Discover why Whoopi Goldberg joined Star Trek: The Next Generation, a heartfelt tribute to Nichelle Nichols and the legacy of representation.

Whoopi Goldberg is a controversial figure in Hollywood, but she’s undeniably talented. After being nominated for the Academy Award, she joined a sci-fi TV series, which seemed like an odd move to many.

Whoopi Goldberg | The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon / YouTube

But for Goldberg, joining Star Trek: The Next Generation was a deeply personal move. So, let’s find out what motivated a rising movie star to choose a recurring role in a show. This is the story of how Goldberg’s love for the franchise led her to Guinan and how it inspired future generations.

Patrick Stewart’s initial confusion on why Whoopi Goldberg joined Star Trek: The Next Generation

Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation | Paramount Television

When Patrick Stewart first heard that Whoopi Goldberg was about to join the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, he was stunned and somewhat puzzled. He expressed this confusion in an interview with The New Yorker.
I thought, Why would she want to join a sci-fi series that’s already been running for a year?. She had just been nominated for an Academy Award. And she was lovely—warm and friendly, and, of course, amusing.
At the time, Goldberg was gaining popularity in Hollywood for her role in The Color Purple, which earned her an Oscar nomination. So, Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the sci-fi series, couldn’t understand why she would join an ongoing project.

His confusion was understandable because Goldberg seemed to be at the peak of her career. The Next Generation was loved by fans, but it was still a show that was trying to find its footing in the shadow of the original Star Trek.

 But soon, he discovered that the actress wasn’t motivated by fame or prestige, but a much more profound reason.

Whoopi Goldberg’s personal connection to Star Trek

Whoopi Goldberg in Star Trek: The Next Generation | Paramount Television

Patrick Stewart finally approached Whoopi Goldberg during their break on set. He asked the question that had been nagging him, and her answer was a heartfelt story that would leave anyone speechless, as Stewart discovered that her decision to join The Next Generation was rooted in her childhood.
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.”

And she told me the story of when she was a child, what the original “Star Trek” had meant to her, with Leonard Nimoy and Bill Shatner.
And she said, “There was also a Black woman in the cast [Nichelle Nichols]. 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. I loved that.

And we’ve become close friends ever since.
Nichelle Nichols’ role moved Goldberg, and it wasn’t about playing the enigmatic bartender Guinan for her, but continuing the legacy of representation.

So, starring in the franchise was never just a career move for the actress but a heartfelt tribute to the sci-fi world and the actress who shaped her childhood.

You can watch Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix.