The View’s panel looked a little different when the show returned after the 4th of July holiday weekend. ABC’s popular daytime talk show was without several of its co-hosts – Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines and Ana Navarro. Coincidentally, all three were held up by nature-related issues, but Goldberg’s situation was the most extreme, given she was trapped in Italy due to a volcanic eruption. The comedian has since returned to her post on the show and, when she was on the air, she revealed one reason she felt “terrible.”

Goldberg was in Italy over the holiday weekend when Mount Etna – the largest volcano in Europe – erupted. With that, those in the area were advised to stay in place, and Goldberg was stranded as a result. She explained her situation in a video that was aired during The View’s July 6th episode. The beloved Color Purple star returned to the air on Tuesday, July 7th and spoke to her co-stars about her experience in Sicily. While Goldberg’s glad the volcano “finally let [her] leave,” she has mixed feelings since others weren’t as fortunate:

Ultimately, this seems to be a case of Goldberg’s celebrity status working in her favor. It goes without saying that few people would have the pull to find a way to leave a country in the midst of such a dangerous situation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Goldberg is back to her duties amid the 2026 TV schedule, but it’s hard not to think about those who remain in the vicinity of the eruption. Joy Behar, who filled in on Monday as a result of the absences, asked Goldberg how she got out, and she shared details (via EW):

Apparently, that all came after an initial attempt to leave the area, as the Sister Act star explained. Goldberg and co. were actually on a plane when the pilot announced to passengers that Mount Etna “blew her top.” During the show, the EGOT winner also shouted out a pilot named Salvo and also stressed the need for others to “get home to their kids.” She also mentioned another reason why she felt so bummed over missing Monday’s taping. Hear Goldberg's story in its entirety below:

Weather-related issues have hampered Goldberg’s presence on The View before as, earlier this year, she found herself snowed in due to a blizzard. At that time, though, she was able to appear on the series virtually. It feels like, at this point, Goldberg definitely still has the drive to wake up each day for work and take part in spicy discussions with her cohorts. It’s inevitable that other members of the cast will miss tapings for varied reasons, though I’m not sure any of those will top Goldberg’s volcano story.

Check out Whoopi Goldberg and co. on The View, which airs weekly at 11 a.m. ET on ABC. Fans can also access episodes by streaming them with a Hulu subscription.

When it comes to The View, it’s definitely not uncommon for one of the long-running talk show’s various hosts to be absent for one reason or another. Earlier this year, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin missed episodes amid the 2026 TV schedule due to the birth of her first child, and guest hosts were utilized. Whoopi Goldberg has also missed time but not for the reason that just cropped up. Goldberg was notably absent from the ABC staple’s first show this week, and I definitely wasn’t expecting that situation to involve a volcanic eruption.

Goldberg seemed to get a bit more than she expected over the 4th of July holiday weekend. During that time, the beloved actress and media personality traveled to Italy, where she owns a home (as recently noted by Savannah Chrisley). The Ghost star found herself in a precarious situation, however, after Mount Etna – a volcano – became exhibited activity over the weekend. Because of that, major travel routes were closed. Goldberg sent a video that was aired during The View’s July 6th broadcast, and she said this (via TV Insider):

That video was recorded from Goldberg’s balcony and, in her address, she stressed that she would “be back as soon as I can.” It’s also worth noting that Mount Etna is Europe’s largest volcano, which makes this situation even more hazardous. Despite that, Goldberg was unsurprisingly still able to make a great joke even in the face of her less-than-ideal circumstances. In the video, she went on to say:

Believe it or not, Whoopi Goldberg wasn’t the only View panelist to miss the show’s first post-4th of July show due to weather conditions. Ana Navarro wasn’t present due to bad weather stranding her in Miami, and Sara Haines was absent due to handling “storm damage” that occurred over the weekend. With that, the occasionally absent Joy Behar (who’s regularly off on Mondays) was asked to come in alongside guest co-host Michelle Buteau, who joined Griffin and Sonny Hostin.

Goldberg’s particular situation is even more ironic when considering that she dealt with a completely different kind of weather situation earlier this year. Back in February, she was impacted by a massive blizzard that swept across the East Coast. But, even though she was snowed in, she was still able to join the program virtually. A blizzard and a volcanic eruption are two very different kinds of events, though, and the latter is definitely something many of us here in the states are likely not used to.

Personally, I’m just glad Whoopi Goldberg appears to be safe, and I hope that remains the case as she attempts to return to the U.S. I also extend well wishes to Navarro and Haines as they deal with their own issues. All in all, if there’s anything to glean from this situation it’s that while the ladies of The View are quite powerful in their own right, even they don’t have anything on Mother Nature.

The View airs weekly at 11 p.m. ET on ABC, and episodes are also available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Savannah Chrisley was one of several guest co-hosts brought in by ABC’s The View to fill in for Alyssa Farrah Griffin due to her baby’s birth. Much was said about how Chrisley – an outspoken conservative – would interact with the likes of Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin. Even before officially taking her post, Chrisley issued a warning and said she’d be civil but hadn’t forgotten past comments the hosts made about her family. Everyone seemed to get along famously, though, and Whoopi Goldberg even extended a sweet gesture to Chrisley.

It was during the week of February 16th during the 2026 TV schedule that The View welcomed Savannah Chrisley and, after the fact, she had positive sentiments to share about her colleagues. The media personality recently reflected on her stint with the daytime TV staple during an appearance on Jana Kramer’s Whine Down podcast. The host praised Chrisley for standing her ground on the talk show and, in turn, she also praised the civility of her co-stars. As part of that, she shared one particularly sweet memory about Goldberg:

Such an offer speaks volumes not just to the character of the beloved Sister Act icon, but it’s also a testament to the notion of the hosts of the long-running talk show remaining civil off camera. Considering how generous Goldberg is known for being in her personal life anyway, it doesn’t surprise me at all that she would extend such a sweet opportunity to Chrisley (and I really hope she took her up on it). During her chat, the Chrisley Knows Best alum, shared more about her overall experience on the program:

Years before all this, several View hosts chastised Todd and Julie Chrisley – Savannah’s parents – due to the tax fraud allegations that swirled around and eventually led to their imprisonment in 2023. (The couple was pardoned in 2025 by U.S. President Donald Trump.) As part of her own warning, Savannah said she wouldn’t forget the remarks that were made about her folks. During her time on the show, Savannah even said she thought Goldberg and Behar would be pains, but it sounds like she’s glad to have been proven wrong.

Nevertheless, Todd Chrisley hasn’t been so high on the notion of his daughter being on The View. He, too, also remembers the comments the hosts made about him and his spouse, making his daughter’s gig something of a hard pill to swallow. Chrisley did, however, talk about Savannah’s ability to hold her own while on the dais. Interestingly enough, though, when Todd talked about all this on an episode of his Chrisley Confessions Podcast, he said he wouldn’t blast Goldberg, because she’d been “supportive” of them.

We might as well just call Whoopi Goldberg “Switzerland,” because it seems she serves as neutral ground when it comes to conflicts. I’ve long been a fan of hers myself, and the fact that she’d invite Savannah Chrisley – someone she disagrees with on different topics – makes me respect her even more. Fellow fans can check her out on The View, which airs weekly at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.

ABC is currently in the midst of a brouhaha with the FCC over the latter’s attempts to unearth a long-dormant partisan mandate that concerns “bona fide news programs” giving equal airtime for political parties and candidates. But it didn’t take any governmental pressure for The View to welcome Vice President J.D. Vance for its June 16 installment, and on top of all the headlines the interview garnered, it was the most-watched ep to hit the 2026 TV schedule and beyond.

J.D. Vance's Appearance Made Headlines For Days

Though many may have expected the Veep's appearance on The View to be a completely incoherent spectacle of arguments and railroaded talking points, the actual interview wasn't nearly so tumultuous. The hosts and guest smiled way more than general expectations might have allowed, even despite Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar & Co. getting directly political rather than wholly focusing on the new memoir he was there to promote, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.

In fact, Vance appeared on Fox News' Gutfeld the next day and told host Greg Gutfeld that it wasn't quite the visceral experience that he was anticipating, while still giving Whoopi a little gruff over her questioning how Donald Trump's administration views minorities and racial equality. As he put it:

Of course, while it may have been an easier time than suspected for Vance and The View's six women around the table, the interview also sparked some polarized reactions. It wasn't quite on the level of Jimmy Fallon tousling Trump's hair on The Tonight Show, but many felt that the hosts could have and should have dug their heels in even deeper.

Unsurprisingly, former host Meghan McCain also had a few things to say about Vance's interview, and positivity was not part of the equation.

Can't please everyone all of the time, of course. But regardless of how anyone felt about the interview, the facts are clear that a ton of people tuned in for it.

J.D. Vance's Interview Was The Second Most-Watched Episode In The Past 5 Years

Audiences were not put off by the potential for political muckraking when J.D. Vance joined The View, with Deadline reporting that a whopping 3.3 million people tuned in on June 16. It seems like those numbers tracked for the majority of the episode, as Vance was brought out early on and stayed the course.

This was the most watched episode of the past 20 months or so, falling behind the November 6, 2024 installment that aired the day after the presidential election. Easy to understand wny that was a big crowd, all things considered.

What's more, the V.P. interview made for the second most-watched View episode going all the way back to January 11, 2021. Interestingly enough that episode featured guest Ken Jennings for his first appearance talking about hosting Jeopardy! following the death of Alex Trebek in November 2020.

So what might happen if The View brings both J.D. Vance AND Ken Jennings on for a future episode? The world just can't handle that kind of excitement.

The View airs weekday mornings on ABC.

The 2026 TV schedule included the first series Aubrey Plaza ever co-created, and it's called Kevin. It premiered for those with an Amazon Prime subscription two months ago, but if you were hoping for another season of the adult animation, Plaza shared some bad news that involved a heartbreaking callback to Parks and Recreation.

The comedy, which follows a cat adjusting to life after his two owners separated, is the latest 2026 TV cancellation. That list already included quite a few shows from Prime Video. Here's what Plaza had to say about her series ending:

Kevin earned mixed-to-positive reviews from viewers, but must have gotten lost in the streaming shuffle given its fate. The series boasted an incredible voice cast including Jason Schwartzman as Kevin alongside the likes of Plaza, John Waters, Amy Sedaris, and Whoopi Goldberg.

It's understandable that Plaza would find the news "disappointing", especially considering the show didn't get much of a chance to find a footing with audiences. As she added in her Instagram post:

Can you imagine if Parks and Recreation had ended after one season? We would have missed out on so many of the show's great bits, guest stars and such! Nowadays, it's pretty universally agreed among fans of the NBC comedy show that it didn't get off to the best start, but because the network believed in it, it became the kind of TV series we still rewatch on streaming all the time.

And it ended over ten years ago. Parks and Recreation may seem like a no-brainer of a show to have as many seasons as it should now. However, when it was actually on the air, the cast and creators have said on many different occasions that they never felt completely safe from cancellation.

Aubrey Plaza makes a sad but very eloquent point about the importance of TV shows like Kevin getting the room to be developed and supported, rather than dying on arrival. However, it sounds like Plaza isn't giving up, and hopes to see the show get picked up by another "owner" so she and her team can continue to produce Kevin.

While the cancellation of Kevin is a tough blow, Plaza is keeping plenty busy lately. She already stars in two movies that are coming out in 2027. She'll be in a comedy called Animal Friends alongside Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa and Dan Levy coming in January, and she's also in Michael B. Jordan's remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, hitting theaters next March. So, there's still plenty to look forward to, as we continue to hope that Kevin finds a new home.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will keep The View from continuing its run in the 2026 TV schedule. Of course, that doesn't mean that every host is going to be able to overcome the elements and be there in person, but the show found a way to include Whoopi Goldberg all the same while she was snowed in.

The historic blizzard sweeping the East Coast kept Whoopi Goldberg at home during the latest episode of The View, but she was able to join virtually. The episode was no different from the usual fare the show is known for, save for one exception.

The View Kept Her Seat Empty, Which Was Interesting For One Big Reason

While Whoopi Goldberg is usually ready and willing to go on The View every day she's on, so she had to bring that energy from home due to the weather. Fans noticed, however, that when the episode started, Goldberg's seat was still present on the set.

That may not sound odd to the average person who doesn't regularly tune in, but other readers may know that The View regularly has a four-chair setup for when Joy Behar is out on Mondays. So, why was Goldberg's chair left onstage? Before w efore we make assumptions like Savannah Chrisley, there is an answer.

Why Did The View Keep Whoopi's Chair Empty Rather Than Remove It?

I wondered if Whoopi Goldberg's absence was unexpected, or maybe there was some edict under which The View couldn't remove her chair under any circumstances. Unfortunately, for those who may wish to pin something unsavory to Goldberg, EW reported she had nothing to do with it.

As it turned out, The View left the chair at the beginning of the program as a stylistic choice, to tease in that Whoopi Goldberg would join the show virtually. Perhaps because she wasn't planned to be absent in advance, the show opted out of doing a four-chair setup, and rather surprised the audience due to the headlines surrounding the blizzard. It's also noteworthy a studio audience was not in attendance this latest episode, also due to the weather.

It's also worth noting that the chair was removed for later segments, so it's not as though it was up for the entirety of The View. All this to say, take off the tin-foil hats if you're someone who likes to cook up theories about The View, there's nothing shady going on here. The only big shakeup as of late is the rotating panel of guest hosts to account for Alyssa Farah Griffin's absence, and that seems to be going smoothly.

The View is on ABC on weekdays beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. Those with a Hulu subscription can catch it on streaming there and get the lowdown on what's happening in current events and what the panel has to say about it.

Anybody who’s ever watched Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and the rest of the co-hosts on The View knows that they’re not afraid to speak their minds, even if what they say ruffles the feathers of the women sitting alongside them. Savannah Chrisley was all too aware of this — as well as the “public bashing” her parents had received from the co-hosts — when she appeared as a guest host last week. Now, she’s opening up about how things actually went down.

With Alyssa Farah Griffin on maternity leave, The View is bringing in several guest hosts, including Savannah Chrisley, who starred with her family on reality series like Chrisley Knows Best. Her parents, Todd and Julie, spent time in federal prison for tax evasion and bank fraud before receiving presidential pardons from President Trump last May — a move criticized by the co-hosts at the time. Following her appearance on the show, Savannah said on the Behind the Table podcast that she’d been ready for a fight, telling The View’s executive producer Brian Teta:

While The View is bringing back some “controversial” guest hosts like Elisabeth Hasselbeck in Alyssa Farah Griffin’s absence, the co-hosts have something of a “toxic mean girl reputation” for how they treat those whose political views don’t align with theirs. In fact, it’s shocking how seldomly The View even invites conservative guests onto the show.

However, Savannah Chrisley said her experience made her realize she shouldn’t judge these women based on 37-minute episodes or the 15-second clips taken out of context and put out on social media. In fact, she ended up getting along quite well with Joy Behar, as she said:

This sounds a lot like how Whoopi Goldberg wakes up so incensed every day, letting all of her opinions out on the show and then shutting it down until tomorrow.

Savannah Chrisley admitted she was nervous at the prospect of being the only conservative at the table alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, but it was actually Sunny Hostin who challenged her the most about her parents’ pardons. Chrisley said they “didn’t have words,” exactly, but there was “a little hostility” from the former federal prosecutor during a commercial break.

However, the next day Savannah Chrisley said Sunny Hostin admitted she hadn’t understood some things about Todd and Julie’s case, and Savannah apologized for getting defensive.

In the end, the Growing Up Chrisley star was proud of the fact that she and the View co-hosts were able to have conversations with each other and find common ground, despite their opposing political views.

Political commentator and former CNN regular Amanda Carpenter will be the next guest co-host filling in on The View, so tune in at 11 a.m. ET Monday, February 23, on ABC to hear everyone’s commentary on the latest hot topics.

Since its inception more than a quarter-century ago, The View has been known to tackle the most buzzworthy topics in news, politics and pop culture, with the co-hosts never afraid to tell us how they really feel. As the 29th season continues on the 2026 TV schedule, tensions are as high as ever, and even moderator Whoopi Goldberg acknowledged the job can “feel like hell.” It seems exhausting to wake up each morning and lead incensed debates over current events, so how does Goldberg do it?

That very question came up during a conversation between Whoopi Goldberg and Interview magazine, as The View’s longtime co-host brought up everything that’s been going on with Greenland — a topic that’s been discussed a lot on the show. The EGOT winner was asked if it was better to stay present when breaking down such issues or if that was too taxing, to which she replied:

It sounds like Whoopi Goldberg has achieved (or at least strives for) a pretty healthy balance — paying enough attention to the issues to speak passionately and with knowledge, but also being careful to not let those emotions bleed into the rest of her day. It sounds like it takes a conscious effort, too, as she said:

Ain’t that the truth? If it’s not Greenland, it’s Elon Musk criticizing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (I mean, of course that’s not going to fly with the Star Trek: The Next Generation alum) or the 66-year-old Golden Bachelor not wanting to date women over 60 or so much hubbub over Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner’s relationship. (For that one, Whoopi Goldberg refused to engage altogether, chiming in only to cap the conversation, which I guess is another strategy to protect her peace.)

At least if Whoopi Goldberg has to wake up each day to discuss all the craziness the world has to offer, she knows how to back-burner those emotions so she’s ready to do it all again the next day. I wonder if the other co-hosts follow a similar strategy?

Tune in to see what they’ll be talking about next, with The View airing at 11 a.m. ET weekdays on ABC.

For decades, Whoopi Goldberg has been a constant in American culture, outspoken, curious, impossible to flatten into one lane. She’s a member of the rare EGOT winners club, a comedian, an activist, and a fixture on daytime television. But one of the most enduring chapters of her career came not from a studio pitch or a casting call, but from a candid, almost confrontational conversation about representation that changed Star Trek and sci-fi history forever.

That story resurfaced recently in a wide-ranging interview Goldberg had with Interview Magazine, where she reflected on her career and, more importantly, her love of science fiction. The most interesting point comes when she talks about how her connection to Star Trek ran deeper than simple fandom. Growing up and seeing Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek fundamentally shifted what she believed was possible, and not only in entertainment, but the future itself. She explained:

What surprised Goldberg then, and will probably surprise many fans now, is Roddenberry’s reaction. He didn’t immediately think her assessment was correct, and told her as much. The Sister Act franchise star continued:

And the rest, as they say, is history, whether or not those involved were entirely aware at the time. The character the late sci-fi pioneer created specifically for Goldberg was Guinan, the enigmatic bartender with centuries of wisdom, emotional authority without rank, and a presence that quietly shaped the moral center of the Enterprise.

The final connection came through LeVar Burton, already attached to the show as Geordi La Forge. When Whoopi Goldberg heard about the, at the time, upcoming Star Trek series in the works, she didn’t hesitate to let him know she wanted in. And in part because she was willing to articulate why representation mattered, she earned a distinguished place in Star Trek canon that still resonates decades later, thanks to her return in Picard.

It’s a reminder that even visionary creators don’t always see the full impact of their work in real time. Sometimes, it takes the outside looking in and the bravery to say, “This mattered to me,” and to insist that the future live up to its promise.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming, allowing anyone to revisit it or watch it for the very first time with a Paramount+ subscription. Or if you’re looking for something a bit more contemporary, the newest Trek series, Starfleet Academy, is a perfect blend of new meets old and exactly the kind of show old-time Trekies have been waiting for.

A new Star Trek series hit the 2026 TV schedule and caused quite a stir among viewers in recent weeks, as is often the case. Though Starfleet Academy received lots of praise from critics, other prominent names like Elon Musk and United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller bemoaned the show for pushing a "woke" agenda. Amidst their comments, The View's Whoopi Goldberg fired back with a big response.

Goldberg knows a lot about Trek, having been a longtime fan who played the mysterious bartender Guinan in The Next Generation. She made the jump to join the series after winning an Oscar, which was an unprecedented move at the time, so it's safe to say the actress has a lot of passion for the franchise. For that reason, she filled in The View audience on the discourse surrounding Starfleet Academy, Musk and Miller's comments, and why she felt they were out of line:

It's true, Star Trek is more than just space travel and exploration. It was built on the foundation of IDIC (Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations) and has always pushed progressive ideals since the original series. Lest we forget the brouhaha it caused over its interracial kiss, which led to stations in the southern United States refusing to air it.

Despite that, Elon Musk and others have publicly expressed their distaste for elements of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, including the fact that the series features an openly lesbian couple. It's not the first Trek show to feature a same-sex couple either, as Paul Stamets and Hugh Culber were an openly gay married couple in Discovery.

Whoopi Goldberg wasn't having it, and questioned the motive of Musk and others in powerful positions being so concerned about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy:

Others enjoying Star Trek: Starfleet Academy have a similar sentiment, though not quite as specific. I openly wondered after the trailer dropped why some Trekkies were adamant on speaking out about the trailer feeling "woke" almost a decade into the relaunch of the franchise. The franchise isn't doing anything different than it did back when Discovery launched in 2017, so those staying tuned in should know the deal by now.

I will say that Star Trek is facing an issue in its fandom, as many other long-running sci-fi shows like Star Wars and Doctor Who face. There are now fans across multiple generations invested in seeing new shows, but they all have different ideals on what is and isn't progressive, and what does and doesn't have a place in its franchise. It sets up an impossible task for the showrunners of these franchises, who can't create something that everyone will enjoy.

Maybe it's a unique problem in pop culture, or maybe it's just a reality that, because Star Trek is a series built on showing a progressive future, it will always have critics talking it down. In any case, the franchise celebrates 60 years in 2026, so I would expect to see a lot more headlines about it as the year continues, and maybe even some new show announcements.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streams new episodes over on Paramount+ on Thursdays. The series is already returning for Season 2, so those watching likely don't have to worry about debate about the show impacting a renewal for now.

As long as we have celebrities we’re probably going to have celebrity romances to swoon over, gossip about, and outright question in numerous ways. One couple who’s been making lots of waves, especially lately, is recent Critics’ Choice Awards winner Timothée Chalamet and billionaire beauty mogul/The Kardashians star Kylie Jenner. While fellow award show attendee Amanda Seyfried seemed a bit confused by the Marty Supreme actor thanking his girlfriend during his acceptance speech, a discussion about the moment on The View led to a hilarious two-word response from Whoopi Goldberg that is absolutely sending me.

How Whoopi Goldberg Ended The View Convo About Timothée Chalamet Publicly Thanking Kylie Jenner

Guys, I cannot tell a lie: I have spent some time in my life speculating about the relationships of famous people who I’ve never met and are unlikely to ever meet. But, even though part of my literal job is to write about celeb couples and the rumors that frequently surround many of them, I don’t generally spend most of my time thinking about such things. And, I’m going to guess that this is how The View’s Whoopi Goldberg goes about her daily life, as well, considering how she recently reacted to a Hot Topics discussion on the long-running daytime show about Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner.

The point of conversation, specifically, was whether or not the Dune actor (who also briefly acknowledged his romance on a podcast before Christmas) publicly thanking the Kardashian/Jenner family member who’s been his partner for three years now during his Critics’ Choice Best Actor acceptance speech is a sign of trouble being on the horizon for the duo, or if it was just a sweet gesture. After a short back and forth among the co-hosts, which did not include any input from moderator Goldberg, the singing Sister Act 3 star ended the segment with a quip that showed how relieved she was for it to be over:

Oh, Whoop. We love you.

You know what? I totally feel the Whoopster’s pain here, folks. There is nothing worse than feeling forced into a conversation you’d rather not have, whether the topic is about you or someone else. If you think the EGOT winner remained silent about the matter in the most respectful way, well, you’re sorta correct. But, after announcing the topic at the start of the segment in a way that showed her general confusion about why it was being discussed, the Ghost Oscar winner spent the entirety of the convo looking bored as hell:

Who among us hasn’t thought “Thank God!” when our sudden, unwelcome involvement in a discourse has finally ended? Pretty much all of us, right? But, what’s sending me to the moon is Goldberg actually saying it out loud to let millions of people know that she was not on board with any of that mess. I gotta say, I want more of that freedom! You can watch her co-hosts tackle the topic, below:

We might not all be able to say what we think exactly when we think it, so it’s good that we can enjoy that feeling through Goldberg’s unfiltered nature every once in a while. This kind of behavior is priceless!

For most of her career, Cheryl Hines has been known as a comedic actress in shows like the bingeworthy Curb Your Enthusiasm and Suburgatory, as well as movies like A Bad Moms Christmas. However, lately, a lot of interest in her has taken a political turn. Hines’ marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became the focus of her visit to The View in October and, after what seems like a pretty upsetting experience, Hines said there’s something she’d like to ask the co-hosts.

Cheryl Hines was invited to The View to promote her memoir, Unscripted, but the topic of conversation quickly turned to her husband and his role as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Speaking on The Dr. Phil Podcast months later, the host wondered if the roles were reversed, would a man have been made to defend his wife’s political statements? Hines replied with her own ideas about turning the tables, saying:

The October 14, 2025, edition of The View did get tense at times, with Sunny Hostin especially challenging Cheryl Hines on some of the controversial statements made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and the others acknowledged several times that these were not Hines’ statements, it was often followed by a question asking her to defend or give her opinion on what her husband was doing.

The actress pointed this out, telling Dr. Phil:

Cheryl Hines told Phil McGraw that she was happy for the opportunity to clear up some misconceptions, including how few HHS secretaries have had a medical degree, after Sunny Hostin said “respectfully” that RFK Jr. was the “least qualified” person in history to hold that position. You can see a segment of The View interview below:

During that interview, it definitely looked like Cheryl Hines was under some duress. So will she get the chance to sit with The View co-hosts again and possibly ask them about their spouses?

It seems the door is open if she’s willing to step through it again (she indicated to Joy Behar at the time that wouldn’t be the case). Whoopi Goldberg did ask her to come back, saying they don’t often have guests who they can ask such questions to.

I guess we’ll have to wait to see if that day comes but, in the meantime you can catch The View weekdays, airing on the 2026 TV schedule at 11 a.m. ET on ABC. Also, Cheryl Hines can be seen on all 12 seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

The View Season 29 is airing amid the 2025 TV schedule, with the panel of co-hosts continuing to discuss politics, pop culture and more. As of late, though, the long-running daytime TV program has been without one of its key personalities. The pundit in question is Joy Behar, who’s missed a few tapings as of late, and no official reason was given right away. Now, thanks to Behar’s colleague, Whoopi Goldberg, we now know why she’s been absent from recent tapings.

Joy Behar (83) is reportedly off on Mondays, so she was not present for the November 10 edition of The View. However, she was also notably not present for the Tuesday, November 11 taping, with Whoopi Goldberg telling the live studio audience that she’d hopefully return for the Wednesday broadcast. That ultimately didn’t come to pass and, during the taping of the November 12 episode, Goldberg revealed on air (via Entertainment Weekly) that Behar’s return to the show had been hampered by an injury:

Behar joined The View upon its debut on ABC in 1997, joining the likes of other hosts like Barbara Walters and Star Jones. Ultimately, Behar exited the series in 2013 amid Season 13 but continued to guest host over the next several years. She eventually returned as a full-time panelist in 2015 and has since held that position. Over the years, Behar has occasionally missed tapings for one reason or another like most hosts.

The past year has seen Joy Behar make headlines for several reasons and, more recently, she threw shade at new Bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul for having multiple baby daddies. Behar has also been reflective this year, sharing thoughts on former co-stars she didn’t think were all that nice. However, Behar also discussed the “sisterhood” that exists among the hosts of the show, saying that if someone criticizes a colleague, she’ll defend them like family.

Although Behar and Whoopi Goldberg are both major fixtures on The View, it was rumored earlier this year that the two could end up fired. Behar herself clapped back at the speculation, saying that there was no validity to it. On top of that, Behar was also blunt when addressing those who put stock in such rumors, as she said, “How stupid are people that they believe this?”

Considering the clarification for Joy Behar’s latest absence came directly from Whoopi Goldberg, though, viewers should believe what they’re hearing in this case. It, of course, remains to be seen if Behar will indeed return to the air before the week of November 10 is over. The show aside, though, let’s hope Behar has a relatively speedy recovery from that foot injury.

The View airs weekdays at 11 p.m. ET on ABC, and episodes are also available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

As someone who grew up in a comedy forward household, I’ve built out a decent foundation of the genre. From Lou and Costello to 50 years of Saturday Night Live giants to the comedy queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race, all have been enjoyed and welcomed. But, nothing properly prepared me for this dream collaboration of Aubrey Plaza, Whoopi Goldberg and John Waters on the same cast sheet. Until the show airs, it’ll be at the back of my mind.

It's unclear whether this newly announced Amazon Prime series, simply titled Kevin, won’t be clawing its way onto the 2025 TV schedule. But the coming comedic cartoon, from Plaza, Joe Wengert and Dan Murphy boasts even more star power in addition to the trio above to keep potential viewers interested. Set in an Astoria, Queens “Furrever Friends” pet rescue, and inspired loosely on a real break-up, viewers will follow Kevin the cat, (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) and his coming of age-esque story after his move.

Kevin’s humans splitting up seem to be the crux of the show, as it inspires the ‘loveable and neurotic’ cat to move into the ragtag shelter. Of course, everyone who he meets there will add to the layered and textured fun of his saga.

Here’s another first look at Kevin, the tuxedo colored cat and one of his owner’s, Dana (voiced by Plaza). The moody feline standing in the foreground while his guardian tries to reason with him signals to me that this new project could easily be on par with some of the great movies with talking animals.

Notably billed stars who will join as Schwartzman character’s new roommates include Waters, Goldberg and Aparna Nancherla (Corporate, The Standups). Nancherla plays Judy, a naively positive Scottish Fold Kitten, Goldberg is a feral free wheeling type cat named Cupcake and Waters will be a Persian cat named Armando who is an independent, no non-sense type. I can already anticipate Armando being a sassy-boom-bassy fan favorite.

If that lineup didn’t excite you enough, Gil Ozeri (#BlackAF, Big Mouth) and Amy Sedaris are also attached. Ozeri will play doormat human Seth, owner of “Furrever Friends” and Sedaris will play Seth’s queen bee Shih Tzu, Brandi. I can only see big success from the trio, and beyond from the ways I’ve already imagined it. Just look at (assumingly) Brandi and Cupcake’s date night and tell me it doesn’t have a chance to rank with the best animated shows.

When I say I’m desperate for this series premiere, I mean it. Just thinking about the iconic LGBTQ+ cinema director’s signature campy style, Plaza’s immaculate deadpan and Goldberg’s expert observational standup coming together makes me outright giddy. Again, that’s not even taking into account Schwartzman, Sedaris or the other stars. Regardless of my excitement, the announcement couldn’t be better from Amazon after the new James Bond image ruckus, at least for comedy fans like me.

Whenever Kevin does move along in production and gains a release date, it’s set to stream exclusively with a Prime subscription worldwide. And if you’re wondering if I will have recovered from a Plaza, Goldberg, Waters project by then, the answer is likely no. But, I’ll certainly be watching it!

When it comes to controversial pop culture topics, you know the co-hosts over at The View are going to have an opinion. That is certainly the case regarding the drama that’s already circulating over the lead of The Golden Bachelor Season 2, which is set to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule later this year. Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and the rest of the panel had some pretty strong thoughts about 66-year-old Mel Owens not wanting to date women his age.

Mel Owens, a former NFL linebacker, said on a podcast in June that before he was cast on The Golden Bachelor, he told producers he would eliminate any women “60 or older” from his season and that he also didn’t want anyone with artificial hips or wigs. Joy Behar took a psychological approach to the comment, saying:

Sara Haines countered that it really wasn’t that deep, and men just wanted younger women “because of their boobs.” Alyssa Farah Griffin seemed willing to give Mel Owens a chance, given the fact that we haven’t actually seen him do anything in the ABC reality dating franchise yet, but it sounds like she’s wary of what’s to come, given what she’s seen so far:

Joy Behar seemed to agree with that, saying it sounded like he just wanted “to get a little on the side,” in reference to his comments about not wanting someone with fake hips.

Sunny Hostin said there may be one aspect that Mel Owens hasn’t considered about aging women and then posed one question about his stated preference of dating women as young as 45. Hostin said:

When Joy Behar pointed out that Mel Owens probably has money, Sara Haines said these arguments about age and money and appearance are nothing new, and she echoed OG Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s advice to keep an open mind. In Haines’ words:

Whoopi Goldberg stayed mostly quiet through the discussion about The Golden Bachelor, but she put the period at the end of the sentence by invoking karma — and the Lord — as she said:

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens when The Golden Bachelor premieres. ABC has released bios for 25 potential contestants on Mel Owens’ season, ranging from age 58 to 77. Only three women fit Owens' “45 to 60” criteria, with one 58-year-old and two 60-year-olds. Eight of his 25 potential women are his age or older.

We’ll have to see what the final cast looks like, and what the ladies on The View think after The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premieres. If you want to tune in, it all starts at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, September 24, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Every weekday on the 2025 TV schedule, The View’s hosts get together to discuss the day's hottest and most debatable topics. There’s no question how hard that is, either. In the past, former hosts have shared negative thoughts about the job, and there’s no shortage of examples when it comes to takes and reactions the hosts have had that have gone viral. Now, Whoopi Goldberg and Alyssa Farah Griffin have opened up in ways that prove this job isn’t for the faint of heart.

Whoopi Goldberg Thanked Audiences For Supporting The View, Because It Can Be A Tough Gig

When the women walked out for the July 8 broadcast of The View (which you can also watch with a Hulu subscription), they got a notably long standing ovation from the crowd. It extended beyond the theme song, and once it quieted down, Whoopi Goldberg took a minute to thank the audience for the support, stating:

More applause followed that, as all the women on the panel smiled. It’s clear this all meant a lot to them. And it makes sense, too. The View is famously challenging and stressful – Candace Cameron Bure once said she had “PTSD” following her time on the show. The panelists have to discuss hot and divisive newsworthy and political topics on a daily basis, and those takes can go viral and cause quite a stir online.

Plus, over the years, panelists haven’t gotten along, and heated rifts between them can also make the job difficult.

Along with this, Goldberg wasn’t the only person to comment on how hard this job can be. Alyssa Farah Griffin discussed it the following day, while the panel talked about crying at work.

Alyssa Farah Griffin Spoke About Crying At Work, And The Challenges Of Working On The View

In the July 9 episode of The View, the women had a discussion about Gen Z using restrooms as a place to calm down when they’re feeling stressed and anxious at work. Sunny Hostin responded to this by saying she’s “never felt the luxury to be able to cry at work.” After that, Alyssa Farah Griffin chimed in, saying:

When Hostin was clearly shocked by this admission, her co-host doubled down on the idea, saying:

After that, she showed a meme from The Simpsons of Bart Simpson and Milhouse going into a cave with a flashlight. The text on it read: “This is where I come to cry,” and “Cool.”

She then noted how difficult this job is, while also saying that her opinions (she's one of the conservative hosts) often don’t align with the other co-hosts on The View:

However, Farah Griffin did clarify that she loves her job and feels very supported there.

Whoopi Goldberg also ended the conversation on an empowering note, that kind of ties back to her statement from the day before. She explained that the people around that table were there to support each other, and if one of them felt the need to cry, there was no reason to hide it.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard comments about The View hosts being a sisterhood. That’s always comforting to hear, considering the difficulties that come with being on this show. It’s not for the faint of heart, and I’m happy the women are there to support each other through it.

If you’ve watched an episode of The View, whether it's one from years ago or one that aired on the 2025 TV schedule, you know debate, discourse and disagreement are a big part of the show. On top of that, we’ve heard stories from former hosts like Meghan McCain and Candace Cameron Bure about the challenges of working on the program. So, it’s not an easy gig where everyone gets along all the time.

Now, Joy Behar has opened up about some years being “bad,” while also sharing her feelings about the “sisterhood” of hosts and the current crew leading the show.

While chatting about Star Jones, who was one of The View’s original co-hosts, and her recent guest appearance, executive producer Brian Teta mentioned the “sisterhood” among the cast. Explaining this point further, on the Behind the Table podcast, he said:

In response, Joy Behar agreed that the cast of The View is like a sisterhood, and like siblings, they fight, but also fiercely protect each other. While she’s admitted that not everyone to grace the panel in her 28 years has been nice, and there’s been some bad years, she said she will “defend” her colleagues, saying:

Now, over the years, many former co-hosts have spoken out about working on the show. Candace Cameron Bure shared that she had “PTSD” after her time there. And Raven-Symoné talked about the “nightmare” situation of being on a show where your opinion is heard and criticized by millions.

Meanwhile, Meghan McCain has shared negative thoughts about The View and working with its co-hosts on many occasions. A couple of years ago, she specifically took shots at Ana Navarro, a current panelist, after she heard Navarro compare Hunter Biden to other children of politicians. McCain also said that she doesn’t communicate with any of the hosts she worked with, however, she is still friends with some folks who work on the show.

Clearly, relationships between the hosts as well as the women and the show generally vary. However, while it’s had its ups and downs, Behar maintained that they’ll “defend” each other. She also noted that the current panel is a pretty peaceful bunch, explaining:

Currently, The View co-hosts are Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Whoopi Goldberg. All these women have been on the panel for at least a few years, with Behar and Goldberg both having been there for more than a decade. So, based on the panelist's recent comments and the fact that they’ve all worked on the show for quite some time, it seems like they really do all get along pretty well.

Like anything, The View goes through its ups and downs. However, at the moment, they seem to be on an up, and as the chat show continues to air on weekdays on ABC, let’s hope they can keep that going.

When it comes to getting opinionated on TV, the female co-hosts on The View could easily qualify as experts, even if they’re entirely aware that not everyone else agrees with those opinions. Indeed, its Oscar-winning moderator Whoopi Goldberg is as privy to that fact as anyone, and has no issue with addressing the idea there are people who wish that The View would be canceled and taken off the air.

Not that hosting the morning series is extremely easy and peaceful for all involved — Raven-Symoné had lots of problems with it — but the show has been a staple of ABC’s daytime programming since 1997 (despite being different in many ways), and doesn’t appear to be in danger of exiting the airwaves. Goldberg addressed that issue during an episode in reference to California governor Gavin Newsome’s controversy-courting podcast, first saying that disagreements stem from viewers who make blanketed assumptions about them as hosts.

She began her point like this, which sparked some audible confusion from Joy Behar:

Once it was clear her point wasn't so swiftly relayed, Goldberg tried again:

To be clear, Goldberg isn't saying that The View's panel of outspoken personalities is completely absent from delivering opinionated coverage, because this show logically wouldn't exist if that were the case. It would have been canceled long ago after viewers stopped watching 4-6 women sitting next to each other very quietly and most certainly politely.

Nah, The View's biggest fans tune in specifically to see whatever messy thoughts and hot takes Whoopi & Co. have about headline-making news in the entertainment and political spheres. Which is what Goldberg was saying by pointing out that the hosts air their own judgments and assertions out for the world to see, but without telling anyone else that they should have the exact same opinions. She continued:

Now, the possibility exists that someone could look back over the past 28 years of The View episodes and pull out certain quote examples that counterpoint Goldberg's point. But those would still fall more under "exceptions" than "the rule."

The way to keep everyone's feelings from souring is as easy as not taking topical debates down to the level where it goes beyond the topic itself. As she put it:

It'd be interesting to hear what past hosts would have to say about whether that approach carried on behind the scenes, considering how steadfast someone like Candace Cameron-Bure has been about not returning despite being asked multiple times. Or how Meghan McCain can't seem to talk about the show without calling out former colleagues for backstage issues, and has said there's no chance in Hell she would return.

Fans can watch The View every morning on ABC, with the most recent week's worth of episodes available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Nearly 30 years after its debut, The View remains a popular show, as the show’s panel welcomes an array of guests and discusses the issues of the day. A lot is typically said about the conversations had on the show, but the program’s hosts can also be subject to speculation as well. Rumors of firings can swirl around them, and series veterans Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg have been at the center of such chatter lately. As that chatter continues amid the 2025 TV schedule, Behar addressed those assumptions and more.

Joy Behar has never been one to mince words, whether she’s on the show or away from the stage. She caught up with The View’s companion podcast, Behind the Table, during which she spoke with the talk show’s EP, Brian Teta. While chatting, Teta brought up the dismissal rumors with Behar as well as other “crazy stories” involving her supposedly being arrested at an airport and making plans to leave the country. Behar (as seen on YouTube) dropped a four-word response to the firing chatter before addressing the other claims:

Through the years, the 82-year-old comedian and media personality has been subject to various rumors. In 2023, it was alleged that Joy Behar became embroiled in some drama with Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of Jersey Shore, and it supposedly involved a bathroom confrontation. It was also rumored that Behar had been banned from one of Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken restaurants. Shaq himself shot down that claim when he visited the daytime staple in 2024.

Back in 2013, the This Is My Life alum parted ways with the show in 2013, after having been with the program since its conception. Since return, the comic has joked about being “happy” that she was fired at the time, since a lot of her longtime co-hosts had already left the show. (Whoopi Goldberg, who was recently absent from the show, actually took a bit of offense to the comment.) The New York native certainly doesn’t mind airing her thoughts, and that likely plays into her rationale about whether she has a need to be liked by everyone:

Given those sentiments, we probably shouldn’t expect Joy Behar to kiss any kind of butt or humor rumors regarding her employment, personal health and more. All in all, it seems Joy Behar isn’t being ousted from the show either and, as far as we know, she hasn’t opted for retirement either. So fans can probably expect to see her and Whoopi Goldberg on screen with their colleagues for the foreseeable future.

The View airs weekly at 11 a.m. ET on ABC, and you can stream episodes using a Hulu subscription as well.

Throughout the history of Hollywood, some incredible Black actresses, who’ve put in tremendous performances. Just two of those stars are the incomparable Whoopi Goldberg and Halle Berry. It’s not uncommon for the stars to be discussed together when memorable films are being discussed. However, as of late, the two have been embroiled in a rumor regarding some supposed drama. With that, Berry — who rarely ever bites her tongue when gossip swirls around her — took some time to set the record straight.

Both Halle Berry and Whoopi Goldberg were present at the 97th Academy Awards nearly a week ago, during which the 2025 Oscar winners were honored. The two icons appeared during different segments of the show, yet one entity claimed things could’ve been different on that front. A Threads account known as us_24hr_report alleged that Berry turned down the opportunity to present an award alongside Goldberg, with the allegation being that the former Bond girl doesn’t think Goldberg is a “nice person.” Berry then responded, saying:

It’s rare for the X-Men icon to shy away from social media when someone says something about her. Several years ago, the actress didn’t hold back when responding to a troll, who claimed she couldn’t keep a man. The actress also clapped back at someone else after they deemed her too old to post nude photos on social media. Aside from her on-screen talents, it’s arguably the actress’ no-nonsense attitude that’s endeared her to so many. She’s also self-deprecating, as evidenced by the time she re-donned that One Missed Call wig.

Whoopi Goldberg has not commented on the rumor as of this writing, and there hadn’t been any reports to suggest that she and Halle Berry weren’t on good terms ahead of that. Funny enough, the two actresses are a lot alike in that they’re both talented and don’t mince words when necessary. Goldberg has proven that more than a few times over the years, thanks to her presence on the long-running ABC talk show, The View.

As far as this year’s Oscars (which we live-blogged) go, Halle Berry was on hand to kick off the tribute to the 007 franchise. Berry notably played Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson (one of the best Bond girls). That celebration came on the heels of longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson handing over creative control of the IP to Amazon. Whoopi Goldberg appeared alongside The Color Purple co-star Oprah Winfrey, as they paid tribute to their late collaborator - iconic composer and arranger Quincy Jones.

It’s not uncommon for rumors like these to crop up within the entertainment space. What’s refreshing, though, is whenever a star takes the time to address such chatter directly. As a fan of these two actresses, I’m glad there apparently wasn’t any friction as far as the Oscars were concerned. Here’s hoping the Catwoman alum continues to defend herself and others as time goes on.

Meghan Markle has a new show on Netflix, and like many things that involve the Duchess of Sussex, there was controversy before its premiere date even hit the 2025 TV schedule. Things haven’t exactly quieted down now that With Love, Meghan has been released, either, as a clip of Markle correcting Mindy Kaling on her name has gone viral. So, of course, when The Office alum visited The View, Whoopi Goldberg and the gang had to ask about it.

Mindy Kaling sat down with the co-hosts on ABC’s award-winning daytime talk show to promote her own new Netflix series Running Point (which debuted to mixed reviews), but the viral moment when Meghan Markle clarified to Kaling that her last name is “Sussex,” not “Markle” was definitely on everyone’s minds. Kaling said on The View:

Meghan Markle definitely has a way of evoking a reaction from people. In fact, it was former The View co-host Meghan McCain who spoke out against the release of With Love, Meghan amidst the Los Angeles wildfires, calling Markle “utterly tone deaf.” The premiere date of the duchess’ lifestyle series was ultimately pushed back but is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

So it’s fitting that the current cast of The View would be the ones to bring up the latest headlines involving Prince Harry’s wife. As they said on the show, Meghan Markle and Mindy Kaling were making sandwiches and talking about fast food (which Jack in the Box has totally capitalized on) when The Mindy Project star marveled:

The Suits alum laughed heartily as she replied:

As Mindy Kaling said on The View, the clips circulating on social media focus on her facial expression in the aftermath of that exchange, and regardless of whether or not Kaling had forgotten about the interaction in the months that followed, she really did look stung in the moment. But only she can say how she really felt.

Personally, I don’t think either woman was in the wrong. Mindy Kaling can’t be at fault for referring to Meghan Markle by her professional name, and if Markle wants to be called “Sussex,” rather than “Markle,” she should be able to tell people that.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, With Love, Meghan is available to stream now.

SNL 50 was a night of laughter and surprises. The old guard met the new guard, as the historic show saluted some of the names that made Saturday Night Live legendary and honored one of the best sketch comedy shows of all time. Lorne Michaels pulled out all the stops for the 50th, big names like Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, and Bill Murray in attendance, and new stars like Marcello Hernández and Sarah Sherman were incorporated into the event as well. It truly was a night to remember but, unfortunately, shortly after it, a number of attendees got sick, including Whoopi Goldberg.

She was absent from The View this week because of that illness, and Steve Martin revealed that Martin Short got COVID after the event. Now, many are calling back to Colin Jost’s Weekend Update joke, which seemed to predict the situation.

Steve Martin Announced That Martin Short Got COVID After Attending SNL 50

This all seemed to start with an Instagram post from Steve Martin, who announced yesterday that he and Martin Short had to reschedule some of their shows because Short had tested positive for COVID-19.

He also revealed that Maya Rudolph tested positive shortly after the SNL 50 festivities, which she was a huge part of. Martin hilariously revealed this news along with a photo of Short and Rudolph sharing a chaste kiss on the SNL red carpet, jokingly suggesting this was where the COVID was exchanged. He captioned the photo:

Martin connected the dots between the COVID Short and Rudolph came down with and SNL 50. However, they're not the only ones who got sick after the show, Whoopi Goldberg had to step away from The View this week because she had the flu.

Whoopi Goldberg Got The Flu After SNL 50

Whoopi Goldberg, who was present at Saturday Night Live’s 50th celebration too, also was revealed to be sick in the week following the festivities. According to Entertainment Weekly, the comedian was missing from The View for two days this week because she had the flu.

It wasn't suggested that she caught the illness at SNL 50, as Steve Martin did with Martin Short, yet this coincidence is notable, especially considering how many people were in the small 8H studio at 30 Rock for the show. They were also all present at the incredible SNL Homecoming concert, which took place two days before.

The flu circulating the events, in addition to COVID, is certainly possible, and Colin Jost even mentioned that during the special's Weekend Update.

Colin Jost's Weekend Update Joke Seemed To Predict This

This whole pattern of illness seems to have been called early by long-running Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost, who made a joke about the situation during his segment of the anniversary broadcast.

He noted the number of illnesses going around New York City, and the irony of having many living legends over the age of 60 in attendance for the 50th celebration, saying:

The joke resulted in a pretty big laugh but, considering how many entertainers became ill after the event, many of which we probably don’t yet know about, it feels pretty ominous now.

The irony is crazy, but it also goes to show that illness spreading in such a tight studio is certainly possible. You can see the entirety of this joke and others in the Weekend Update clip below:

Hopefully, no one is too sick and all of these beloved comedians and creatives will get better soon. The frigid weather in New York City certainly isn’t helping the situation, and with all the hustle and bustle of the 50th, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone involved needs a chance to recover. Here’s to wishing these stars a speedy recovery, and we all hope to see them back on the small screen and on stage making us laugh very soon.

You can revisit the entirety of SNL 50 now by streaming the broadcast with a Peacock subscription. Also ,Saturday Night Live fans can see the NBC sketch show return to the small screen at 11:30 p.m. ET on March 1st with more exciting Season 50 hosts and musical guests to look forward to.

Every year, I try to honor Black History by writing about something important that has occurred in the entertainment industry. And, I can’t think of any greater honor than winning the Academy Award.

Yes, there have been achievements in many different categories, including directing, writing, producing, scoring, etc, but today, my focus is going to be on Black actors.

Split amongst the Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor categories, there have been a total of 23 Oscars doled out to Black performers. So, here are all 23 of them, chronologically ordered.

Hattie McDaniel - Gone With The Wind (1939)

The very first Black winner for an acting Academy Award, Hattie McDaniel won it for Best Supporting Actress with her portrayal of Mammy in Gone With the Wind.

And, even though it's a racial stereotype role, McDaniel's character was often the most sensible and attention-grabbing character on the screen. It's a landmark victory for Black people in cinema.

Sidney Poitier - Lilies Of The Field (1963)

One of Sidney Poitier’s best movies, Lilies of the Field, which is about a handyman who helps a group of nuns build a chapel, was actually Poitier’s second nomination for Best Lead Actor.

His first was for 1958’s The Defiant Ones, which was a movie that he mostly shared with Tony Curtis. Lilies of the Field, however, was a leading role purely for Poitier, and he ended up becoming the first Black Actor to ever win the award. Great stuff!

Louis Gossett Jr. - An Officer And A Gentleman (1982)

In this romantic drama that also stars Richard Gere, Louis Gossett Jr. plays a hard-nosed drill instructor who really challenges his cadets.

Before there was R. Lee Ermey in one of my favorite Kubrick films, Full Metal Jacket, there was Louis Gossett Jr. berating his troops. He was the first Black man to win a Best Supporting Acting trophy, and it was justly awarded. He’s really good in this.

Denzel Washington - Glory (1989)

Denzel Washington’s first Academy Award was a supporting one for his role as a private in the Civil War drama, Glory.

As both a leader to the men in his regiment, but also a soldier who must follow orders, Washington’s character shows the duality of a Black man in uniform. Him deciding to hold up the flag for the charge is one of the most iconic scenes in late ‘80s cinema.

Whoopi Goldberg - Ghost (1990)

An EGOT recipient (though, not the only one on this list), Whoopi Goldberg received a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role as the medium, Oda Mae Brown, in the hit Ghost.

The romance between Swayze and Moore’s character is what defines this film, but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable without Goldberg’s humor, and seriousness when the moment calls for it.

Cuba Gooding Jr. - Jerry Maguire (1996)

For this sports comedy-drama, Cuba Gooding Jr. received a Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a cocky but steadfast wide receiver who wants to be shown the money.

Gooding Jr.’s performance is full of energy, and it makes this romantic comedy feel even sweeter when his and Tom Cruise’s characters share more than just a player and client relationship and actually become good friends.

Halle Berry - Monster's Ball (2001)

The only Black woman who has ever won Best Lead Actress, Halle Berry, took home the trophy for her role as a conflicted woman who takes on a relationship with the man who helped execute her husband.

Berry’s character is highly vulnerable, and the events of the movie are stressful beyond belief. Still, her character, as flawed as she is (everybody’s flawed in this film) weathered the storm, and earned Berry a Best Actress statue for her troubles.

Denzel Washington - Training Day (2001)

Washington’s second trophy came as the Best Lead Actor, for playing a cop in Training Day who definitely didn’t follow the rules.

Washington’s character was both charming and terrifying, often in the same scene. Say it with me, people: King Kong ain't got nothing on him!

Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Morgan Freeman actually had a supporting role in two of Clint Eastwood’s best movies, those being Unforgiven, and Million Dollar Baby. And, both films won Best Picture.

However, it was in the latter film where Freeman picked up the Best Supporting Actor statue, for playing a grizzled former boxer and gym assistant. It’s a mostly quiet role, but a memorable one.

Jamie Foxx - Ray (2004)

In one of the best music movies of all time, Jamie Foxx scored a much deserved Best Lead Actor award for his role as the famous blind musician, Ray Charles.

Foxx even had his eyes glued shut for the sake of authenticity. Anything for the craft, right?

Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls (2006)

Another EGOT recipient on this list, Jennifer Hudson, scored a Best Supporting Actress trophy in her VERY FIRST ACTING GIG!

It’s little wonder why though. Hudson’s portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls is powerful. Going from lead singer to starting all over again, Hudson did a “Supreme” job (Do you see what I did there?) in her very first role.

Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Forest Whitaker’s best performance is by far his role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

In a role that netted him a Best Lead Actor award, Whitaker is utterly terrifying, but also somewhat funny, in the way that only Whitaker can be.

Mo'Nique - Precious (2009)

After watching Mo’Nique as the abusive mother in Precious, it’s hard to watch her again in one of the best Black TV shows, The Parkers. It just seems like such a smoke screen.

Anyway, Mo’Nique was awarded a Best Supporting Actress trophy for this performance, and I haven’t looked at her the same way since.

Octavia Spencer - The Help (2011)

Though The Help hasn’t aged well, Octavia Spencer’s role as a maid who was fired for using a guest bathroom is still one of her best performances.

Spencer won Best Supporting Actress for a role where she got to take a dump in somebody’s pie. It’s a feel good film.

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave (2013)

In her career-defining role in 12 Years a Slave, Lupita Nyong'o plays a violently abused slave.

It is one of the most brutal (and likely most realistic) portrayals of slavery ever put to screen, and Nyong'o won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance.

Viola Davis - Fences (2016)

In this adaptation of a play in August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, Viola Davis plays a wronged but loyal wife.

The third EGOT recipient on this list, Davis should have several Oscars, but this is her sole win, and it’s in the Best Supporting Actress category.

Mahershala Ali - Moonlight (2016)

Though only in Moonlight for one act, Mahershala Ali’s performance as a caring drug dealer was so powerful that he won the Best Supporting Actor trophy.

It would be his first of two Academy Awards so far.

Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

In If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King plays the mother of a young woman whose boyfriend has been convicted of rape, and she tries to convince the victim that it wasn’t him.

King won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her quiet, but searing performance.

Mahershala Ali - Green Book (2018)

In Ali’s second Best Supporting Actor win, the skilled performer played real-life pianist Don Shirley in this Best Picture winner.

Ali’s character in this film is completely different from that in Moonlight, but that sense of vulnerability still persists, which was worthy of the award.

Daniel Kaluuya - Judas And The Black Messiah (2020)

Playing the “Black Messiah,” Daniel Kaluuya portrayed the inspirational Fred Hampton in this riveting biopic.

He won Best Supporting Actor, beating out the “Judas” (Bill O’Neal) in this picture, played excellently by LaKeith Stanfield, who was also nominated.

Ariana DeBose - West Side Story (2021)

In this second adaptation of the famed musical West Side Story, Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress playing Anita, who was portrayed by Rita Moreno in the first theatrical adaptation.

DeBose is absolutely magnetic in the role, firmly earning her win.

Will Smith - King Richard (2021)

Though the unfortunate slap is likely what many people remember most about this ceremony and Will Smith's award, his Best Lead Actor-winning turn really does deserve a second look.

Playing the tenacious father to Venus and Serena Williams, Smith definitely deserved the award for his work in the lauded film.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers (2023)

And finally, the most recent winner, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a quietly grieving mother in The Holdovers.

This film speaks to me as a teacher, yes, but also as a parent. I can thankfully only imagine the pain that her character Is going through.

That’s all of them! We’ll see if Zoe Saldaña, Colman Domingo, or Cynthia Erivo pick up a trophy at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The U.S. Presidential Inauguration is next week amid the 2025 TV schedule, and preparations are underway. Recently, it was reported that a major name in the music industry is set to perform at the event. Country singer Carrie Underwood has officially been tapped to perform “America the Beautiful” during the proceedings. Underwood’s decision to appear has been met with backlash from within some circles. The topic was also recently broached on The View, and co-host Whoopi Goldberg explained why she has to “support” Underwood.

After news of Carrie Underwood’s latest gig broke days ago, a number of commenters took to X and chastised the 41-year-old Grammy winner for choosing to take part. Their responses seemed to suggest that they specifically took issue with Underwood taking part in an event centered around U.S. Presidential Elect Donald Trump. Nevertheless, there is a subsection of the songstress’ fandom that did appear enthusiastic over the news.

During The View, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin opined that the public should move past the era of canceling people for their political leanings and expressed her belief that the “Before He Cheats” singer won’t be hurt by the move in the long run. Griffin’s colleague, Joy Behar, said that she wouldn’t have taken the job had she been in the singer’s position while also saying that by joining the event she’s “normalizing” the soon-to-be second term president. In the YouTube clip, Whoopi Goldberg then offered up the following response:

Politics play into The View in a major way, with the team even having been recently tasked with reading legal notes from Donald Trump's team. What Whoopi Goldberg appears to convey is the notion that a fellow entertainer has the right to partake in an event for whatever reason they have. On that note, she also suggests that she can support one’s decision without actually showing interest.

As mentioned by the Oscar winner, Carrie Underwood has mostly stayed out of politics over the course of her career. She released a statement shared with THR upon agreeing to perform, saying that she was “honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event.” She also expressed her “love” for her country and stated that was “humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

This recent development arrives amid the fan-favorite musical artist’s recent return to TV. Last summer, it was reported that American Idol had found a replacement judge for Katy Perry. That eventually turned out to be Carrie Underwood, and the decision was met with praise from fellow judge Lionel Richie as well as other music industry alums. Underwood’s judging philosophy is to be both “kind” and “constructive” when addressing contestants.

It remains to be seen how the Inauguration will ultimately pan out as well as how people will continue to react to the “Jesus Take the Wheel” singer’s decision to take part. Regardless of that, it seems that while she won’t actually be watching, Whoopi Goldberg will support the artist’s right to perform as she pleases.

Episodes of The View air weekdays at 11 p.m. ET. You can also watch the broadcasts on YouTube, and episodes are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription . Meanwhile, American Idol Season 23, complete with Carrie Underwood, is set to debut on ABC on March 9.

There are many stars who don’t use their real names for their careers and instead use a stage name. In some cases, that's because their true name was already taken by another star, or they simply wanted to change their moniker for show business. (Keanu Reeves, meanwhile, was once asked to change his name.) One celebrity who doesn't use their real name is Whoopi Goldberg, and I just learned that revelation after she told a story about her mom on The View.

Via Decider, the hosts of the morning talk show recently debated the need for a new platform telling house hunters the political affiliations of potential neighbors. That led Whoopi Goldberg to share her take and an interesting story. She talked about how it wasn’t a good idea and recalled what her mom would tell her about politics while she was growing up. It was then that she casually dropped her birth name:

Yes, her first name is actually Caryn, with both Whoopi and Goldberg not even included anywhere in her real name. The EGOT was born Caryn Elaine Johnson, but "Whoopi Goldberg" has since become a household name that has gone on to become an even bigger name worldwide. Goldberg told The New York Times back in 2006 just why she decided to change her name, and the reasoning actually makes a lot of sense:

Stage names are certainly not uncommon for both actors and musicians. Even John Mulaney wishes he used a stage name. And some are wanting to do away with their real names altogether, like Jonah Hill wanting to legally drop his last name. For Whoopi Goldberg, it seems like she wanted to let go of the past and usher in this new side of her. I can't believe I had no idea about this up until now, but I have to say this is a cool piece of trivia on one of Hollywood's most iconic actors.

This also isn't the first time that Goldberg has revealed a surprising tidbit on The View. In 2023, she admitted she couldn’t wait to get divorced every time she got married. The actress married Alvin Martin in 1973 and divorced in 1979 and married David Claessen in 1986 and divorced in 1988. She also tied the knot with Lyle Trachtenberg in 1994, and they divorced in 1995.

When it comes to professional names, some celebrities are opting to go back to their birth-given names. For example, Michael Keaton wants to change his surname back to "Douglas." I'm not sure if Whoopi Goldberg would want to go by Caryn Elaine Johnson at this point. And, if she did, I'm sure fans like myself would have to take some time to adjust, in order to appease her wishes.

Ever since it was announced in 2018 that a third Sister Act movie would premiere on Disney+, development has been underway. Unfortunately, the upcoming movie will be without beloved actress Maggie Smith, who was known for playing Mother Superior in the two previous films. Following the film legend’s death at the age of 89 back in September, its star, Whoopi Goldberg, explained what the loss of Smith means in the midst of developing the upcoming Disney movie.

Sister Act was one of Maggie Smith’s best movies. She played the firm, yet wholehearted Mother Superior who looked out for the nuns at St. Katherine’s Convent. While she and lounge singer Delores Van Cartier didn’t hit it off right away as she went into hiding at the convent disguised as a nun, they eventually grew a bond that followed into Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

Sadly, after Smith's death, we won’t get to see her reprise her memorable role. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Delores’ Whoopi Goldberg spoke about what losing the Harry Potter actress means for the development of Sister Act 3:

It’s a real shame that the death of Maggie Smith means we won't see her reprise Mother Superior in the third movie. I wonder if this means they’ll recast the role or have the treasured head nun pass away. I would have loved to see Mother Superior and Delores’ relationship continue and witness what other shenanigans the pair would get into the third time around. I’ll never forget the scene in Sister Act 2 when Delores and Mother Superior reunited in the convent so happy to see each other. Her absence will certainly be felt, as Goldberg and Smith’s chemistry brought warmth and humor into one of the best ‘90s comedies.

During the development stages of Sister Act 3, it was always the plan for Whoopi Goldberg to put Maggie Smith back in the habit. The Color Purple actress sent out a heartfelt appeal to the Academy Award winner about not wanting to do a third movie without her. Re-reading this touching message after Maggie Smith's death brings me all sorts of devastation knowing the film will have to continue without the famed actress’s appearance. Among a number of endearing tributes to Smith, Whoopi Goldberg chimed in by saying how lucky she was that she got to work with a “one-of-a-kind” star. I’m sure she’ll be incredibly missed by the Sister Act cast and all those fortunate enough to know her.

It may take some readjusting for Whoopi Goldberg and the people working on Sister Act 3 to continue developing the new movie without Maggie Smith. However, with a strong cast and crew, I’m confident they’ll honor her legacy in putting together a long-awaited threequel the Triple Crown of Acting performer would be proud of. Until news comes out on Sister Act 3’s release date, you can relive Smith and Goldberg being a dynamic duo in the first two Sister Act movies on your Disney+ subscription.

As anyone with a television is well aware at this point, the upcoming Presidential election and the race to it has taken over large chunks of the 2024 Fall TV schedule, from the usual cable news coverage to channel-spanning primetime debates. Politics is also a frequently discussed topic on the daytime chat show The View, whose hosts recently took aim at Diddy for hoarding lubricants and at Anna Delvey being allowed on Dancing with the Stars.

Of course, the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is also a core topic of discussion at times, and whenever the all-female panel gets into those conversations, specifically in reference to the controversy regarding the 2020 election, they’re required to read off the legal note from Trump’s team that states he “denied any wrongdoing related to the 2020 election.” Indeed, once the conversation was wrapping up on the October 2 installment, someone offscreen motioned for Hostin to read the aforementioned note.

That moment sparked moderator Whoopi Goldberg to temporarily delay the impending commercial break by questioning the sporadically seen executive producer Brian Teta about the practice. Here’s how that exchange went down:

• WHOOPI GOLDBERG: I find that so interesting. We have to do these legal notes each time to say what has been proven to be a fact. We have to deny it on their behalf. Is that right?
• BRIAN TETA: We have to state the denials that they’ve stated.
• WHOOPI GOLDBERG: One day you’ll tell me why. I think I’ve told you a couple of times but we can talk about it again. I find it odd when everybody has seen it, and they know that it’s not necessarily the truth.
• BRIAN TETA: We're showing what [Trump’s team] has said on the record.
• ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: We can do it off-air, guys.

It's unclear what, if anything, was discussed during the commercial break, at least for those at home. Audience members who were present for the taping may have some idea. But fans probably shouldn't expect to find clues about it within The View's episodic video that was uploaded to YouTube, because that portion of the conversation was edited out.

The Times Donald Trump Apparently Turned Down Appearing On The View

Back in April, around the time when Brian Teta signed a lucrative four-year extension to his contract to stay on as The View's executive producer, he talked to Deadline about the thought process behind booking guests during political races, and how the creative team plans for avoiding potential controversy. And in that convo, he addressed the fact that Trump and his namesake son have both been on the show in the past, saying:

When asked if there was a chance The View would welcome Trump back ahead of the 2024 election, Teta shared a bit of a non-optimistic answer, based on the former POTUS' past refusals. As the EP put it:

The View is indeed a far different show than it once was in the early days with Barbara Walters as moderator, although I'm not certain if that version of the show would have had Donald Trump on as a political candidate either, if for different reasons.

With upcoming guests such as LeVar Burton and Nathan Lane, The View airs weekday mornings on ABC at 11:00 a.m. ET, with the previous week's worth of episodes available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Earlier today, the world was saddened to hear the news that film legend Dame Maggie Smith is dead at age 89. With a legacy that stretches from stage to screen, there’s no doubt that her contributions to the world of acting are going to inspire fitting tributes to her passing.

In fact, we’re starting to see that at the moment, as members of the Downton Abbey cast, like Hugh Bonneville, as well as other notable co-stars such as Sister Act’s Whoopi Goldberg, have started to share their fondest wishes in light of this sad day.

Starting things off is the official Instagram account for Downton Abbey. The social media presence for the franchise Smith helped cultivate into a worldwide hit took the time to share the following sentiments, coupled with a beautiful picture of Dame Maggie Smith on set:

Further comments were provided to People, as official statements from several members of the Downton Abbey 3 cast spoke fondly of the woman known to the world as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley. But as you’ll read in statements below, some of these fine people earned the great distinction to simply call her “Maggie”:

• "There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family." - Michelle Dockery
• “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.” - Hugh Bonneville
• “...she was a genius and a delight. A privilege to be around her. The kind of actor who makes you proud to be an actor. And I’ll never forget how sweet she was to my 12-year-old son when he visited set.” - Paul Giamatti

Previous cast members from the show’s television incarnation were also on hand to share their own tip of the hat to the legacy of Dame Maggie Smith. And when it came to Dan Stevens’ Instagram story honoring his days on Downton Abbey, he also included the following recommendation for all fans of her work:

When reflecting on Dame Maggie Smith’s pivotal Downton Abbey casting a couple of years back, you could sense that series writer and creator Julian Fellowes also held a deep admiration for her body of work. Those feelings showed once again when Fellowes shared this statement of remembrance with THR:

The world of movies also suffered a loss today, which was shared by Sister Act star, and comedy legend, Whoopi Goldberg. Posting to her personal Instagram with an image of herself and Smith in costume on the set of what some consider one of the best ‘90s movies, Goldberg had this to say:

At the moment, only a few members of the cast of the Harry Potter movies have issued any official statements just yet. Ginny Weasley actress Bonnie Wright posted a lovely image of the McGonagall actress with this sweet statement:

Not too long after Ms. Wright's remembrance, a statement was provide to Variety by Daniel Radcliffe. In the Harry Potter star's own words, his memories actually spanned to a project before the cinematic adaptation of the best-selling book series. With intense gratitude, Radcliffe shared this:

As for the official social media presence for the Wizarding World, the parties in charge of that outlet have offered this fitting tribute to the woman who played Professor Minerva McGonagall:

Clearly, this is only the beginning of the collectively bittersweet remembrances that Dame Maggie Smith will inspire. But so far, everything we’ve heard lines up perfectly with the legend she cultivated throughout her storied career.

If you Downton Abbey fans would like to pay tribute by revisiting the Julian Fellowes series, all six seasons are currently being streamed through access to a Prime Video subscription. And if you are looking to watch Sister Act or the Harry Potter films, those can be found on Disney+ and Max, respectively.

Whoopi Goldberg, the beloved EGOT-winning comedian, recently returned to The View following its hiatus from the 2024 TV schedule. On last week's show, she took a moment to reflect on her cherished friendships with two late Hollywood icons: Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve, who will forever be remembered as Superman. During the heartfelt discussion, Goldberg shared touching stories about both men's profound impact on her life and expressed her deep gratitude for having known them.

The conversation on The View's September 19th broadcast was sparked by the appearance of Christopher Reeve’s children, Matthew, Alexandra and Will. The trio joined The View to promote the new documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The film delves into Reeve’s life before and after the tragic 1995 horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed. As a longtime friend and colleague, the Sister Act star was featured in the documentary, sharing her reflections on just how deep her connections with the two were:

Whoopi Goldberg’s co-host, Sunny Hostin, pointed out that the Ghost actress had been interviewed for the documentary and even appeared in In the Gloaming, a film Reeve directed in 1997, which is about the AIDS crisis. Whoopi fondly recalled how surprised she was to be cast in the film, saying:

Despite their busy lives and infrequent meetings, the Color Purple star described Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams as constant pillars in her life. Reeve and Williams, who met while studying theater at Juilliard, shared a close bond that extended to their inner circles. Reeve’s son, Will, revealed in a recent interview with People that Williams was one of the first people to visit his father in the hospital following his accident. He said:

Whoopi Goldberg also acknowledged the strength and resilience that both of her late friends displayed throughout their lives, particularly in the face of hardship. She added:

Christopher Reeve passed away in October 2004 at just 52 years old, following complications from a heart attack. A decade later, the world was shaken again when Robin Williams, who had long struggled with depression and anxiety, tragically died by suicide in 2014. It was only after his passing that an autopsy revealed Williams had been battling Lewy body dementia, a heartbreaking and debilitating neurological disorder.

Whoopi Goldberg’s emotional tribute on The View wasn’t just a nod to the immense talent of these two legendary actors—it was also a celebration of the deep, enduring friendships they shared. With Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story set to hit the 2024 movie schedule, Goldberg’s reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the powerful bonds that shaped the careers and personal lives of these Hollywood icons. As the Till star so beautifully highlighted, these connections continue to resonate with fans worldwide, leaving a lasting impact both on and off the screen.

Whenever we talk about the best ‘90s movies, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the most iconic actors of the final decade of the 20th century and their most beloved performances. But what are Will Smith’s, Julia Roberts’, or Keanu Reeves’ best movies for the unforgettable and transformative 10-year stretch? 

We’re being totally subjective here (Because why not?), but here are the best ‘90s movies for these 32 actors. Best Picture winners, a handful of the best action movies of all time, and other films that turned up-and-comers into overnight megastars can all be found below.

Will Smith (Independence Day)

Will Smith was already a household name by the time Independence Day was released and became the biggest movie of 1996, but this massive sci-fi flick took him to new heights. Electric, magnetic, and charismatic beyond belief, the Fresh Prince became the King of the summer blockbuster with his portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)

Is there a bigger ‘90s movie than Titanic, both in terms of financial returns and cultural prominence? Yeah, James Cameron’s story of the ill-fated ship, his special effects, and the rest of the cast made this 1997 disaster movie a must-see, but Leonardo DiCaprio, with his “King of the World” moment, made this an all-timer. 

Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire)

Picking the best ‘90s movie for Tom Cruise is no easy task, considering some of the actor’s best performances took place that decade. However, despite Magnolia and Mission: Impossible being great in their own ways, this has to go to Cruise’s dynamic portrayal of the struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. “Show me the money,” is a quote we keep in our repertoire nearly 30 years later. 

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

Sandra Bullock put herself on the map with her performance in Speed, one of the most iconic 1994 movies. Though she was great in Demolition Man the year before, Bullock’s take on Annie Porter made her an overnight sensation and quickly became one of her best roles to date, even outside the ‘90s.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

How Morgan Freeman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the biggest mysteries, and travesties, in Hollywood history. His portrayal of Ellis "Red" Redding in this spectacular Stephen King adaptation is so strong and so believable that you don’t see him as an actor playing an inmate, but more like an aging prisoner trying to “get busy living or get busy dying.”

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

As much as we would have loved to argue for Jurassic Park being Samuel L. Jackson’s best ‘90s movie, Ray Arnold has nothing on the bad mother [redacted] that was Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction. Easily Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, this 1994 classic is essentially a master class in dialogue and non-linear storytelling.

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle)

A few years after leading the best romantic comedy of all time with When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan teamed up with Nora Ephron (who was directing this time around) for Sleepless in Seattle in 1993. The chemistry between Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin, is incredible, even if they only share a couple minutes of screentime.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s hard to imagine what Julia Roberts’ career and Hollywood in general would be like if the actress didn’t play Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. Sure, Roberts already had some hits and would have gone on to land big roles, but this 1990 rom-com instantly made her one of the brightest stars on the planet and showed off her dynamic range and impeccable comedic timing.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It)

Angela Bassett’s best movie, What’s Love Got to Do with It saw the celebrated actress take on the role of the legendary Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic about the late singer’s life, career, and toxic relationship with husband and music partner Ike Turner. Bassett had some pretty iconic ‘90s roles throughout the decade, but this is at the tippy top of the mountain.

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix)

Picking Keanu Reeves’ best movie of the 1990s is more difficult than you’d think. Point Break, My Private Idaho, and Speed are all contenders, but none come close to the heights of The Matrix and his performance as Neo, aka, the One. Watching Reeves’ character develop throughout this great ‘90s sci-fi film never gets old.

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Robin Williams had SO many good movies in the ‘90s, but Good Will Hunting was in a league of its own, at least in terms of performances by the late comedian. The richness, range, and emotion found in his portrayal of Sean Maguire is something to behold. No wonder he took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense)

The ‘90s saw Bruce Willis play everything from his most iconic character in the second and third Die Hard movies to the leads in multiple blockbusters. However, none of those compare to his work in The Sixth Sense. There is just something so warm and refreshing about his portrayal of a child psychiatrist trying to help a young boy make sense of life and his strange gift.

Harrison Ford (The Fugitive)

Have you gone back and watched The Fugitive lately? If not, do so now. If you have, you’re all too familiar with Harrison Ford’s performance as Richard Kimble, the Chicago doctor trying to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. Air Force One and Clear and Present Danger are great, but this 1993 thriller is one of Ford’s career-best.

Frances McDormand (Fargo)

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of Marge Gunderson in the Coen Brothers' Fargo earned the actress the first of her three Academy Awards, and for good reason: she’s the heart and soul of the 1996 crime comedy.  

Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman played some of the meanest ‘90s villains in movies like Air Force One, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element, the latter of which features his best work of the decade. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of those characters that you love to hate and enjoy watching as much as the 1997 sci-fi film’s hero, which is saying something.

Wesley Snipes (White Men Can't Jump)

In the years following his breakout performance in Major League, Wesley Snipes became one of the dependable faces in Hollywood thanks to unforgettable turns in New Jack City, Demolition Man, and Jungle Fever. But let’s be real, Snipes’ take on Syd Deane is one of the most iconic ‘90s characters and essentially carries this all-time great basketball movie.

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)

Tom Hanks dominated the ‘90s with Oscar-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump as well as other decade-defining films like Toy Story and A League of Their Own. But in terms of the BEST movie, that has to go to Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II epic about heroism, survival, and the hope of a better tomorrow.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

We could have listed Goodfellas, Heat, or even A Bronx Tale as Robert De Niro’s best movie from the ‘90s, but his performance as Max Cady in Cape Fear is on a whole other level. Easily one of the Oscar winner’s most menacing characters, the psychopathic ex-con with a bone to pick is a force of pure evil here.

Al Pacino (Heat)

After playing all-time great gangsters in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Al Pacino was on the other side of the law in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat. Sure, Scent of a Woman earned him that elusive Oscar for Best Actor, but his take on Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is the stuff of legend. Plus, we also got to see Pacino and Robert De Niro share a scene for the first time.

Anthony Hopkins (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest performances of all time. That said, it should be no surprise that this great horror film gets the call here. Though there was some stiff competition.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights)

As much as we would love to break down all the awesome ways Philip Seymour Hoffman stole the show in Twister and My Boyfriend’s Back, the late actor really came into his own in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 drama, Boogie Nights. Hoffman’s sympathetic take on Scotty J. was nothing short of brilliant and showed what was to come.

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

If you were to break down Jodie Foster’s best performances, her portrayal of Clarice Starling would be at or near the top of that list. A movie that has been quoted or referenced countless times over the years, this 1991 thriller remains one of the best ever made.

Brad Pitt (Seven)

David Fincher’s Seven is Brad Pitt’s best movie from the ‘90s for a variety of reasons: 1) the movie about a serial killer taking lives based on the seven deadly sins is violently unique, 2) it was the start of a partnership between actor and director, and 3) Pitt showed he was more than a pretty face and really had what it took.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (T2: Judgment Day)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only a decade-defining action movie or a landmark achievement in visual effects, it’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie of the ‘90s and perhaps all time. James Cameron’s sequel is bigger and louder than its predecessor and epic beyond compare.

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act)

Whoopi Goldberg won her first Academy Award for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, a film that kicked off an impressive decade for the comedian and actor. Her spiritual guide for Patrick Swayze’s ghostly Sam Wheat in this supernatural thriller helped anchor the film and turn it into the biggest movie of 1990.

Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the brightest faces (and voices) in Hollywood thanks to Good Will Hunting. His tortured performance as a young math prodigy in South Boston is still captivating more than 25 years later.

Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor)

Eddie Murphy did a little bit of everything in the ‘90s, but The Nutty Professor shows off some of the comedian’s best work. Playing multiple characters (heroes, villains, and in between) really showed off Murphy’s dynamic range and varied comedic styles.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Though Big Daddy proved that Adam Sandler could handle slightly more dramatic roles, there’s no denying the fact that Happy Gilmore is the former SNL star’s best ‘90s movie. His take on a failed hockey player finding new purpose (and fortune) in the world of golf was a game-changer and created one of the best sports characters of all time.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington is another actor who had more great roles in the ‘90s than we can count, but at the top of his “best” list is Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic, Malcolm X. The movie about the controversial civil rights icon was eye-opening, enchanting, and epic.

Joe Pesci (Goodfellas)

We could have talked about My Cousin Vinny, we could have talked about Home Alone, and we could have even made a case for Casino, but none of that is possible without Goodfellas. The movie, which introduced the world to Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and an influential piece of cinema we still rave about 30-plus years later.

Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise, a movie featuring one of the best female friendships with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis’ titular characters, helped kickstart the decade back in 1990. Easily Sarandon’s best movie of the ‘90s, this crime drama about two friends on the run from the law is just so dang great.

Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber)

Jim Carrey absolutely dominated the ‘90s comedy scene, and the box office in general back in 1994. While Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask both have their moments, we have to be real for a second and admit that Dumb and Dumber is some of Carrey’s best work.

Movie fans had lots to love in the '90s and these actors and their best movies of the decade will never be forgotten.

While pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev’s domestic dispute arrest seemed like it would be the most controversial news item connected to the world of Dancing with the Stars, the ABC competition series itself unveiled that the convicted felon and con artist Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) is part of the Season 33 lineup including U.S. Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik and others who didn’t require special government permission to be part of the upcoming TV schedule.

Delvey and her partner Erza Sosa were interviewed on Entertainment Tonight, and her glib comments were enough to send Whoopi Goldberg and her fellow panelists on The View to go off on the disgraced socialite, whose popularity exploded due to Netflix’s lawsuit-provoking limited series Inventing Anna. Wearing both sunglasses and an ankle monitor — she’s on house arrest outside of reality TV duties — she said this when asked about being nervous or intimidated about joining DWTS.

It was addressed by Entertainment Tonight that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) granted Anna Delvey special permission for her Dancing with the Stars debut. It seems like that not only includes appearing and competing on the show, but promoting it as well.

How Whoopi Goldberg And The View Hosts Reacted

After setting up the interview clip by calling Anna Delvey a "convicted artist who became a pop culture sensation," The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg laid out what the real issue is with the scammer landing a spot on a broadcast network (and streaming) series. In her words:

No details have seemingly been unveiled regarding how and why ICE gave the go-ahead for a criminal to enjoy the luxury of being a reality TV star, but Goldberg spoke to the arguable double-standard that allows Delvey such access.

Sunny Hostin spoke up in agreement, pointing out Delvey's past crimes and asking why she isn't still suffering further consequences despite not having righted the actions that landed her behind bars to begin with. As Hostin put it:

It feels like that. If we think about it, she defrauded so many people and then spent about two years in prison, and then had to spend another 18 months in prison for overstaying her welcome and overstaying her Visa. So she committed another crime. And what is the — I don’t know — consequence of it? A federal bejeweled ankle monitor and a spot on a television show. And you think of Gypsy Rose, who…some people say she didn’t kill her mother, some people say she did put a hit on her mother, and now all of a sudden she’s got a reality show.

Alyssa Farah Griffin chimed in at that point, and explained the specific perspective she takes in situations like this, offering Gypsy Role Blanchard an olive branch for the dues she'd paid. In Griffin's words:

To be sure, Anna Delvey did say around the time of the Netflix series with Julia Garner that she was intent on moving away from her scammer persona in the years that followed. It's impossible to say whether or not joining Dancing with the Stars is a functional step on that path, but it's one she's taking nonetheless.

When all was said and done, and you can bet that more words were shared about it, Griffin still admitted that she'd be tuning in regardless as a diehard DWTS fan. And she won't be alone.

Dancing with the Stars Season 33 will premiere live on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday, September 7, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

An EGOT-winning comedian who’s known for delivering Oscar-worthy dramatic roles on the big screen, Whoopi Goldberg is far more commonly known for bringing a completely different kind of drama to TV audiences via The View. The oft-political chat show’s hiatus from the 2024 TV schedule is busier than the traditional summer break, as the long-running ABC hit will be filming in a brand new studio when it returns in September. But its moderator reportedly isn’t so pleased with the new digs.

At least, it’s alleged that Goldberg was upset over her own personal set up at the new studio located in downtown Manhattan. For all that this “brand-new” location is “state of the art,” as Sunny Hostin put it in the video announcement, the architects and designers apparently didn’t put enough thought into dressing room bathrooms. According to The Sun, the Ghost vet is highly displeased about having to shift into a new dressing room that doesn’t have the same accommodations she’d grown accustomed to previously.

The View was filmed years ago at its 320 W. 66th St. studio, where it shared space with the network’s soap opera productions, before shifting farther down the road to its most recent Upper West Side setting for the past decade or so. Apparently at the latter studio, Whoopi Goldberg’s dressing room was the largest of all the show’s regulars, and it reportedly came equipped with a full ensuite bathroom, complete with a shower.

Within her previous dressing room, Goldberg is said to have had a big table where morning meetings were held, requiring the other hosts to gather in their co-star’s dressing room each day. (Save for Fridays, which have long been her day off.) She wasn’t the only one on the panel to have her own facilities, as Joy Behar’s prior digs also had a bathroom, but apparently not one as large as Goldberg’s.

As one might imagine, Whoopi apparently wasn’t quick to get comfortable in the new setting. The outlet states that she made the unexpected decision to move her production company’s office away from its uptown location and right next to the new studios where The View will be filming for the ongoing future. According to a source:

While I can’t say I’ll ever have the power and sway to shift a company’s address in order to use the bathroom privately, I certainly can’t hate on anyone else who chooses to do so. If I could, I’d put a full bathroom next to every room I work in, plus a kitchen and home theater.

Broadway World reported earlier in August that Goldberg will be showcasing her on-stage talents for another project outside of The View in the near future. Having shared in Thoroughly Modern Millie’s 2002 Tony Awards win for Best Musical as a producer, Goldberg is set to bring her theatre acting skills out as Miss Hannigan for a set of upcoming ANNIE performances in New York city from December 11-January 5. We’ll assume that project’s dressing room situation will be handled accordingly.

Will the dressing room situation be enough to convince Whoopi Goldberg to take another break from The View so she can reunite with Jennifer Love Hewitt in order to give millennial fans another Sister Act sequel? I mean, I can’t say I’m hoping for her to be miserable, but I do miss me some Sister Mary Clarence.

Whoopi Goldberg has been a Hollywood staple with multiple astonishing performances to her credit over four decades. Goldberg’s comedic roots are evident in her varied filmography, from acclaimed films like Sarafina! to blockbusters like The Lion King and the Sister Act franchise, to cult classics like Soapdish. 

Her lengthy resume and critical acclaim should’ve led to a fireplace mantle filled with Academy Awards. However, that isn’t the case for the Jumpin’ Jack Flash star with a Best Actress nomination for The Color Purple (the loss cited as one of the voting body’s biggest blunders) and a Best Supporting Actress win for Ghost. Her lone win doesn’t mean the Oscar winner hasn’t delivered more Oscar-worthy characters. So, here are just some Whoopi Goldberg movie performances worthy of an Academy Award.

Clara's Heart (1988)

Whoopi Goldberg proved her big-screen debut in The Color Purple wasn’t a fluke with the 1988 melodrama Clara’s Heart. She fleshed out housekeeper and surrogate mother Clara Mayfield.

Like her feature debut, Goldberg showed she could move from laughs to dramatic moments. She and the cast eased into the melodrama while tackling serious topics like divorce, sexual assault, and death. The Oscar winner delved deep into the familial bonds between strangers, especially with co-star Neil Patrick Harris. Their scenes were poignant as she blended sternness and softness with nuance. Those moments worked well as the film served as Harris’s acting debut.

The comedy legend played well against Harris’s onscreen parents, Michael Ontkean and Kathleen Quinlan, in the film, though it was a critical and commercial failure. However, while reviewers singled out Goldberg’s performance, critical praise for the actress didn’t translate into a much-deserved Best Actress Oscar nomination.

The heartfelt drama is available to buy/rent through streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and with an Apple TV+ subscription.

The Long Walk Home (1990)

The hard-hitting dramas continued as Whoopi Goldberg tackled the Montgomery bus boycotts in the real-life-inspired The Long Walk Home. Goldberg played matriarch and world-weary maid Odessa Cotter to Sissy Spacek’s Miriam Thompson.

Capturing the Civil Rights Movement’s turning point allowed Goldberg to show Thompson’s evolution through the film. The actress became the embodiment of the effects of segregation, violence, and racism on Black Americans in the 1950s American South. The top-ranked Oscars host brought nuance to the character by displaying the boycott’s effect on her family, job, and community. Her tribulations spread to her family and bosses, especially Spacek’s character.

Of course, the EGOT winner had the best chemistry with Spacek. Their scenes allowed the women they played to transform each other’s lives. The drama received critical attention, especially for Goldberg and Spacek’s performances. Despite winning an NAACP Image Award, the actress didn’t score a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

Stream the gripping slice-of-life drama through an Amazon Prime Video subscription

Boys On The Side (1995)

Whoopi Goldberg got to flex her comedic and dramatic muscles in the beloved cult classic Boys on the Side. She was a significant player in the movie as heartbroken lesbian musician Jane DeLuca.

Like her role in The Long Walk Home, Goldberg catalyzed the dramedy’s compelling story. The actress’s presence intertwined the ensemble's stories while serving as the group’s firecracker and voice of reason. The talented storyteller gave nuance to the musician falling in love with her friend. The unexpected love story showed Jane’s hot-headedness and protective nature before the finale’s well-earned healing and forgiveness.

Within the movie’s ensemble, she winner played well with co-stars Mary-Louise Parker and Drew Barrymore. She even matched the energy of her male co-stars at pivotal moments. The dramedy scored critical acclaim, leading to Goldberg nabbing an NAACP Image Award nomination. Unfortunately, the actress didn’t score a Best Actress or Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

You can buy/rent the touching melodrama through an Apple TV+ subscription.

For Colored Girls (2010)

Some of Whoopi Goldberg’s best roles come from ensemble pieces like the stage-to-screen adaptation For Colored Girls. In this star-packed, all-female ensemble, she played Alice Adrose (a.k.a. Lady in White), spiritual practitioner and mother of Lady in Orange and Purple (Thandiwe Newton and Tessa Thompson).

While the film took inspiration from the acclaimed stage play, Goldberg’s character was specific to the movie and her. As seen in the award-winning original production, her story is connected with other characters, allowing varying interactions. All this occurred as the four-time Academy Award host played a key supporting role in her differing mother-daughter relationships with Newton and Thompson.

Of course, the highlight of the Ghost star’s performance was her vibing off of her female co-stars, who also included Phylicia Rashad, Kimberley Elise, and Janet Jackson. Goldberg received critical acclaim and scored an NAACP Image Award nomination. However, none of this translated into a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nom.

The all-female ensemble film can be streamed through an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Sister Act (1992)

In the same year her Oscar-winning Ghost role arrived, audiences saw Whoopi Goldberg make a splash in the beloved Sister Act. The comedian introduced the world to Reno lounge singer-turned-nun-in-witness-protection Deloris Wilson-Van Cartier (alias Sister Mary Clarence).

The Hollywood legend returned to her comedy roots with her impeccable timing and skills in this fish-out-water story. Applying those skills played well in big and small comedic and dramatic moments in the unconventional hero’s journey. Her scenes in the convent best illustrated her versatility, especially with her top-notch one-liners.

While Goldberg was the star, her best moment came from working with her fellow nuns (Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Mary Wickes). While the comedy classic received a mixed reception, critics and audiences loved her performance, leading to a Golden Globes nomination and NAACP Image Award win. Despite all the fanfare and acclaim, the Academy failed to recognize her with a Best Actress nomination.

The above performances highlight Whoopi Goldberg’s versatility in delivering Oscar-worthy roles for the Academy’s recognition. Not winning more Academy Awards hasn’t deterred the Ghost actress from racking up film projects. The View panelist popped up on the 2024 movie schedule, in Outlaw Posse and Babes. She has multiple upcoming films on the docket, including the much-anticipated Sister Act 3 and the rom-com Leopardi & Co. Maybe one of those films will nab her another trip to the Oscar stage.

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit featured a talented group of young actors/singers as the students who were forced by lounge singer-turned-nun Sister Mary Clarence to form a choir and save their school from closure. The most famous of those was, of course, Lauryn Hill, iconic rapper and frontwoman of The Fugees, but some may forget that Jennifer Love Hewitt was also among those musically gifted teens. With Sister Act 3 coming to streaming (have that Disney+ subscription ready), the 9-1-1 star gave her thoughts on reprising her role more than 30 years later.

Yes, it was 1993 back when Jennifer Love Hewitt portrayed Margaret on Sister Act 2. This was pre-I Know What You Did Last Summer and even before Party of Five, so no one knew the stardom that was to find the actress. Her role alongside Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Mary Clarence was small, but she told ET she’d definitely be down to join the upcoming Tyler Perry project if they asked her to. Hewitt said: 

Jennifer Love Hewitt had only great things to say about her experience on the set of Sister Act 2, as she recalled Whoopi Goldberg “so kind and so amazing.” She also marveled at the fact that she got to listen to Lauryn Hill sing live every day. 

There aren’t many updates about Sister Act 3 to share at this point, and Tyler Perry has acknowledged how long it’s taking to come together. In the meantime, though, Whoopi Goldberg got the band (or choir, rather) back together on The View to celebrate Sister Act 2’s 30th anniversary, treating the audience to a performance of “Oh Happy Day,” complete with solo from Ryan Toby (who played Ahmal). 

Lauryn Hill was absent from the reunion, as well as Jennifer Love Hewitt, so I don’t know if that says anything about the chances that they’ll be back for the threequel. As for who might return, Whoopi Goldberg made a heartfelt appeal to Maggie Smith to come back as Mother Superior, and Kathy Najimy (Sister Mary Patrick) has reportedly expressed interest in returning. It wouldn’t seem right to do it without Wendy Makkena also returning as Sister Mary Robert, but we’ll have to see how it all plays out.

As for newcomers to the franchise, Keke Palmer has thrown her name out there, saying she’ll accept “any job” on Sister Act 3, and there were rumors that Whoopi Goldberg had expressed interest in tapping fellow EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson for a role in the movie — a notion that some fans weren’t happy about.

Whether it’s Jennifer Love Hewitt, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Hudson or any other name, I’d be happy just to hear that the project is continuing to move along. While we wait for news, both Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit are available to stream on Disney+, one of the best streaming services you can subscribe to, and you can also see what else is coming soon with our 2024 movie release calendar. 

Who doesn’t love a good reunion, especially when the subject is a well regarded sequel like 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit? Out of nowhere, star Whoopi Goldberg assembled just that occasion thanks to a recent episode of the long-running ABC talk show The View. While there’s still no update on the long in-development Sister Act 3, millennial fans of the hit Touchstone Pictures duology are freaking out for all the right reasons thanks to this very happy day.

Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Act 2 Reunion Happened On The View

In an event dubbed as the 30th anniversary reunion of Sister Act 2's cast, Goldberg herself slipped back into that habit and led a good number of her on screen choir members in a song. As you can see in their rendition of “Oh Happy Day” included below, this was a truly beautiful moment of nostalgia.

Now before anyone asks, yes, the absence of Lauren Hill and Jennifer Love Hewitt was questioned by plenty of Sister Act fans that chimed in with their commentary. But as we’re about to get into the next portion of this story, there were also a lot of fond memories shared by those who enjoyed the sequel to one of the '90s most surprising hits.

How Sister Act Fans Freaked Out Over This Musical Resurrection

Just as fans have had thoughts while rewatching Sister Act, and its sequel, there is a lot of feedback that’s cropped up from this Back in the Habit reunion. Take a look at some of the comments that came in from the X (formerly known as Twitter) posting alone:

• @letsquotexmen - “It’s a beautiful moment to see Whoopie humbled and emotional by each of the actors memories of her.”
• @novembergirl08 - “Watching and listening to the cast of six sister act two, and also remembering other guest on the view, who’ve worked with Ms.Whoopi Goldberg She is such a unsung hero the way she promotes her colleagues and recognizes talent. Much love to Ms. Whoopi Goldberg.”
• @mopalm31 - “I watched this movie so many times as a teenager. I loved seeing this reunion it brought tears to my eyes.”
• @LencsikeD - “I loved Sister Act! Cannot wait for Sister Act 3.”
• @AmandaCampau - “How is the Sister Act 2 soundtrack still not available to stream in the year 2024?!"

That last question is actually a really good one, right up there with when exactly is Sister Act 3 going to get off the ground? While you can readily stream the soundtrack to that first film on major catalogs like Spotify, there’s nothing official for Sister Act 2’s collection of melodies. Though considering the Lauren Hill is a part of that cast, there may be a rights issue at play that we’re not privy to in the works.

Such is the power of Sister Act and its sequel, as this beautiful moment of harmonious memory is something that’s sure to have inspired a whole generation of fans to revisit this film; or better yet, to share this title with those who aren’t familiar with its charms in the process. If you’re one of those fans who wants to get Back in the Habit, rejoice! Through the miracle of a Disney+ subscription, both entries are currently available for streaming.

There are a lot of reasons that a young actor may change their name. Sometimes it's as simple as just wanting a cool new name. Often it's because someone is already in the union was using the actor's real name and they have to adjust. Here's a list of some of Hollywood's biggest stars and their real names. 

Ben Kingsley (Krishna Pandit Bhanji)

The great Ben Kingsley won an Oscar for his role in the great biopic Gandhi. It makes sense he would play the Indian freedom fighter, as Kingsley himself is Indian. Born to an Indian father and an English mother, Kingsley grew up in England and while his father was a practicing Shia Muslim, Kinglsey is not and considers himself a Quaker. He changed his name for that oh-so-common reason, that he feared a foreign-sounding name would hurt his career. 

Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Elaine Johnson)

The story is both hilarious and heartfelt. She was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in New York, but when she started acting, she was accused of being flatulent, so Whoopi "short for whoopee cushion." Her surname came from a Jewish ancestor, Goldberg, so she could celebrate the diversity in her family line. 

Judy Garland (Frances Ethel Gumm)

Judy Garland first started in show business as a singer with her sisters, going by their names, The Gumm Sisters. After they were billed as the "Glum Sisters" for a show, it was suggested they change their name. Judy Gumm took her mother's maiden name, Garland, and the rest is history. 

Martin Sheen (Ramon Gerard Estevez)

Martin Sheen's real name is Ramon Gerard Estevez, but he changed it when he broke into the business for the same reason so many others have made the decision, to be less ethnic, as early in his career they said he looked Irish. One of his sons, Charlie Sheen, chose to use the same screen name, but one of his other sons, Emilio Estevez, chose to use his given name. Sheen's daughter, Renée Estevez, an occasional cast member of The West Wing with her father, also stuck with the family name. 

Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair)

Vin Diesel took on that name after being born Mark Sinclair when he worked as a bouncer as he tried to break into show business. "Vin" comes from his adoptive surname, Vincent, and Diesel came simply because he wanted a cool name as a bouncer. 

Miley Cyrus (Destiny Hope Cyrus)

Though she was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, Miley Cyrus decided to go by the moniker she's best known as because that was simply what her family called her growing up. Her nickname in the family was originally "Smiley" which was eventually shortened to Miley. Her first couple of professional acting gigs, in the TV show Doc and the Tim Burton movie Big Fish, she was billed by her real name, Destiny Cyrus. 

Cary Grant (Archibald Alec Leach)

Early in his Vaudeville career, the great Cary Grant used his real name, Archibald Leach. When he got to Hollywood, as is so often the case, the studio didn't think the name wasn't "box office" enough, so he changed it to Cary Grant. 

Natalie Portman (Natalie Hershlag)

Natalie Portman's real name is Natalie Hershlag, but unlike so many others, she didn't change it because the name was "too ethnic" or not generic enough. As she explained to Vanity Fair in 2024, it was because she wanted to create a separate identity for her work and personal life. 

Portia De Rossi (Amanda Lee Rogers)

Portia de Rossi's name change came, at least originally, because she simply wanted a more exotic-sounding name when she started acting in her teens. Her given name, Amanda Lee Rogers, was just bland. She later revealed it may have been in part because she was struggling with her sexual identity as well. After marrying Ellen Degeneres in 2008, she changed it again, this time combining her real and stage names, Portia Lee James DeGeneres. Professionally she is still Portia de Rossi though. 

Joaquin Phoenix (Joaquin Rafael Bottom)

The Phoenix family has a fascinating history, one that includes time in the cult Children of God. When the family left that group, they made a collective decision to change their last name to one of rebirth, and Joaquin Rafael Bottom became Joaquin Phoenix.

Jamie Foxx (Eric Marlon Bishop)

Born Eric Marlon Bishop in 1967, Jamie Foxx took his stage name early when he was a standup. He says that he noticed women often got preferential spots during open mics, so he decided he wanted a more androgynous name, choosing Jamie. For his last name, he picked it as a tribute to his favorite comedian, Redd Foxx. 

John Wayne (Marion Robert Morrison)

It was a lot more common back in the day for actors to adopt cooler-sounding stage names and that was pretty much the case for Marion Robert Morrison, who ended up John Wayne. It's easy to see why he did it, whether it was a good idea or not. It worked for him. 

Tom Cruise (Thomas Cruise Mapother IV)

Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise didn't change much, but it was a meaningful change. His real name at birth was Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, obviously named after his father, hence the suffix. Cruise had a very difficult relationship with his dad, so when he began his career, he dropped the Mapother in part to distance himself from his then-estranged father. The two later reunited when his father was on his deathbed. 

Olivia Wilde (Olivia Cockburn)

Actor and director Olivia Wilde's story about why she changed her name is pretty simple. She decided she wanted to stage name, and at the time was acting in Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, which she loved. So she went with Wilde as a homage to the legendary playwright. 

Meg Ryan (Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra)

It's pretty easy to see why Meg Ryan chose to simplify her name when she started acting. Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra sure is a mouthful, so cutting a 25-letter name down to a seven-letter one makes sense. Meg is short for Margaret and Ryan is the maiden name of maternal grandmother. 

Kirk Douglas (Issur Danielovitch)

In another example of early Hollywood stars fearing their given names would hold them back for sounding too ethnic, Kirk Douglas changed his name from Issur Danielovitch. He told People it was because he feared it would hold him back and it sounded "too Semitic." 

Mahershala Ali (Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore)

Like others on this list, it's easy to see why Mahershala Ali changed his name from Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore. Not only is Mahershalalhashbaz really hard to spell and pronounce, but the Green Book actor also converted to Islam as a teenager, taking Mahershala Ali as his Muslim name. 

Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson)

One of the most famous name changes in Hollywood history is Norma Jeane Mortensen changing her name to Marilyn Monroe. There is no big story behind it, it simply was a snazzier name and Monroe was her mother's maiden name. 

Michael Keaton (Michael Douglas)

This one is easy to understand. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton's real name is Michael Douglas. Obviously with an actor already in the union (Romancing The Stone star Michael Douglas), Keaton had to come up with a new name for billing. He chose the last name out of respect for early Hollywood star Buster Keaton. 

Michael Caine (Maurice Joseph Micklewhite)

If you think Maurice Micklewhite is a bit of a mouthful, you're not alone. English legend Michael Caine thought so too. In 2016, he legally changed his name from Micklewhite to Caine, because, according to the Batman Begins actor says it caused too much confusion at airports. 

Winona Ryder (Winona Laura Horowitz)

This one is a little in dispute - though not really. Charlie Sheen once claimed he gave Winona Horowitz her new name, Ryder, after listening to The Doors song "Riders on the Storm." Ryder says she got it when her father asked if she wanted a stage name while they were listening to Mitch Ryder. 

Demi Moore (Demetria Gene Guynes)

The story of Demi Moore's stage name (changed from Demetria Guynes) is both mundane and unique. Before she started appearing in acting roles, Moore married musician Freddy Moore when she was 18. So while Moore was her married name, it was a new name, just as her career was taking off. Demi is simply short for Demetria. 

Dove Cameron (Chloe Celeste Hosterman)

Dove Cameron has never explained why she chose Cameron as her stage name, but her reason for choosing Dove is bittersweet. Dove was her father's nickname for her and after he took his own life, she decided she wanted to go by that, in tribute to him. 

Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian)

It takes a lot of gall and a lot of talent to decide you're going to go with a one-name moniker, and Cher has oodles of both. It's not hard to see what she did, she simply shortened her first name, Cherilyn, and dropped her last. 

Olivia Colman (Sarah Caroline Colman)

Like others on this list, Olivia Colman couldn't join the actors union with her birth name, Sarah Colman, so she changed it. As she explained in 2013, Colman chose Olivia because it is one of her best friends from college's name and she loved it. 

Carmen Electra (Tara Leigh Patrick)

There aren't many people who can claim the legendary Prince gave them their name, but Carmen Electra can. Way back at the start of her career, when she was working with the Purple One, he decided Tara wasn't good enough and named her Carmen. In 2023, Tara Leigh Patrick officially changed her legal name to Carmen Electra, because who wouldn't?

Lily James (Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson)

Like others here, Lily James renamed herself in honor of her late father, James. Though Thomson was also her father's name, of course, she wanted to do more, deciding taking on the stage name "James" to do so. 

Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Kim Coppola)

Nicolas Cage's first movie role was basically just a background character in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. He is billed in the credits by his legal name, Nicolas Coppola, and yeah, it's that Coppola. While on the set of Fast Times, his co-stars would endlessly quote his famous uncle's (Francis Ford Coppola) movies. He decided then and there he needed to distance himself from his famous family (Talia Shire is his aunt, and Sophia Coppola and Jason Schwartzman are cousins).

Julianne Moore (Julie Anne Smith)

Julie Smith is a pretty common name, and when the great Julieanne Moore hit Hollywood, she soon discovered the name was already taken in the union. She tried different combinations, but they were all spoken for. In the end, she combined her first and middle names, and took her father's name, Moore, as her surname. It's like having to go through dozens of combos to find the right vanity plate, but in the end, it's hard to imagine the actor with any other name. 

Mindy Kaling (Vera Mindy Chokalingam)

It seems Hollywood is still getting people to change their names if they or people around them fear a real name is too complicated or foreign. Indian actor and writer Mindy Kaling is a recent example when she simplified her name from Vera Mindy Chokalingam to Mindy Kaling. 

David Tennant (David John McDonald)

Former Dr. Who and Jessica Jones star David Tennant has a tried and true story as well, his real name, David McDonald, was taken. He explained some years ago on James Corden's show, where he also explained that he chose "Tennant" because he saw the name from a music magazine in an article about Neil Tennant of The Pet Shop Boys. 

Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane Chase)

Chevy Chase comes from a very blood-blue family who can trace their roots in America back to the Mayflower. Cornelius Crane Chase, the Vacation star's real name, reflects this perfectly. The reason he goes by "Chevy" is because his grandmother started calling him that when he was a kid. So, not much of a story here, but he's real name is just so posh, that we had to include it here. 

Helen Mirren (Helen Lydia Mironoff)

Like others, this one is just a technicality. Helen Mirren was born Helen Lydia Mironoff in London to an English mother and a Russian father. When Mirren was 10 years old, her father anglicized the family name to "Mirren." 

Hosting the Academy Awards is a tough gig, and it’s not for the faint of heart. However, these ten Oscar hosts stand out as some of the best to emcee one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. Spanning back over 90 years, many have hosted the iconic award show, but these are the top ten of the bunch.

10. Jimmy Kimmel

Hosting in 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024, Jimmy Kimmel has proved himself as a formidable frontman for The Oscars. While the late-night host has called hosting “a fucking nightmare,” there’s no denying that he’s good at it, and he knows how to handle all the ups and downs of this ceremony. I mean, he is the man who had to deal with the La La Land and Moonlight fiasco. Now, Kimmel is hosting for the fourth time, emceeing the night for the 2024 Oscar nominees, and I’m sure this consistent king will kill it.  

9.  Jon Stewart 

While Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show for 16 years (and recently came back to lead the Comedy Central hit), he also took a spin at hosting the Oscars in 2006 and 2008. During his first year leading the ceremony, they did a skethc where multiple of the hosts mentioned on this list turned down the job, and eventually they landed on Stewart.

Well, I’m happy they did, because he used his satirical humor, which is typically used to poke fun at politics, to make the Academy Awards audience laugh. Then he was asked back in 2008, where he used his talents to address the ‘08 writers’ strike in a funny, yet hard-hitting way while honoring that year's winners.

8. Chris Rock

Long before Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and that took over the internet, the stand-up comedian hosted the Academy Awards, and his work was met with love. Hosting in 2005 and 2016 – where he took on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy with lots of jokes and gusto – the actor brought his signature confident comedic style to the biggest stage in movies, calling out the people in Hollywood who hold the power while also making the crowd and viewers laugh.

7.  Steve Martin

We’re all aware of the fact that Steve Martin is one of the best to ever host Saturday Night Live. It turns out those skills are transferable, because he was also a fabulous Oscars host in 2001, 2003 and 2010 (when he co-hosted with Alec Baldwin). Beloved for his silly goofy movies and TV shows, Martin brought that energy to the Oscars stage as he helped lead the evening and make fun of the night’s nominees. 

6. Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson is undoubtedly one of, if not the best late-night host ever. However, he’s also a formidable Oscar host, unsurprisingly. The longtime host of The Tonight Show led the Academy Awards five times – in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984. Poking fun at the nominated movies and himself, Carson brought the charm we knew and loved from late-night, and he used it to emcee the ceremony mastefully.

5. Hugh Jackman

What else is there to say, he “is Hugh Jackman,” and he brought all his charm, wit, good looks and dancing shoes to the 2009 Oscars. Best known at the time for being Wolverine, Jackman reminded everyone that he’s also a wickedly talented song-and-dance man, and his homemade opening number (which featured Anne Hathaway!) was super fun, bubbly and very memorable. 

It’s also worth noting that this gig helped Jackman land The Greatest Showman, which is one of Jackman's most beloved movies. 

4.  Ellen DeGeneres 

While Ellen DeGeneres hosted The Oscars for the first time in 2007, she cemented herself as one of the best when she led the ceremony in 2014. Along with a solid monologue and great quips, the big reason why the former talk show host is known as a great Academy Awards host is because of that epic Oscars selfie she orchestrated that broke the internet. 

3. Bob Hope

The first televised Academy Awards aired in 1953, and it was hosted by comedy legend Bob Hope, who had emceed the evening six other times before that. To this day he holds the record for hosting the most, as he’s helmed the show a whopping 19 times (radio: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1954 and 1956, and televised: 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1975 and 1978). 

Throughout his run hosting the Oscars, Hope shared the job with other legends, including Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Jack Lemmon and more. He also led the show by himself 14 times. It can be argued that he set the precedent for what is expected from an Academy Awards host, and let’s just say he set the bar very high. 

2. Whoopi Goldberg

Hosting The Oscars four times in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002, Whoopi Goldberg won over audiences with her charm and wicked sense of humor. Along with some of Goldberg’s best movies making a splash at the ceremony – like The Color Purple and Ghost – the actress and comedian also made her mark by hosting. The Academy Award winner is remembered for her over-the-top outfits, like the Moulin Rouge! outfit she wore in 2002 or the Queen Elizabeth I costume from 1999, and that mixed with her incredibly smart comedic style made her a great choice for the hosting job. 

1. Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal hosted the Oscars nine times (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2012), and there’s a reason he was asked back over and over again. 

For example, in 1997, he interacted with Yoda, and in 1998, he entered on the Titanic, and then proceeded to introduce the night’s nominees through song. The year 2000 brought a bit about looking back at 100 years of film, and 2004’s ceremony featured parodies of movies like Something’s Gotta Give and Seabiscuit. 

All this is to say that Billy Crystal’s best moments hosting the Oscars are some of the best overall, and that’s why he is number one on our list.

Overall, there have been so many legends to lead us through the Academy Awards, and from Billy Crystal to Whoopi Goldberg to Jimmy Kimmel and more, they all deserve their flowers. 

Season 27 of The View is rolling right along, and has continued to keep fans talking. Now that word of all that rumored beef between Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey over The Color Purple interview is over, the co-hosts of the popular daytime program have turned their attention toward yet another hot button topic: group chats. Apparently, though, while Goldberg is included in the chat her fellow co-hosts have organized, she really doesn’t seem to be a fan of it.

What Did The View’s Whoopi Goldberg Say About Being In The Hosts’ Group Chat?

Friendship is a lovely thing, and it’s been quite common for many years now to have a group chat where everyone in the same friend group can text about things relevant to all parties involved. However, a topic that was recently broached on The View is when “splinter groups” spring up, and separate groups form out of the main group, usually to talk about whoever’s been excluded from the newly created text chain. 

If you thought reading that was complicated, well, writing it was, too. But it turns out that the way worse option for Whoopi Goldberg (who defended one night stands) is actually being involved in any kind of group chat. As Sara Haines (who stuck around after rumors of her departure) explained how many splinter group chats have formed just among her family, Goldberg was visibly annoyed by the thought of it, and when talk of the hosts’ chat came up, eventually noted:

So, their group chat is like the mob?! It sounds like the actress/comedian doesn’t feel as wanted, loved and included as many people probably would when being invited into this virtual watercooler environment. Sunny Hostin believes that Joy Behar is the one who’s always pulling Goldberg back into their chat The Godfather-style, however Haines thinks that it’s Behar and Hostin’s frequent British royal conversations that do it. After Ana Navarro-Cárdenas mentioned that she recently found out it’s possible to silence the chat, Goldberg continued:

OK, this makes a lot of sense now. If the chat isn’t mostly fun and relaxing, but filled with complaints about big stuff, I wouldn’t want to be a part of it, either. The conversation then turned to how much the splinter groups can complicate things, as you might forget who’s in what chat and text the wrong people. This prompted Goldberg to say:

Leave it to Whoop to break the issue down like this. When you have five or more people in one chat, things can quickly become overwhelming to try and keep up with, especially once people (pretty naturally) splinter within the group text chain and begin talking about something they really care about that others might not be interested in. You can take a look at the whole segment, below:

Though the jury might still be out on the party who keeps forcing the show’s usual moderator back into The View’s group chat, it’s clear that she’s hilariously uninterested, and since charting her own path in all things seems to be standard Whoop behavior (she’s also meh on weddings), her feelings on the matter really aren’t that surprising.

After watching the new The Color Purple musical, I decided to check out the original film again – and now, I have a whole new appreciation for Celie (Whoopi Goldberg’s Celie, that is). 

So here’s the thing – I love the original The Color Purple. I saw it for the first time many years ago when I was in high school, and I remember it being one of the few films that made me sob my absolute eyes out because I couldn’t believe what I was watching. It was heartwrenching in the worst ways, but it uplifted my soul so high I couldn’t stop thinking about it for years. 

It’s been nearly eight years since I graduated high school, and I haven’t seen Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple in a long time. And, with the new musical out, I thought it would be a good idea to rewatch the original film before checking out this new version – and I have to say that after, I have a whole new appreciation for Whoopi Goldberg’s Celie. These are my reasons why. 

First Of All, Whoopi Goldberg’s Acting Is Incredible As Always

Let’s start simply with pure talent – something about Whoopi Goldberg’s performance knocks me off my feet every time. 

I’m not throwing any shade at The Color Purple cast for the musical. The talented Fantasia Barrino shines in her role. Danielle Brooks of the Orange is the New Black cast has a standout role here, and Taraji P. Henson makes me want to get up and sing. The musical cast is incredibly gifted and truly brings the songs to life. 

But, there is something so raw about Goldberg’s performance that does it for me more. 

From the moment the original begins, I am now on Celie’s side more than ever, and my heart breaks with every scene she's in. Goldberg can showcase that authentic trauma and pain inflicted on her in such a natural and visceral way that I can’t imagine anyone else playing it so well. 

Barrino is great, but Goldberg is unique in my heart. 

Celie’s Journey Feels More Real Without The Musical Aspect

Alright, here’s where I have to say that while I love musicals, I can’t take The Color Purple musical seriously. 

Anyone who knows me has learned that musicals are my thing. I love watching classic movie musicals, seeing new ones, or even learning what the casts of movie musicals have been doing years later, like the West Side Story cast or the Into the Woods cast. 

But I can’t get behind the musical version of The Color Purple because it feels like it takes away from the authenticity and realness of Celie’s story. Don’t get me wrong, the music is freaking fantastic. I wanted to get out of my seat so many times to dance. 

The thing is, though, I don’t think The Color Purple should be the musical where you should feel joyful pretty much throughout. The end is really where it starts to become better, but for example, at the beginning, when Celie is at her lowest, watching people burst out in song makes it feel less natural. The original version is so powerful with pure emotion that I was captivated.  

And Her Ending With Mister Is So Much More Genuine

Something else I noticed on my rewatch of The Color Purple is that I really like the ending with Mister a lot more in the original than I did in the musical. 

Both offer the same theme of forgiveness, of moving past something horrible that has happened, and both provide a great scene towards the end where Mister helps Celie reunite with her sister after decades of not seeing her. 

However, Danny Glover brings that to another level in the original, where we see how much he truly tries to change and become someone slightly better than before. It’s certainly there in the musical, but it doesn’t feel like it’s one of the main themes anymore, which I’m not the biggest fan of. 

Seeing Celie Open Up Her Own Shop Sparked Something New In Me

Another major aspect of both the original movie and the musical version is that Celie opens up her tailor shop thanks to the store passing down to her after her father dies. The scene where she gets it in the musical is another instance where it would have been better if there was just no music. 

Celie opening up her store, where she finally gets to live independently and freely after so many years of oppression, hatred, and so much more thrown her way, chokes me up the same way it did when I was a teenager. It’s that last hump, the final obstacle, that she endures before we truly begin to see her shine. 

The musical scene is enjoyable, and it certainly feels very uplifting, but with just the score there, it would have been so much more powerful and let the audience sit with their feelings and celebrate with Celie. 

And I Strive To Have Celie’s Capability For Love And Forgiveness In The 1985 Version

While Celie in the musical is forgiving, Celie in the original has the kind of forgiveness and compassion I want to live up to. 

Danny Glover is an incredibly talented actor in many ways, and from the moment I saw him in the first The Color Purple, I knew that he was awesome because he found a way for me to despise him as Mister, which is what made Celie’s forgiveness of him so much more astounding to view. 

I still strive to reach that level of forgiveness, kindness and love that she shared despite everything she'd been through. The original felt so candid and unembellished by musical numbers that every part was perfect.

That Last Scene With Celie And Nettie Still Gets Me, Though – Sisters Reunited Once More

However, one scene still hits just as hard in both versions – Celie and Nettie reuniting. 

Whether in musical form or the original, watching Celie and Nettie finally find each other after decades apart is everything I could have wanted and more. I get teary-eyed every time I think about it. There’s nothing quite like sisters reuniting. 

While I will say that Celie in the original is a much more complex and compassionate character, both offer valuable lessons about forgiveness, passion, and striving for a better tomorrow. Both are excellent films in their own right. 

But for now, I might turn to something like the best rom-com out there to make me happy, because both versions still make me remember how sad those topics are. Maybe another musical will lift my spirits up – but there’s no denying the pure and unbreakable spirit that Celie has brought us, whether in the original or the new musical.  

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

Let’s face it, there are few people on the planet right now more famous than Taylor Swift. From her billion-dollar Eras Tour to her high-profile relationship with Travis Kelce, the artist and her music just seem to be everywhere. But what if there’s more to her fame than hard work and catchy tunes? That’s what Fox News anchor Jesse Watters seemed to suggest on his show, as he discussed whether Swift could have been recruited by the government. The issue came up on The View afterward, and Whoopi Goldberg couldn’t help but issue a strong response. 

Jesse Watters Suggests Taylor Swift Is A Government Asset 

Fox News correspondent Jesse Watter — who replaced Tucker Carlson after the network parted ways with Carlson last year — shared his thoughts about the Midnights artist on the January 9 edition of Jesse Watters Primetime. During the segment he discussed Taylor Swift’s star power, and how such popularity might be of interest to the government. In Watters' words: 

The host then showed a clip from a 2019 NATO conference in which someone uses Taylor Swift as an example of someone who has influence. Jesse Watters then said the government has a history of working with celebrities to push certain agendas, and suggested that Swift’s large social media following had the power to influence voters. He continued: 

The anchor’s suggestion that the government might have been behind the singer urging her followers to vote, however, rubbed some people the wrong way, including Whoopi Goldberg, as she discussed the claim with her fellow co-hosts on The View. 

Whoopi Goldberg Responds To The Fox News Anchor: ‘I’m Tired Of Dumb People’ 

The Jesse Watters Primetime clip was shown on The View as the ladies discussed the day's Hot Topics, and Whoopi Goldberg got fired up, having this to say about the Fox News host’s Taylor Swift theory: 

The other co-hosts had thoughts about why Taylor Swift might be the target of such theories, also questioning why Jesse Watters felt this particular topic was so important amidst everything else going on in the world. But Whoopi Goldberg was apparently over it, telling her colleagues: 

I guess we know where the EGOT winner stands on that particular conspiracy theory. You can catch more of the Fox News anchor’s commentary on Jesse Watters Primetime at 8 p.m. ET weeknights, and tune in to see The View co-hosts share their own opinions on the hottest headlines at 11 a.m. ET weekdays on ABC. Also be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule for all of the upcoming premieres. 

Jo Koy got absolutely roasted for the monologue he delivered to open the Golden Globe Awards on January 7. After apparently taking the gig on short notice, the comedian resorted to blaming the writers for giving him bad jokes when his commentary on Barbie’s “big boobies” and Robert De Niro becoming a father again at age 79 drew less-than-enthused reactions from its audience. A joke about Taylor Swift, in particular, seemed to annoy the musician, and people including Megyn Kelly and the co-hosts on The View had some strong opinions about her reaction.

In his speech to kick off the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Jo Koy referenced Taylor Swift’s frequent presence at Kansas City Chiefs games, where she has been cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce. Koy joked that the difference between the awards show and the NFL was that, “at the Golden Globes, we have fewer shots of Taylor Swift.” When the camera cut to the Eras Tour star, she remained expressionless as she took a sip of her drink. Megyn Kelly didn’t hold back her feelings about Swift’s “death glare,” and in a clip from The Megyn Kelly Show, she said: 

Megyn Kelly’s guest Maureen Callahan of the Daily Mail agreed, firing an additional shot at the artist by saying: 

While Travis Kelce has even admitted that the NFL got a little overexcited about Taylor Swift’s appearances — and even took part in a Saturday Night Live sketch on the topic when the couple made surprise cameos — Swift pointed out that to Time magazine that she isn’t the one who determines how often the camera cuts to her during football games and has no idea when she’s “pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

Megyn Kelly’s assertion that Taylor Swift should have had a sense of humor and humility at the Golden Globes was echoed to some degree in a segment on The View, as Sara Haines said: 

Rather than critiquing Taylor Swift’s reaction, The View co-hosts focused more on defending Jo Koy, who made history Sunday as the first Filipino-American to host the awards show. Whoopi Goldberg spoke from experience when she pointed out that those ceremonies are a tough gig — something that Koy admitted in the aftermath of the show.

Jo Koy responded to the backlash over his hosting duties, pointing out that hosting is a different beast than stand-up comedy, and in regards to Taylor Swift, he said he was trying to take “more of a jab toward the NFL. But it just didn’t come out that way.”

For those who want to see more of what Jo Koy has to offer with his comedy, you can check out his specials Live from Seattle and Comin’ in Hot with a Netflix subscription. That also happens to be where you can stream Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana. 

Warning: this article has spoilers for the 2023 film The Color Purple.

Though this year's Blitz Bazawule-directed version of The Color Purple is actually an adaptation of the stage musical, not the 1985 film by Steven Spielberg, the 2023 remake pays more than a few nods to that Oscar-winning drama. However, despite one OG star making a cameo, and Oprah Winfrey producing the film, the original Sofia actress explained why she didn't appear in the new adaptation of the film. 

One of the original film's stars, Whoopi Goldberg — who offers up one of her best onscreen performances as Celie Harris-Johnson — joined Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks and the rest of the 2023 The Color Purple cast in a moving cameo. However, Goldberg's mega-famous co-star, Oprah Winfrey, declined to appear on screen this time, despite acting as an executive producer on the remake. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress-slash-media mogul explained why she was M.I.A. in the musical film: 

She, of course, is referring to her The Color Purple character Sofia, a career-defining '80s movie for Oprah that garnered her an Academy Award nod for Best Supporting Actress. In the 2023 movie, the character is portrayed by Peacemaker star Danielle Brooks. Oprah herself metaphorically passed the torch to Brooks, personally calling her with the news that she had been cast in the iconic role. Per CBS News, Winfrey revealed: 

And though Oprah declined to participate onscreen in the new adaptation, she was supportive of Goldberg's involvement, despite swirling rumors about beef between Winfrey and The View moderator. As she told THR: 

As such, Whoopi Goldberg is the only OG The Color Purple cast member featured in the 2023 film. Her cameo sees the actress-comedian taking on the role of the local midwife who helps young Celie, played by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, give birth to her second child.

Director Blitz Bazawule disclosed to Variety why they ultimately chose the part of the midwife for Goldberg:

Though the filmmaker said he was "nervous" to approach the EGOT winner with the part, he had no reason to worry because it turned out to be "the best phone call ever." 

So though we sadly won't get to see Oprah back in The Color Purple, moviegoers can be warmed by the fact that they'll see at least one iconic cameo in the musical and Winfrey played a massive role behind the scenes as a producer.

You can catch the musical remake of The Color Purple in theaters now, and if you want to see Winfrey on screen in the classic film, you can stream it with a Max subscription. 

Nearly a decade after the world bid farewell to the comedic genius Robin Williams, millions of fans, friends, and family still feel the void left by his absence. In a moving tribute during the 46th annual Kennedy Center Honors, Whoopi Goldberg emotionally honored her longtime friend and fellow comedian/actor, Billy Crystal. The poignant moment saw both Goldberg and the City Slickers actor holding back tears as she paid homage to the late great actor, funny man, and their mutual friend.

In the video shared on CBS's official TikTok (embedded below), the 68-year-old co-host of The View takes center stage to honor the star of one of the greatest 80s movies, When Harry Meets Sally, as he was one of the night's distinguished honorees. Emotions soared as the Oscar-winning actress, visibly moved, started reflecting on the trio's shared history, poignantly acknowledging the absence of their dear friend:

In this heartfelt video, the star of Sister Act gestures towards the space beside her, which serves as a poignant reminder of where the Genie voice actor should have stood. Delivering a heartfelt speech directed at the 75-year-old Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, while holding back tears, draws the crowd's attention to the trio's incompleteness, stating:

Turning her focus back to the honoree, the Ghost star takes a moment to regain her composure. With sincerity in her voice, she continues:

Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams share a distinctive and rich history. Beyond their individual talents as comedians who’ve been great in dramatic roles, Crystal and Williams worked together on various projects over the years. Notable among these collaborations are their roles in Father's Day (1997) and Deconstructing Harry (1997), along with an iconic guest appearance in a Friends episode. Goldberg rounded out the comedic trio who annually cohosted the Comic Relief charity specials in the 1980s and ‘90s and a one-off in 2006 benefitting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, when Goldberg received the Mark Twain Prize in 2001, the funny men were present to honor their fellow comedian.

Ahead of the Kennedy Center Honors unfolding, Billy Crystal took a moment to reflect on the absence of his dear friend. The star of Throw Momma From The Train (one of Crystal's most underrated and best movies) expressed a profound sense of loss, acknowledging the void left by the Mrs. Doubtfire star's passing. He said:

The Analyze This actor's sentiments before the ceremony echoed the heartfelt tribute he paid to Robin Williams at the Emmy Awards shortly after the comedian's passing in August 2014. At that time, he praised Williams for his comedic brilliance and for being an extraordinary friend, describing him as the "brightest star in the comedy galaxy" and highlighting his enduring impact on the lives of those who knew him.

It's apparent that even a decade after his untimely death, the World’s Best Dad star’s absence is still felt by those who knew him best. What remains comforting though, is that Whoopi Goldberg and others continue to honor his memory in sweet ways. If you want to revisit some of the best Robin Williams movies, I suggest some of his dark comedies most don’t talk about, including Death to Smoochy. Of course, you can’t go wrong revisiting his work as everyone's favorite wise-cracking Genie in Aladdin, which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Warning: Mild spoilers for The Color Purple are ahead! If you haven’t seen the musical on the 2023 movie schedule, you can catch it now in theaters. 

Whoopi Goldberg’s first lead role was in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. She received wide acclaim for her performance as the lead Celie, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. So, in the new musical version of The Color Purple, the actress returned for a sweet surprise cameo, and the screenwriter is explaining how “the perfect part” came to be. 

What Role Did Whoopi Goldberg Play In 2023’s The Color Purple? 

Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple begins in a similar way to Spielberg’s ‘85 film with a teenaged Celie giving birth to her second child – whose father is the same man who claims to be Celie’s dad. She knows he’s going to take the baby away, and is devastated. However, in the 2023 adaptation, there’s someone else along with Celie’s sister Nettie to help her through the process, a midwife played by Whoopi Goldberg. 

The Oscar-winner has one line in the movie, as she comforts Phylicia Pearl Mpasi’s young Celie through the birth, she says:

It’s a sweet moment that nods to one of Goldberg’s best performances, as she helps Mpasi’s Celie. And it turns out, this role was perfect for the comedian because of her history with The Color Purple. 

Why This Cameo Was ‘The Perfect Part’ For Whoopi Goldberg 

Whoopi Goldberg’s cameo was a way for The Color Purple cast to pay tribute to the actress behind Celie in Spielberg’s 1985 film, according to the LA Times. Her performance was highly praised and the original movie earned a lot of acclaim and eleven Oscar nominations. Speaking about the cameo, screenwriter Marcus Gardley explained why it was "perfect" for her and the film, saying:

While they eventually landed on the perfect cameo for Goldberg that had a lot of meaning baked into it, it took them a while to land on the idea. Speaking about trying to figure out a role for the actress to play, Gardley said:

Director Blitz Bazawule also said the actress loved working on the set, and she wanted to support the cast in any way she could. He said she was there to “pass the baton” to both young Celie, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, as well as the older Celie, Fantasia Barrino, as this is a major moment in both their careers.

Well, the baton has been passed, and these two women are massive reasons why The Color Purple was met with great reactions from critics and fans. Like Whoopi Goldberg, this film will likely be a career-defining moment for them, and the comedian was there to hold their hand and support them.

To see Whoopi Goldberg’s cameo in The Color Purple, you can catch the musical in theaters now. And to see the actress’s incredible lead performance in the 1985 film of the same name, all you need is a Max subscription. 

Very few people can say that they started out working their dream job and celebrities — excluding some well-known child stars, of course — are certainly no exception. Many of the biggest names on the A-list used to make a living doing something completely different than what they are now famous for, but at least some of them can say that one of their earliest jobs was especially different. Take a look at some of our favorite examples of not-so-average professions famous people took on before hitting it big.

Meghan Markle (Calligrapher)

Even before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, she knew how the write like a princess. According to People, the former Suits cast member used to work part-time as a professional calligrapher, writing out wedding invitations for the likes of Robin Thicke and Paula Patton and even teaching the craft.

Whoopi Goldberg (Mortuary Cosmetologist)

Even before teaming up with a “spirited” Patrick Swayze in the 1990 romantic supernatural thriller, Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg knew a thing or two about the dead. The future EGOT winner recalled to David Letterman on Late Night how she used to work in a mortuary putting makeup on corpses and styling their hair.

Matthew McConaughey (Golf Course Armadillo Hunter)

Matthew McConaughey broke through in the industry with his unforgettable performance in Dazed and Confused in 1994. Earlier than that (as he revealed to GQ), the Academy Award-winning Texas native worked at Oak Forest Country Club initially to just rake the golf course sand traps, until he was asked to also help get rid of an armadillo infestation. All right, all right, all right.

Christopher Walken (Lion Tamer)

Did you ever notice how often Christopher Walken has played an animal — such in 2016’s astonishing The Jungle Book remake as King Louie or in the 1998 animated adventure, Antz? Well, as the Oscar-winner revealed to Vanity Fair, he actually has a unique connection with animals, having gained some experience with lion taming while working at a traveling circus.

Simu Liu (Birthday Party Spider-Man)

When Simu Liu led the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast in the title role, technically, that was not his first time playing a Marvel Comics character. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Chinese-Canadian actor shared that he used to dress up as Spider-Man and entertain children at birthday parties.

Jennifer Lopez (Law Office Tax Return Filer)

Most people know that one of Jennifer Lopez’s earliest jobs before becoming “Jenny from the Block” was dancing with the Fly Girls on In Living Color. Yet, the Bronx Times revealed that, before even then, she spent her Saturdays at the Thomas Lavin Law Office filing tax returns.

Margot Robbie (Sandwich Artist)

From the way Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn speaks so passionately about a certain breakfast item in 2020’s Birds of Prey, you might think the Australian actor knows a thing or two about making sandwiches, and you would be correct. The Academy Award nominee spoke to Sean Evans on Hot Ones about her time as a “sandwich artist” at Subway, where she actually invented a few delicious concoctions of her own.

Terry Crews (Courtroom Sketch Artist)

A lesser-known fact about Terry Crews is that he is an exceptional drawer and even showed some of the best examples from his portfolio on Jimmy Kimmel Live. During that same visit, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member and America’s Got Talent host recalled how he put that talent to great use by working for a television station sketching scenes from local trials in his hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Megan Fox (Smoothie Shop Banana Mascot)

One time when Megan Fox appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor fell prey to the host’s recurring “jump scare” gag, courtesy of a person dressed as up as a banana. The costume choice was in reference to the Transformers movies star’s first job at a smoothie shop, for which she would, sometimes, have to dress as the yellow fruit to promote the business.

Hugh Jackman (Clown)

While known best for playing very intimidating characters like Wolverine in the X-Men movies, Hugh Jackman is known to be a very funny and charming presence offscreen. It makes sense when you discover the Australian actor used to work as a clown, but would reveal to Howard Stern that his talents were limited to juggling and found entertaining children above three years old quite difficult.

Eva Mendes (Hot Dog On A Stick Vendor)

Fun fact: one of Eva Mendes’ earliest show business gigs was appearing in Will Smith’s 1998 “Miami” video before reuniting with him in Hitch seven years later. Before then, she made dough working at a “hot dog on a stick place,” which she revealed to Australia’s Will & Woody radio show (via Daily Mail) that she was actually fired from for giving an inappropriate Secret Santa gift to a coworker.

Sylvester Stallone (Girls Boarding School Dorm Bouncer)

Even if Sylvester Stallone had not written one of the best sports movies ever, 1976’s Rocky, he could have landed the title role of the aspiring boxer by his physicality alone. According to a profile by People, his jacked frame came in handy when he was 18 and started working at a Swiss boarding school to both teach gym and keep unwanted guests out of the girls dorms.

Wanda Sykes (NSA)

As one of the funniest people of her generation — and the star of one of Paramount+’s best stand-up comedy specials — it may come as a surprise to learn that Wanda Sykes used to work for an organization as serious as the National Security Agency. However, as she explained on The Rich Eisen Show, her job did not involve covert operations or filing classified material, but “buying stuff” for the office, mostly.

Chris Pratt (Coupon Salesperson) 

Before joining an insane amount of franchises (including the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies to the Jurassic World trilogy), Chris Pratt had humble beginnings as a supporting character on hit TV shows Everwood and Parks and Recreation. However, his true beginnings were even humbler, having revealed during an appearance on Conan that he once sold coupons door-to-door and did well enough to manage his own office of salespeople.

Taylor Swift (Praying Mantis Exterminator)

Years before taking on the world as a hit singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm where everyone in her family was given a different task. As she told Esquire, the star of the sensational “Eras Tour” had the job “picking praying-mantis pods off of the trees” so that customers would not have an invasion of multi-legged uninvited guests.

Brad Pitt (Chicken Restaurant Mascot)

With how many intimidating roles Brad Pitt has played, from Fight Club’s Tyler Durden to Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the last thing anyone would think to call the actor is “a chicken.” Yet, you would not have been wrong if, decades ago, you spotted him when he made a living dressed as the mascot for California chicken restaurant El Pollo Loco, as he recalled on The Ellen Show in 2019.

Cindy Crawford (Corn Shucker)

One of the most famous models of all time, Cindy Crawford, first took on that profession in Chicago when she was 17, at a rate of $1,000 per day. A profile for Town & Country mentions that the modeling gig “sure beat shucking corn for $4 an hour,” which is something she did for a summer when she was younger.

Helen Mirren (Amusement Park Blagger)

Academy Award winner Helen Mirren technically got her start as an actor by participating in the National Youth Theatre before she was invited into the Royal Shakespeare Company, but first started honing her performance skills as a “blagger” for a London amusement park. While appearing on Mark Maron’s WTF Podcast, she defined “blagging” as shouting “something incomprehensible out to someone just to get their attention.”

Taraji P. Henson (Pentagon Secretary/Tina Turner Cover Singer)

Some of Taraji P. Henson’s most famous roles, such as Shug in Hustle & Flow and Cookie (a notable TV divorcée) on Empire, are linked to the music industry — a fact that is made even more interesting when you discover she used to work on a Potomac River cruise ship singing Tina Turner covers. Per Vanity Fair, at that same time, the future Academy Award nominee’s day job was at the Pentagon as a secretary.

Steve Buscemi (Firefighter)

While not exactly a “weird” job, it is intriguing to learn that Steve Buscemi used to work as a New York firefighter before landing roles like Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs. He would later revisit this time in his both onscreen (in The King of Staten Island) and in real life when — per The Independent — he volunteered to help his old company, Engine 55, search for survivors of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.

Ken Jeong (Doctor)

After starring in 2009’s The Hangover cast and the Community cast made him a star, Ken Jeong led his own sitcom called Dr. Ken. The short-lived ABC comedy was actually based on the comedian’s previous career as an internal medicine specialist, during which he pursued comedy merely to “let off some steam,” as he shared to NPR.

Ashton Kutcher (Cereal Factory Sweeper)

Before hitting it big as Michael Kelso in the That ‘70s Show cast and, later, making innovations in the tech industry, Ashton Kutcher got his start in the cereal industry. To be more precise, as he recalled on Hot Ones, the actor swept the floors of loose Cheerios shavings at a General Mills factory.

Halsey (DMV Photographer)

As a chart-topping Grammy nominee and a non-actor who nailed her SNL hosting gig, Halsey is a person who boasts many skills but has only demonstrated a few to the public, as it turns out. She revealed in a tweet that, when she was still “Ashley Frangipane,” she worked “loads” of different jobs, but the one that caught our eye was taking “license photos at the DMV.”

Zayn Malik (Boxer)

While he did not actually make a living doing this, before competing on The X Factor and joining One Direction made Zayn Malik a star, he trained in boxing in his mid-to-late teens. In 2013, he told Daily Star (via Digital Spy) that he aspired to pursue the sport full-time at some point.

Jennifer Aniston (Bike Messenger)

As part of the Friends cast, Jennifer Aniston became one of the highest-paid actors of her time, but in her earlier years, did several odd jobs for her mother’s advertising firm. One of them, as she shared on The Tonight Show, was being a bike messenger “for a day” that she admits she decided to finish out by taking a cab for final delivery.

George Clooney (Insurance Salesman)

Despite technically growing up in a show business family (his father, Nick Clooney, is a former TV personality, and his aunt, Rosemary, acted), it took time for George Clooney to find fame of his own. According to The Standard, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker worked various low-paying jobs early on — one of which was going door-to-door, selling insurance.

Jon Hamm (Adult Film Set Dresser)

Very few A-listers would be willing to admit they worked in the adult film industry, but Jon Hamm had no problem talking to Howard Stern about it. For $100 a day, the Emmy-winning Mad Men cast member worked as a set dresser for, as he described them, “Skinemax movies.”

Amy Adams (Hooters Server)

Many people might say that they first saw Amy Adams when she appeared on The Office in its first season, but others might be able to claim she served them at Hooters. The Academy Award nominee told Entertainment Tonight that the restaurant chain gig was a “great way” to make ends meet during college before she found success as an actor.

Chris Hemsworth (Human Milk Pump Cleaner)

During a game of “True Confessions” with Kumail Nanjiani and host Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, MCU star Chris Hemsworth’s potentially false personal fact stated that he used to clean and repair human milk pumps for pharmacies to rent when he was 14. It turned out to be the truth.

Danny DeVito (Morgue Hairdresser)

An artist known for his morbid sense of humor — as he has demonstrated by his crazy moments as Frank Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and by helming movies like Duplex and Death to Smoochy — is Danny DeVito. Perhaps he got it from the several times he worked as a hairdresser for female corpses — a story he shared on The Always Sunny Podcast (via Unilad).

Channing Tatum (Exotic Dancer)

If you ever wondered how Channing Tatum learned to dance the way he does in 2012’s Magic Mike, according to an interview with Flicks and Bits, the drama was inspired by his own life before acting. In 2015, the actor recalled to Howard Stern how he started his brief exotic dancing career when he was 19 after dropping out of college.

Miley Cyrus (Undergarment Collector)

Miley Cyrus is one of the few examples on our list who actually did come from a show business family, but having a rock star like Billy Ray Cyrus as her dad also led to her first odd job. The former Hannah Montana star told Rolling Stone that, when she was much younger, her father used to pay her $10 for picking up women's undergarments that had been thrown on stage during his concerts.

Some of these jobs would make us thankful to eventually be an actor or singer if we were in any of these celebrity’s shoes. However, others sound like an interesting way to make a living.

Some movie teachers genuinely change not only the characters' lives but our lives as well. Today, we'll be talking about a specific kind of movie character – the teachers from movies that have made a real impact. Here are thirty-two fictional teachers who left their mark, whether on the character or the world. 

John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

When I think of the best fictional teachers out there, there is no one better to bring up than John Keating from Dead Poets Society. In one of his best roles, Robin Williams delivered the performance of a lifetime as John Keating and made us all want to have a teacher like him who taught us lessons and inspired us to do more in our lives. To go after what we believed in. 

Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus)

As someone who grew up watching The Magic School Bus, there were many days when I wished that Ms. Frizzle was my science teacher or that science was nearly as cool as she made it out to be. With her school bus that seemed to morph into anything for her lessons, Ms. Frizzle was the teacher we all wanted, making teaching look like the adventure of a lifetime. 

Ms. Rain (Precious)

Precious is an Academy Award-winning movie about a young woman from a troubled background hoping to reroute her life, and the first person who helps Precious is Ms. Rain. Played by the incredible Paul Patton, Ms. Rain teaches Precious the essentials she needs to know. She has been an encouraging source from day one and helps her through everything. She was sweet, kind, and all Precious needed when it felt like the world had given up on her. 

Professor Stromwell (Legally Blonde)

As someone who could spend years watching the best Reese Witherspoon movies, Legally Blonde is most certainly one of them. And the best teacher in that was, hands down, Professor Stromwell. While strict at first, Elle comes to care for Professor Stromwell, as the teacher pushes her to her limits so she can be at her best. 

Mr. George Feeny (Boy Meets World)

Out of everyone, we all know Mr. George Feeney in Boy Meets World. While Feeny was a strict man, he had a heart of gold underneath his grumpy exterior and became one of the best mentors. Everyone still tears up when he says in the finale, "I love you all. Class dismissed." Jeez, I'm still getting emotional. 

Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid)

While not the kind of teacher you would meet in a school, Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid franchise is as much of a teacher as anyone else here. Because of his patience, diligence, and skill, he taught Daniel LaRusso the art of karate and truly made him into the man we know all these years later in Cobra Kai. His teachings live on, even if the actor who played him, Pat Morita, passed on in 2005. 

Pete Dixon (Room 222)

Room 222 was an ABC series about the life of students and teachers at a Los Angeles high school and focused on Pete Dixon's history class most of the time. Lloyd Hanes played Pete Dixon, the kind, innovative, and educational teacher who always seemed to have the best lessons for his students and viewers, especially on relevant topics at the time. The series lasted five seasons, and Pete Dixon cemented his name in history. 

Gabe Kotter (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Sitcoms were some of the biggest television shows in the 1970s and Welcome Back, Kotter was one of them, telling the story of Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan). He's a teacher who returns to his alma mater to teach a remedial class of troubled students, but his attitude and teaching methods win him favor with the students. In the end, many of these kids end up doing so well because of him. 

Erin Gruwell (Freedom Writers)

I recall watching Freedom Writers as a kid and respecting Erin Gruwell, played by Hilary Swank. As someone who has had a lot of trouble with patience and perseverance, I admired Gruwell's persistence and tenacity to never give up on her students despite them hating her initially and making her feel unwelcome. Ultimately, because of her diligence, everyone was given the chance to graduate and live successful lives. 

Mr. Hand (Fast Times At Ridgemont High)

There's something about history and English teachers in movies and T.V. because Mr. Hand, the history teacher from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is one of the most memorable. While he usually had a frown on his face, he was a softer person underneath that gruff exterior. He will do anything to help his students succeed, even spending time after school to help his kids understand lessons, which I'm sure they appreciate. 

Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

As someone who loves the Harry Potter franchise, I couldn't make this list without including Severus Snape, played by Alan Rickman in one of his best roles. While Snape was a bit of a jerk to everyone, there's no denying that underneath that, he was an older man with a lot of trauma and someone who did everything in his power to protect the students and those he cared about. Even in the end, he could give Harry his tears to show him that he always loved Lily, Harry's mother. 

Dr. Frank Bryant (Educating Rita)

Michael Caine has delivered some incredible performances over his time in Hollywood, and personally, Dr. Frank Bryant in Educating Rita, is one of my favorites. The story is about a woman going back to university years later, and the movie shows that sometimes, all a teacher needs to rekindle their love for their subject is that one student, and watching how both Bryant leaves his impact on Rita (Susan) and vice versa is lovely to see. 

Mr. Collins (The Wonder Years)

The Wonder Years is one of the most iconic sitcoms of the '80s and '90s, and of course, I must mention Mr. Collins. Steven Gilborn played the teacher and worked with the main character, Kevin Arnold, to push him to be the best he could be, never quitting for a single moment. Gilborn was a professor before becoming an actor, making this role more special. 

Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter)

Minerva McGonagall was one of the most impactful teachers in Harry Potter's life in the Harry Potter movies. I mean, not only did she teach him several lessons in magic, but it was because of her that he could do so many things – join the Quidditch team, get him a broomstick, etc. Plus, she did everything she could to protect the students of Hogwarts during the war, consistently putting her life on the line as one of the best witches there. 

Coach Fredericks (Freaks And Geeks)

Are there teachers in Freaks and Geeks? Of course, there are, but I have to give this spot to Coach Fredericks, played by Tom Wilson. He starts as a pretty stereotypical bad guy P.E. teacher, but throughout the show's one season, we get to know the teacher and understand who he is as a person. 

Mark Thackeray (To Sir, With Love)

Starring Sidney Poitier, To Sir, With Love is a British drama film about Mark Thackeray, an immigrant who takes a teaching position despite never teaching before, to find some income where he is told to teach delinquents who have been rejected from other schools. And through his teaching ability, he wins over the class, treating them more like adults than children, trying to reach them on a different level. 

Miss Honey (Matilda)

Whether you watch the 1990s version of Matilda or you check out the underrated Netflix musical version, Miss Honey in both is the kind of teacher that we hear about in fairytales. Not only is she sweet as honey and teaches her children so many things, but she takes it upon herself to raise Matilda at the end of both films because she cares that much about the girl, giving her the life she always wanted. 

Lydia Grant (Fame)

I'm one of the biggest fans of the best dance movies, but watching dance on television is also a great pastime, and Fame gave me that and more. In Fame, a show about high school students at a performing arts school in NYC, we meet Lydia Grant, a dance teacher. Indeed, her moves and teaching style are memorable, keeping her kids in a tight line and making sure they were the best they could be. 

LouAnne Johnson (Dangerous Minds)

Michelle Pfeiffer is LouAnne Johnson in Dangerous Minds, the story of a former marine who takes on a teaching position where she must handle a classroom of low-income, challenging teenagers involved in gangs and drugs. I think what makes Johnson such a great teacher is that she goes out of her way to teach with unconventional methods, such as giving everyone an A that they must maintain or using the lyrics of Bob Marley to get into poetry. That's what makes her extraordinary. 

Mr Chips (Goodbye, Mr. Chips)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a movie from the classic period of Hollywood and stars Robert Donat as Mr. Chips, an aging teacher who reflects on his life through the decades. There's too much here to say how Mr. Chips was a great teacher, as he impacted not only one student's life but many over several years. 

Remus Lupin (Harry Potter)

Harry Potter had some great teachers, and one that most certainly comes to mind is Remus Lupin, one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Teachers in the series. While his time as the teacher only lasted for a year (as is tradition with most teachers there), Lupin left his mark on Harry as the kindest DADA teacher he had and taught him one of the most valuable charms there is – the Patronus charm. 

Jaime Escalante (Stand And Deliver)

Starring Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver is all about Jaime Escalante, who becomes the math teacher at a high school in East Los Angeles and has a class full of Latino students. Through his teaching methods, he can make them achieve great things in calculus and stand up for them when no one else will. 

Joe Clark (Lean On Me)

Joe Clark in Lean On Me, played by Morgan Freeman, is a teacher who does not mess around with his students. The movie is based on a true story about a teacher named Joe Clark, who becomes the principal and uses his past and much more to bring his school up to standards. While radical at first, the students grow to care for him in all that he does, both in the school and outside. 

Ms. Norbury (Mean Girls)

Mean Girls is more of a comedy than anything else, but Ms. Norbury, played by Tina Fey, is a great teacher. She's one of the few who stands up for Cady, and in the end, she still stands by her side despite what Cady wrote about her in the Burn Book, leading to Norbury being investigated as a drug dealer. 

Mr. Medina (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls had plenty of grown-up characters, but Mr. Medina, played by Scott Cohen, was one of the most prominent. He was Rory's beloved English teacher, who taught her many valuable lessons and ended up getting romantically involved with Lorelai. 

Dr. Larabee (Akeelah And The Bee)

Akeelah and the Bee stars Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne, and this film focuses on the relationship between Akeelah and her mentor, Dr. Joshua Larabee. And while their partnership at first is tenuous, they grow because of each other and truly leave an impact. 

Manish Kulkarni (Never Have I Ever)

Never Have I Ever is a hilarious Netflix teen romance series; Devi's English teacher is a great part of that. He is the definition of an excellent and honest teacher who sugarcoats nothing – and what's even better is that he winds up dating Devi's cousin later anyway. 

Dewey Finn (School Of Rock)

While he initially faked his way into the role, having no teaching experience, Dewey Finn left his impact on his students in School of Rock, so much so that a new program was created for students for music. It's undoubtedly one of Jack Black's best films. 

Annalise Keating (How To Get Away With Murder)

Played by the talented Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder introduced audiences to Annalise Keating, a law professor and criminal defense attorney, who not only leaves her mark on her students but works with them to solve a murder case together. And through it all, she aims to keep them safe and sound despite everything turning upside down. 

Sister Mary Clarence (Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit)

Sister Act 2 saw Whoopi Goldberg return as Sister Mary Clarence, now serving as a choir teacher who takes a group of students from a failing school and turns them into a choir that could knock the socks off of anyone out there. 

Miss Bliss (Good Morning, Miss Bliss)

Many people know Saved By The Bell, which was a spinoff of Good Morning, Miss Bliss. The one-season Disney Channel series is all about Miss Bliss, a junior high teacher who is a great educator and a source of calmness and delight to her students, who often turn to her for the problems they face. 

Glenn Holland (Mr. Holland's Opus)

Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Mr. Holland's Opus is the definition of a movie teacher that left an impact. The movie follows a high school music teacher who makes his music, but throughout the film, we see how much his dedication to his craft has impacted his students. Guaranteed, you will cry. 

We could talk about many excellent teachers in movies and on TV, but these truly stand out as some of the best. Now, I need a movie and a T.V. marathon to appreciate them again—time to grab a box of tissues. 

There are plenty of legacy sequels that have long been sitting in development hell, and one of them is Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Act 3. The production has been in the works for years now, and it’s seen plenty of starts and stops during that time. Now, the production seems to be moving forward for real, though, with Goldberg overseeing the work. Rumors have been swirling around the long-awaited follow-up and, per the latest, the View co-host wants Jennifer Hudson to be a part of the movie. Following that, however, it looks like there are some fans who aren’t too keen on the notion of that happening.

Based on the official updates she’s shared about the production, one gets the feeling that Whoopi Goldberg is putting a lot of time and effort into making this threequel. She’s remained relatively mum when it comes to who she’d like in the movie but, per a report, the previously mentioned star is on her radar. A source for DailyMail.com made that claim and also shared the specific reason why Goldberg apparently wants the talk show host for the film: 

On paper, this sounds like a match made in heaven for the musical movie. The actress and singer is incredibly talented and has a powerful voice. She, of course, showcased her powerful pipes during her stint on American Idol in 2004 (and even Paula Abdul was “pissed” when she was eliminated). Her career didn’t end there, though, as she eventually landed a role in Dreamgirls and earned critical acclaim as well as an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. And if you need any more evidence of her abilities, before her death, Aretha Franklin picked the star for the eventual biopic centered around her life, Respect. Overall, the Chi-Raq alum certainly has the credentials, so it’s a bit surprising that some don’t seem to be down for her allegedly being circled for a role. 

The rumor was shared by The Jasmine Brand on its Instagram page, and various users flooded the comments. There were more than a few people who appeared to like the idea of Jennifer Hudson being cast in Sister Act 3. One person wrote “absolutely yes,” while another said that Hudson would “be perfect!!!” However, you may be surprised by just how many people seemed opposed. You can take a look at the some of the comments listed below:

• We asked for Lauryn & KeKe dammit. - yeahimfamous
• She’ll take it, she likes to scream and holla. - arkasis
• Jennifer Hudson can’t sing so she’ll totally ruin the films franchise ‼️ - rasheenas_show
• No!!! I don’t wanna hear her screaming 🙀- therealsangee84
• She not a comedic actress though .. - trel8787
• Please don’t. - fcooper78

It was reported in 2018 that Sister Act 3 would be released on the then-unnamed Disney+, with Whoopi Goldberg returning as Deloris Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence. At the time, it was also said that the Oscar winner would produce the movie alongside Tyler Perry. SA3 reportedly took a massive step forward in 2021 when Tim Federle was tapped to direct and Madhuri Shekar was hired to pen the script. The cast of the film is uncertain at this point but, at the very least, Goldberg wants co-star Maggie Smith to return as Reverend Mother. KeKe Palmer also pitched herself during an appearance on The View, and Goldberg’s response seemed to indicate that she and Perry were giving it thought.

Two points should be mentioned here. First and foremost, this Jennifer Hudson report should be taken with a massive grain of salt at this point. Secondly, everyone is entitled to their opinion so, while some may not agree, you (ideally) want to respect someone’s point of view. What I’ll say is that it would be interesting if Hudson were to be cast in the movie, and I’ll be watching to see whether that actually pans out.

While you wait for updates on the production, now that the first two Sister Act films can be streamed using a Disney+ subscription.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

As it goes each year, Thanksgiving came part and parcel with a handful of NFL games to complement all the stuffing of turkeys and faces, with the primetime contest bringing out country music legend Dolly Parton to entertain the crowd packing the Dallas Cowboys’ home of AT&T Stadium. While her song choices weren’t necessarily surprising enough to carry tons of post-game conversations, Parton’s choice to don a cheerleader uniform certainly sparked more than a few opinions online, with a vocal minority jumping straight to body-shaming and ageism. After drawing a rousing F-bomb from Parton's sister, those negative reactions also sparked some fervor amongst the women of The View. 

In the middle of The View’s first episode back from the brief Thanksgiving weekend hiatus, Whoopi Goldberg took aim at those voicing their less-than-kind critiques of the entertainment icon, saying: 

You just know Whoopi wanted to echo Stella Parton's comments by saying "fuck yourself" to each and every naysayer, but such language wouldn't fly on ABC, and there's only so much time to devote to such a segment on a morning chat show. So a blanketed "Bite me!" it is.

Sunny Hostin also weighed in on Dolly Parton's choice of costume for her Thanksgiving Day halftime show performance, with a vow of theoretical solidarity. In her words:

Dolly Parton's sense of self-esteem and pride in herself are as much a part of her ongoing appeal as anything on the visual side of the spectrum, and both are certainly required to step foot in front of that many in-person fans, along with all the millions of people watching live and via online clips. (Also, the panel came to the conclusion that she was wearing a sticker over her navel area.)

Sara Haines also offered her take on the Dollywood namesake’s outfit, saying: 

Perhaps it's because Dolly Parton has been rocking stages for so many decades that so little attention has been given to the actual performance itself. We just expect that part of it to be A+, so the conversation has to go elsewhere. And it didn't even land on anything breast-related, though I guess Joy Behar's comments about nipple bras were enough to last the ages.

Performance critiques did come up during that conversation between The View co-hosts, however, even if it wasn't about Parton herself. Amidst the talk about the Grammy queen, Whoopi Goldberg steered the conversation to similarly hateful criticisms aimed at Jay-Z and Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy, and took an even harsher tone when addressing anyone who spoke ill of the pre-teen and/or her talents.

Not even keeping all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in mind could stop haters from hating. I guess consumerism shouldn’t be the go-to cure for shitting all over other people’s parades, but whatever works. 

Regardless of where one stands on anything said above, I think we can all agree that Whoopi's conversation-capper below is good advice for keeping a positive headspace. 

The View airs weekday mornings on ABC, with the most recent five episodes available to stream with a Hulu subscription.