Who did Whoopi Goldberg play in Ghost? Actress shares she accepted co-star Tony Goldwyn’s offer for upcoming movie ‘Ezra’ without reading the script

Whoopi Goldberg opened up about reuniting with her Ghost co-star Tony Goldwyn for Goldwyn's upcoming film Ezra. During the Tuesday, May 28 episode of The View, featuring Ezra stars Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, and Tony Goldwyn, Goldwyn revealed that Whoopi immediately accepted her role in the movie once Goldwyn sent her an email without even reading the script.

Goldberg stated that if Goldwyn had something in mind, she would always be there immediately. Goldberg and Goldwyn starred together in the 1990 film Ghost, in which Whoopi played psychic Oda Mae Brown, a role for which she won an Academy Award.

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Whoopi Goldberg played the role of a psychic in Ghost

1990's supernatural romance Ghost directed by Jerry Zucker starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tony Goldwyn. The movie became the highest-grossing film of that year, catapulted Demi Moore into superstardom, and further solidified Whoopi Goldberg's status as an expert in her craft.

The film follows a murdered banker's (Patrick Swayze) supernatural efforts to save his girlfriend (Demi Moore) with the help of a psychic named Oda Mae Brown played by Whoopi Goldberg. Oda Mae Brown worked as a spiritual advisor from a Brooklyn storefront seance parlor.

Until the events of the film, Brown was not able to communicate with spirits even though her mother and grandmother had told her that she could. This takes a turn when she meets Swayze's character. Ever since that fateful meeting, Brown gets the gift of clairaudience, and the ability to use her own body as a host for another spirit.

After her 1986 Best Actress Academy Award nomination for The Color Purple, it was Ghost that landed Whoopi Goldberg her second Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category. Whoopi took home the award besting the likes of Lorraine Bracco, Mary McDonnell, Diane Ladd, and Annette Bening.

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"If he says he’s got something, I don’t care how other people respond to it, I’m there" — Whoopi Goldberg on Tony Goldwyn

During Tuesday's episode of The View, the co-hosts Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Whoopi Goldberg were joined by the cast of Ezra, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, and Tony Goldwyn.

Ezra, directed by Goldwyn, follows the pursuit of divorced stand-up comedian Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale) as he goes on a cross-country road trip with his autistic son Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald). Goldberg plays Max's comedy manager Jane. When Sara Haines inquired how Goldberg and Goldwyn reunited, the latter said:

"I literally just emailed. Bobby and I were talking when the movie started to come together, we’re like, ‘You know who’d be amazing as Jane, as his manager would be Whoopi'"

He added:

"I just sent Whoopi an email going, ‘Hey, I’m doing this movie with Bobby and Bob De Niro, there’s this part you’d be perfect for. Can I send you the script?’ You wrote me back immediately going, ‘I’m in, just tell me where to show.’ I said, ‘Don’t you want to read the script?’ She was like, ‘No, I’m there. Just tell me where to go!'"

Whoopi Goldberg added that Tony Goldwyn was a "wonderful partner" before stating:

"If he says he’s got something, I don’t care how other people respond to it, I’m there,"

Whoopi felt simply from the "vibe" of the film that she wanted to be a part of the project. The actress revealed that people don't usually ask her so when somebody asked her if she wanted to "come play," she immediately responded with a yes. Cannavale also stated that he wanted to see Whoopi be a part of the world shown in the film and called her one of the historically great solo performers in the country.

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Ezra, directed by Tony Goldwyn and featuring Whoopi Goldberg in a supporting role, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. The movie is all set to hit theaters across the country on May 31, 2024.