Long before millions knew her name, Whoopi Goldberg was a young girl growing up in New York City with dreams that seemed much bigger than her circumstances.

Born Caryn Elaine Johnson in Manhattan in 1955, Goldberg was raised in a working-class household by her mother, Emma, who worked hard to support the family. Whoopi would later speak openly about her unconventional path to success and the difficult years that came before Hollywood.

There was no overnight transformation.

Before becoming a movie star, Goldberg spent years developing her talent as a performer. Her breakthrough eventually came in the 1980s, when her stage work attracted serious attention in Hollywood.

Then came the role that changed everything.

In 1985, Goldberg starred as Celie in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. Her powerful performance introduced her to audiences around the world and earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

But an even bigger moment was still ahead.

Five years later, Goldberg appeared as psychic Oda Mae Brown in the enormously successful movie Ghost. The performance was funny, emotional and unforgettable.

At the 1991 Academy Awards, Goldberg won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

It was a remarkable milestone. She became only the second Black woman in history to win an Academy Award for acting, following Hattie McDaniel’s historic victory more than 50 years earlier.

Goldberg’s career continued far beyond that night. She became one of the relatively small number of entertainers to achieve EGOT status—winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards over the course of her career.

Looking at where her story began makes the transformation even more striking.

The little girl growing up in New York eventually became one of the most recognizable entertainers in America—and made Hollywood history along the way.