Whoopi Goldberg recalls applauding Geraldine Page over Oscar win: I Knew It Was Geraldine Page

Whoopi Goldberg recently shared that she was not disappointed to lose the Best Actress Oscar to Geraldine Page. In her new memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, the Sister Act star reflects on her nomination for the Academy Award, describing how she felt going up against a lineup of renowned actresses.

In the memoir, Goldberg recalls her nomination alongside a star-studded group of past and future Oscar winners: Anne Bancroft, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, and the eventual winner, Geraldine Page. She explains that being nominated was an incredible achievement, especially considering the formidable talent she was up against, told Entertainment Weekly.

“When I got my first Oscar nomination for The Color Purple, I didn’t know how I felt about it. I knew I was good in the movie and that it was worthy of a nomination, but I didn’t expect one,” said the 68-year-old. After Geraldine’s name was announced back in 1986, Whoopi could be seen “applauding like crazy”.

“As she was walking to the stage, the actor sitting next to me said, ‘Why did you applaud so much when she beat you?’ I said, ‘What do you mean? That’s Geraldine Page. You know, she’s Geraldine Page,’” explained Whoopi. Reflecting on Geraldine success, the host stated, “This was her win, and in a way mine too because I was also a New York/ actor. I was thinking, ‘She’s a New York actor. I’m a New York actor. And that was good enough for me.”

Speaking of Geraldine, The View’s host mentioned, “I never had the money to see her when I was a kid, but I’d read about her shows in the newspaper.” Whoopi noted, “I also knew she had been nominated for an Oscar many times and had never won one. To me, she is one of those be-all and end-all actors.” “At the time, the actress and host wrote in her memoir, “I knew it was Geraldine Page for her performance in A Trip to Bountiful. And I was thinking, ‘You’re not the only one who feels that way about her.’”

Page took home the award for Best Actress for her role in The Trip to Bountiful, but Goldberg harbors no resentment over the loss. In her memoir, she writes that she felt no disappointment, understanding how deserving Page was of the recognition. Goldberg, who had been nominated for her performance in The Color Purple, described her admiration for Page’s career and legacy.

The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, earned Goldberg widespread acclaim. Her portrayal of Celie, a woman overcoming adversity in the early 20th-century American South, marked her transition from comedy to drama and showcased her versatility as an actress.

Despite the disappointment some may have expected Goldberg to feel, she viewed her nomination as a triumph. In her memoir, she fondly recounts the excitement surrounding the Oscars and the joy of being recognized alongside some of the most esteemed actresses of her generation. For Goldberg, the loss to Page did not diminish her sense of accomplishment.

In Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, Goldberg also delves into her personal and professional life, exploring the relationships that shaped her journey to becoming a successful actress and comedian. She credits her family’s unwavering support and her love of storytelling as fundamental to her success.