Whoopi Goldberg shares the secret behind her biggest movie roles

Whoopi Goldberg is sharing how she landed the lead role in Sister Act, a movie that was originally written for someone else.

In a new interview on the podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Goldberg, 70, said the film was first written for Bette Midler. 

“They wrote that for Bette Midler. That wasn’t mine,” she said of the movie that is about a lounge singer who hides from danger by pretending to be a nun.

Goldberg said she was simply looking for acting work. She joked that people assumed the role wasn't meant for her because she is Black.

“I didn’t take it,” Goldberg added of the role. “I was looking for work. But it’s true because apparently I’m Black. And I guess I didn’t realise it.”

She explained that many of her most famous roles were originally written for other actors. Because of this, she started asking her agents for any parts that other actors had turned down. 

This is how she got the movie Burglar, which was first meant for Bruce Willis. She also got Jumping Jack Flash, a role that was first written for Shelley Long.

In a separate interview with Rolling Stone, Midler, 80, said she turned down the Sister Act role because she didn't want to wear a nun's habit in front of her fans. She said Goldberg was happy to take the role instead.

Sister Act came out in 1992, followed by Sister Act 2 in 1993. Goldberg has said a script for a third movie has already been finished. Disney announced in 2020 that the third film was being developed, with Tyler Perry producing.