopi Goldberg winning her Oscar on March 25, 1991.Photo:Bettman/Getty Images

Bettman/Getty Images

Whoopi Goldbergis recalling the real reason her mom chose not to attend theOscarsthe night she won.While discussingKathy Bates' recent realization about thanking her motherduring her Academy Award acceptance speech onThe View’sMonday, Oct. 7 episode, Goldberg, 68, reflected on her own experience winning.The actress was first nominated for Best Actress for 1985’sThe Color Purple, but Geraldine Page ended up claiming the category forThe Trip to Bountiful. Six years later, Goldbergwon Best Supporting Actress forGhost.“My mother didn’t come when I won. She came when I was nominated forColor Purple, but she didn’t wanna be there in case I didn’t win again,” said Goldberg.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Looking back at the year she lost to Page, Goldberg said she and her mother, Emma Harris, were still excited since the acclaimed actress lived in their neighborhood in New York City.“No, [my mom] didn’t have ‘angry face’ because the woman who won was from our neighborhood, was from Chelsea. And so we were really, the neighborhood was represented, you know?” said Goldberg.“So her winning … she’d been nominated [seven] times. She’d never won. She won for that and then she passed [a year later in 1987]. So I’m really glad she got her due.“Whoopi Goldberg with her mom Emma.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImageIn her 1991Oscar acceptance speech, Goldberg said onstage, “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted this.” She added, “My brother’s sittin' there, he says, ‘Thank God we don’t have to listen to any more. You can do it now.’ My mom’s home, everybody’s watching….“Later, she added, “I want to thank everybody who makes movies. I come from New York. As a little kid I lived in the projects, and you’re the people I watched. You’re the people [who] made me want to be an actor. I’m so proud to be here. I’m proud to be an actor and I’m gonna keep on acting. And thank you so much.“Whoopi Goldberg and daughter Alex Martin at the Oscars on March 4, 2018.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicGoldberg’s mom died in 2010, and her brother Clyde died in 2015. The star wrote about the night she won an Oscar in her recent bestselling memoir, titledBits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me.“My mother wasn’t at the ceremony because she didn’t want to show disappointment if I lost. My daughter Alex and my brother Clyde came with me, everyone looking like two-million bucks,” she wrote, also adding that she and her mom “were both Oscars fanatics.”

Whoopi Goldbergis recalling the real reason her mom chose not to attend theOscarsthe night she won.

While discussingKathy Bates' recent realization about thanking her motherduring her Academy Award acceptance speech onThe View’sMonday, Oct. 7 episode, Goldberg, 68, reflected on her own experience winning.

The actress was first nominated for Best Actress for 1985’sThe Color Purple, but Geraldine Page ended up claiming the category forThe Trip to Bountiful. Six years later, Goldbergwon Best Supporting Actress forGhost.

“My mother didn’t come when I won. She came when I was nominated forColor Purple, but she didn’t wanna be there in case I didn’t win again,” said Goldberg.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Looking back at the year she lost to Page, Goldberg said she and her mother, Emma Harris, were still excited since the acclaimed actress lived in their neighborhood in New York City.

“No, [my mom] didn’t have ‘angry face’ because the woman who won was from our neighborhood, was from Chelsea. And so we were really, the neighborhood was represented, you know?” said Goldberg.

“So her winning … she’d been nominated [seven] times. She’d never won. She won for that and then she passed [a year later in 1987]. So I’m really glad she got her due.”

Whoopi Goldberg with her mom Emma.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Image

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Image

In her 1991Oscar acceptance speech, Goldberg said onstage, “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted this.” She added, “My brother’s sittin' there, he says, ‘Thank God we don’t have to listen to any more. You can do it now.’ My mom’s home, everybody’s watching….”

Later, she added, “I want to thank everybody who makes movies. I come from New York. As a little kid I lived in the projects, and you’re the people I watched. You’re the people [who] made me want to be an actor. I’m so proud to be here. I’m proud to be an actor and I’m gonna keep on acting. And thank you so much.”

Whoopi Goldberg and daughter Alex Martin at the Oscars on March 4, 2018.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Goldberg’s mom died in 2010, and her brother Clyde died in 2015. The star wrote about the night she won an Oscar in her recent bestselling memoir, titledBits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me.

“My mother wasn’t at the ceremony because she didn’t want to show disappointment if I lost. My daughter Alex and my brother Clyde came with me, everyone looking like two-million bucks,” she wrote, also adding that she and her mom “were both Oscars fanatics.”

source: people.com