Where Whoopi Goldberg Stands With All Of Her Exes The List
Whoopi Goldberg might have sworn off marriage for good after three unsuccessful trips down the aisle, but the "View" co-host certainly doesn't blame her exes.
By Feb. 7, 2025 9:30 am EST
Whoopi Goldberg's stance on marriage is as funny as it is understandable: "I don't want somebody in my house," as she famously told the New York Times Magazine in a 2016 interview. And yet, the treasured EGOT-holder has been married several times with a string of high-profile relationships among them. However, where the beloved TV personality stands with all of them has surprised fans. On "The View," in November 2024, the frequently controversial Goldberg shared, "I'm in touch with all of my exes, I'm in touch with every one of them, because once they were my friend."Â
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This differed from some of her co-hosts, with Alyssa Farah Griffin admitting, "I can't relate to the idea of an amicable breakup. I've never had one, it's always been like 'I hate you, we will never speak again, goodbye!'"Â Likewise, Sunny Hostin added, "Things end for a reason, and you leave the past in the past where it belongs, and you move onwards." But that's not to say Goldberg doesn't have any boundaries with her exes.Â
As she clarified, elaborating on her iconic comment to the Times, "I don't have to sleep with you, I don't have to eat with you. I don't have to do any of those things that a relationship forces," but Goldberg still has respect for all of them, confirming simply, "There's nobody that I've lived with or messed with that I absolutely hate." While the romance may not have lasted, it's heartwarming to have a love that does — even if just as a friendship.
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Whoopi Goldberg has always been refreshingly open about her outlook on love. During a 2019 appearance on the UK's "Loose Women," she confessed, "The only way I could be married to anyone ever again is if they live in another country." The "Color Purple" star discussed the ups and downs of her various relationships before Goldberg finally revealed why she won't ever get married again. But the "View" co-host is content with her position, explaining, "I'm in my 60s, now remember how people treated women who were not married [...] You got treated rather poorly. People talked about you like there was something wrong."
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Goldberg's marital history spans three decades: Her first was to drug counselor Alvin Martin in the 1970s, then to cinematographer David Claessen whom she wed in 1986 and divorced in 1988, and finally to fellow actor Lyle Trachtenberg in the early 1990s. A hat trick of failed attempts is arguably enough to put anyone off, but despite her jaded take on the institution, Goldberg hinted she might still be a hopeless romantic at heart.Â
When the Oscar winner was asked whether she believed in love at first sight, Goldberg disclosed that not only did she believe in it, but she'd actually experienced it herself. "There are some people where you see and you think, 'I've got to have that!'" the "Sister Act"Â star quipped. Nuptials may not be on the cards again, but perhaps for Goldberg, there's still a chance for romance to strike.
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