THE BACKLOT: WHOOPI GOLDBERG

By Rodric David

Rodric David and Whoopi Goldberg with casgt members portraying firefighters during filming Nine Eleven at Thunder Studios — Whoopi Goldberg and Rodric David on the set of Nine Eleven, with the actors portraying heroic FDNY firefighters.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with accomplished actress, comedienne, and TV host Whoopi Goldberg this past spring. Whoopi is an American icon and movie star. She is one of the few performers ever to have won an Emmy Award, Tony Award, Grammy Award, and Academy Award. Whoopi is probably best known (to my generation, at least) for her iconic role as the psychic starring alongside Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in “Ghost”. As an avid trekie, I associate her most with her role as Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Rodric David at Thunder Studios stairwell — Rodric David is the Chairman and CEO of Thunder Studios.

Whoopi Goldberg was part of the talented ensemble cast involved in Thunder Studios’ upcoming feature film “Nine Eleven”. Her co-stars include Charlie Sheen, Gina Gershon, Luis Guzman, Wood Harris, and Olga Fonda. “Nine Eleven” is an action drama that takes place inside an elevator of the World Trade Center during that fateful day. We look forward to the premiere of “Nine Eleven” at the Toronto Film Festival this autumn.

During her time working at Thunder Studios, Whoopi shared with me that she is an avid gamer with a particular passion for Japanese-themed role playing game “Throne of Darkness”. Whoopi also admitted that she enjoys playing “Diablo” online under a pseudonym. My personal favorite online game is “Hearthstone”, and I’m currently ranked in the top 25% of players in the USA. I hope to revisit this conversation with Whoopi when Thunder Studios further develops its eSports and gaming capabilities, as Whoopi would be an incredible video game host. More to come!