Project Announcement and Production Partners
A new feature-length documentary exploring the extraordinary life of award-winning entertainer Whoopi Goldberg is officially in production. The project was announced through a collaborative effort by Message Pictures and Imagine Documentaries. Goldberg’s own production company, One Hoe Productions, is also on board to produce, ensuring an authentic and personal perspective on her story.
The film is set to be a visual expansion of Goldberg’s 2024 memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother and Me, offering a deeper, more dynamic look into her journey from her roots to her status as a Hollywood and Broadway icon.
An Unprecedented Look Into a Private World
According to an official release, the documentary promises an intimate portrait of the woman behind the public persona. It will be constructed through Goldberg’s own narration and supported by a wealth of never-before-seen archival footage, personal home videos, and performance clips. The film aims to contrast the larger-than-life, boundary-pushing legend with Caryn Elaine Johnson—the private, observant, and introspective individual at its core.
Audiences will be granted a window into Goldberg’s world today, tracing her historic rise while providing vérité glimpses of her current life. This includes behind-the-scenes access as she reimagines her groundbreaking 1984 Broadway debut, The Spook Show—retitled The Whoopi Monologues for a modern presentation at Lincoln Center.
Balancing Legacy, Family, and a New Chapter
The documentary will showcase the multifaceted nature of Goldberg’s daily life, illustrating how she balances her prolific career with her deep commitment to family. Viewers will see her collaborating with her producing partner of over three decades, Tom Leonardis, developing new theatrical projects, and spending cherished time with her family, including her new great-grandchild. The film will also follow her as she builds a quieter, parallel life in Italy, showcasing a side of the star rarely seen by the public.
Acclaimed Director at the Helm
Directing this highly anticipated project is the acclaimed American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir, known for her work on Prison Dogs and I Am Evidence. Gandbhir is a two-time 2024 Oscar nominee, recognized for the documentary short The Devil Is Busy and the documentary feature The Perfect Neighbor.
Gandbhir expressed her honor in leading the project, stating, “Whoopi Goldberg is a brilliant and groundbreaking storyteller who has shaped the landscape of entertainment for years. I, along with my partners Sam Pollard and Alisa Payne at Message Pictures, Whoopi’s long-time producing partner Tom Leonardis, President of Whoop, Inc, and Imagine Documentaries are honored to bring her story to life in this documentary.”
Sara Bernstein, President of Imagine Documentaries, added, “Imagine is thrilled to reunite with my friend and longtime collaborator the exceptional Geeta Gandbhir, Tom Leonardis and Message Pictures on this extraordinary opportunity to celebrate the singular icon that is Whoopi Goldberg. The world needs more Whoopi!”
A release date for the documentary has not yet been announced.
