Whoopi Goldberg has opened up about why her mother, Emma Harris, decided not to attend the 1991 Academy Awards, where her daughter won for Supporting Actress.
It was Whoopi’s second Oscar nomination, as she also competed for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1986, but lost to Geraldine Page, who won the award for the drama film The Trip to Bountiful.
During Monday’s episode of The View, Whoopi, 68, and the panel discussed Kathy Bates’ recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, where she became emotional when she realized she thanked her mother in her Oscar speech at 1991, after initially thinking no. .
Whoopi sympathized with Kathy’s forgetfulness, explaining to her co-hosts, “It’s easy to think that you haven’t done it because you’re trying to remember everything you’re supposed to do, and you know you have to get off the stage and off the people.” I want you to do it… and the music, you’re listening to the music, you’re listening to the things, you want to remember people…’
He then revealed: ‘My mother didn’t come when I won. She came when I was nominated for The Color Purple, but I didn’t want to be there in case I didn’t win again,’ referring to when she won for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost.
Whoopi Goldberg opened up about why her mother, Emma Harris, decided not to attend the 1991 Academy Awards with her. The couple is seen here in 1986.
During Monday’s episode of The View, Whoopi said her mother didn’t want to go with her to the Oscars in case she didn’t win again.
When asked if her mother was present when she lost to Geraldine, Sara Haines asked, “And did she look angry?” to which Whoopi responded: ‘No, she didn’t look angry because the woman who won was from our neighborhood, (she) was from Chelsea and so we were really…the neighborhood was represented.’
“So, her winning movie and the one she won for was The Trip to Bountiful, and she had been nominated six times, but she had never won. “She won for that and then passed six or seven months later, so I’m really glad she got what was coming to her,” the Sister Act star added.
When Alyssa Farah Griffin asked Whoopi if she’d ever seen her Oscar speech, the mother of one hesitated before responding, “No, people have shown me parts of what I said.”
Then he added: ‘And you don’t always remember what you did, but thank God someone can say, ‘Actually, no, honey, you were good, you did it.’ Great.’
Whoopi was accompanied by her older brother, Clive, and daughter Alex, to the 1991 Academy Awards, and mentioned her family in her speech.
She began: ‘Thank you. Since I was little I wanted this. You don’t know. My brother is sitting there and he says, “Thank God we don’t have to listen anymore. You can do it now.” My mom is at home, everyone is watching.
‘I have to thank the people at Paramount. I have to thank Jerry Zucker for taking the time he did before deciding to use me, because that meant he was sure it was for me.
“I have to thank Patrick Swayze, who is a serious guy, he came up to them and said, ‘I want to do it with her.’ I want to thank Demi. I want to thank everyone who makes movies.
Whoopi lost to Geraldine Page at the 1986 Oscars, who won Best Actress for her role in The Trip to Bountiful.
Whoopi posing with her Oscar statuette for Best Supporting Actress at the 1991 Academy Awards
‘I come from New York. When I was little I lived in the projects and you are the people I watched. You are the sought after people, it made me want to be an actor. I am very proud to be here. I am proud to be an actor and I will continue acting. And thank you very much.’
In 2021, Whoopi reflected on her historic Oscar win during an interview with Variety and talked about her look that night, which consisted of a black sequined column dress by veteran costume designer Nolan Miller, who had worked with Whoopi’s mentor and friend, Elizabeth Taylor.
Impressed with the end result, Whoopi told Variety looking at her outfit, “I looked really good.” My hair was fresh. The dress was pretty.’
Watching his acceptance speech during the interview, he noted that it was “great to see” his brother and daughter in the audience.
“(I remember) being happy to be there, putting the speech aside and walking off stage,” Whoopi explained, while also revealing that she invited her fellow nominees, including Annette Bening, to dinner.
He added: “Any of us could have accepted it, and I don’t think anyone would have been angry with anyone else.” Sometimes you look at actors and you know, “Oh, he’s angry,” but with us it was just, “Whoever wins pays, that’s all I know. Free food.”
