Whoopi Goldberg As Doctor Who’s Next Doctor?
With rumors that Jodie Whittaker might be leaving Doctor Who, Whoopi Goldberg has supposedly talked with previous Doctors about taking on the role.
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It’s been a while since we’ve seen Whoopi Goldberg in much of anything outside of The View, but it’s possible we could soon see her as the first American lead on Doctor Who. While it hasn’t yet been confirmed Jodie Whittaker is leaving the series, the rumor she could be quitting at the end of the current season has been gaining more traction. Goldberg, a long time fan of the series, seems like she might be up for the position of the first American Doctor Who.
Before Jodie Whittaker became the Doctor, Whoopi Goldberg dreamed of becoming the first female Doctor. She’s talked about her aspirations to be part of the show for a while now and brought it up again in a recent interview with SFX Magazine. She told the publication, “I was lucky enough to speak to Tom Baker about it – he’s the Doctor I know best. For me, Tom Baker was the best Doctor. Of course, the younger Doctors are good, but when it comes to the older Doctors, it was always Tom Baker for me.”
Tom Baker wasn’t the only former Doctor she’s spoken to about her interest. In 2019, Whoopi Goldberg was on David Tennant’s podcast, perfectly titled David Tennant Does a Podcast With... There, Goldberg confessed she had actually pitched herself as a Doctor to the BBC. They declined, which she said she understood. She has also said she’d be willing to guest star on the program, but nothing has come of this either.
While her dream of appearing on Doctor Who remains unfulfilled, the Oscar-winning actress has been picking up more live-action roles of late. Currently, fans can catch her on The Stand. Whoopi Goldberg wanted to be part of the Stephen King miniseries when it was previously picked up in 1994, she recently told Vanity Fair. While the original plans hadn’t worked out in 1994, she now gets to be a part of the new series as Mother Abagail.
Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation may best associate Whoopi Goldberg with her role as Guinan, the Enterprise’s bartender. She certainly has had more central roles in movies like The Color Purple, Ghost, Boys on the Side, or Sister Act. However, Guinan was a popular character on the series, and a Trek fan never forgets. When Picard was released, Patrick Stewart came on The View to discuss his new show, and Goldberg confessed she hasn’t caught up on Discovery. She added that she’d watched the first season of Picard and enjoyed it. On the spot, Stewart invited her to return as Guinan. After a moment’s pause, she agreed. Goldberg has now confirmed she will be on season two of Star Trek: Picard for a “little while”, which sounds like it will be for more than one episode.
We will also be seeing Whoopi Goldberg soon in Sister Act 3. After nearly 30 years since she first played Deloris Van Cartier, it’s been confirmed she’ll be starring as the lounge singer once again. She’s said for years that she hoped for a third film, and Disney recently announced plans to make Sister Act a trilogy. At 65 years old, it seems Goldberg is here to let us know exactly what she wants to do and make it happen, however long it takes.
