Patrick Stewart details why Star Trek casting Whoopi Goldberg left him confused

Patrick Stewart gained recognition for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek franchise. Stewart shared the screen with actress Whoopi Goldberg in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. While the series that debuted in 1987 had a diverse cast, Stewart who was the leading man, was baffled by the casting of Goldberg.

Whoopi Goldberg appeared in the recurring role of Guinan, a bartender on the USS Enterprise-D, for most of the show’s tenure. While Goldberg’s performance was well received, her casting left Stewart surprised for an unconventional reason. However, Goldberg had a heartfelt reason behind joining Star Trek: The Next Generation, and here is everything you need to know about it.

Patrick Stewart Was Stunned at Whoopi Goldberg Joining Star Trek: The Next Generation

Whoopi Goldberg joined the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation during the show’s second season. Her character, Guinan, is first introduced in the season 2 premiere and makes several appearances across the subsequent four seasons. However, at the time of her debut on the sci-fi series, leading man Patrick Stewart was particularly surprised at the casting choice.

In an October 2023 interview with The New Yorker, Stewart explained why the casting of Goldberg had left him baffled.

“One day, they were lighting a scene or changing scenery, and she was sitting alone. […] So I sat beside her and said, Whoopi, I don’t understand why you agreed to do this.”

Stewart’s bafflement is understandable considering at the time, Goldberg was a big movie star. She received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in the 1985 film The Color Purple. Moreover, she had also won a Grammy Award just a year later. Therefore, Stewart was surprised that an artist of Goldberg’s caliber would accept a recurring role on a television show.

Whoopi Goldberg Had a Surprisingly Heartfelt Reason Behind Accepting the Role

Whoopi Goldberg in Star Trek: The Next Generation
While Stewart was initially skeptical of Goldberg’s decision, the X-Men actor revealed the reason behind the actress’ decision to join the show’s cast. Stewart learned that Goldberg was a fan of the original Star Trek series as it also featured an African-American actress among the cast. As a child, Goldberg was inspired by the performance of Nichelle Nichols in the original series.

“And it made me think, One of us must have made it. It was her presence not just in the role but in the future — One of us is going to make it.”

Goldberg also shared the story of her love for Nichols and Star Trek on an episode of her show The View. Addressing the passing of Nichols, who died in August 2022, Goldberg stated that she was inspired by the actress. Thus, Goldberg had an extremely personal reason for joining the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

As with Nichols before her, Goldberg has also been an inspiration to millions of people. Therefore, seeing how Nichols left an impression on a young Goldberg, it is easy to understand her decision to appear in the same franchise as the person she idolized.