Whoopi Goldberg is widely considered one of the most iconic, prolific, and influential actresses of her time. Before she was a host on The View, she was a renowned comedian, performer, producer, and more. By the early 2000s, she’d completed the rarefied EGOT, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony.
However, Goldberg hasn’t always considered herself as someone who’s made a big impact through her work. Even people as famous and accomplished as Whoopi Goldberg sometimes need to be reminded that their impact goes beyond just the box office and awards shows.
In 2013, Whoopi Goldberg said her work hadn’t made an impact on people’s lives
Years ago, Whoopi Goldberg appeared on the Dutch television program College Tour. The audience, per the show’s format, was a group of about 500 university students who were allowed to drive the conversation on the stage with their own questions.
It was and is a popular and empowering program.
During Goldberg’s appearance, she implied that her work may not have always had a big impact on people’s daily lives. That’s when one fan stood up and passionately begged to differ.
Fan with autism praises Star Trek character Guinan
Around halfway through the episode of College Tour, Goldberg called on a young man to stand up and ask his question. He introduces himself as Maarten.
“You were saying your roles don’t have big impacts,” he said, visibly nervous. “And I want to tell you, they have. I’m mildly autistic, and I discovered Star Trek two years ago, and joined a Star Trek fan club. At that fan club I learned, socially, how to cope with difficult things and so on.”
Maarten also specifically called out Goldberg’s work as the character Guinan on the show and how it made a big impact on his ability to learn social skills.
“Now I’m standing here, I’m married, it’s just a fantastic thing that can be impacted by one role. And you did that.”
The audience cheered for Maarten, and Goldberg, without saying a word, paused the interview to go embrace him in the audience. They shared a hug and some private words before she returned to the stage, still quite overcome with emotion.
Why Guinan was such an impactful role for Whoopi Goldberg
For the non-Trekkies, Goldberg’s character of Guinan on Star Trek was the bartender onboard the famous USS Enterprise. But far beyond taking orders and serving drinks, she was often the show’s heart and moral center.
An ancient and wise character, Guinan was a great listener and a sounding board as the crew of the Enterprise grappled with difficult decisions. She listened, picked up on subtle cues, and became a moral and ethical center of many episodes.
It’s no surprise, then, that obsessively watching Guinan’s interactions with the other characters would have a man like Maarten learn things like body language, subtext, social cues, and listening—famously, things many people with autism struggle with.
For Maarten to even stand up in a room full of people, and in front of one of his favorite actors, and ask his question was a huge achievement and shows just how far he’d come at the time.
And it goes to show that an actor’s impact can’t be measured in awards or movie ticket sales. Though Goldberg didn’t necessarily break new ground or receive critical praise in the role, that doesn’t mean it didn’t matter to people. That doesn’t mean it didn’t make a difference.
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