Whoopi Goldberg

Not many black actresses can claim to have as flamboyant and successful a career as Whoopi Goldberg. A star in her own right, she is one of the 14 entertainers ever to have an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in her kitty, a feat that select few can boast of. What differentiates Goldberg from her contemporaries is the excellence that she portrayed in all the mediums of entertainment, be it television, theatre, films or radio. She created history by becoming the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for best supporting actress in nearly 50 years. Furthermore, she is only the second African-American actress to win an Academy Award for acting. In her career which spanned across three decades and more, she has served as an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, Broadway star, political activist, author and talk show host. But did you know that Goldberg suffered from dyslexia during her early years? She also overcame drug addiction to achieve the high profile star status that she enjoys today. Her prolific career is filled with some impressive performances in films and television.