Whoopi Goldberg's Daughter Grew Up To Be Stunning
Whoopi Goldberg's daughter, Alex Martin Dean, is a multifaceted and interesting woman, navigating her life with levity and passion. From her childhood struggles with financial hardship to her diverse career pursuits, Martin Dean's journey reflects a spirit of determination and resilience inherited from her famous mother. Among various business ventures, Martin Dean advocates for the support of teen mothers, as she experienced that herself. She advocates for their voices to be heard and empowers them to pursue their dreams.
Throughout her life, Martin Dean has forged deep bonds with her loved ones, including her children, her best friend, Leisa Weaver, and her mother, Whoopi Goldberg. In the trailer for her reality show, "According to Alex," Martin Dean said, "My family and I have been through a lot together. See, I've been married three times, but it is not what you think. All three have been to the same man, Bernard," which sums up her story very succinctly. Here is everything we know about Martin Dean's incredible roller coaster of a transformation.
Whoopi Goldberg struggled financially while Alex was growing up
Growing up as Whoopi Goldberg's daughter wasn't as easy as one might think because Alex Martin Dean experienced a lot of financial hardship during her upbringing. In fact, Goldberg didn't have her big break until well into Martin Dean's childhood. In an interview with TheGrio, Martin Dean candidly shared her memories of relying on welfare and food stamps, saying, "I know what it's like with the food stamps because my mom has her [Welfare] cards framed." She also added, "We didn't have the money to go to movies. I found friends, I walked down the street, I climbed trees, I did camping."
Goldberg's own journey adds context to Martin Dean's upbringing. Goldberg told The Telegraph of her own youth, "I was young, homeless and addicted to heroin. I'd dropped out of high school and into drugs." Goldberg prioritized providing for her daughter. She took on various jobs, including bricklaying, to support their family financially. Despite the challenges, Goldberg remained determined to pursue her acting dreams, eventually achieving success in the industry.
Acknowledging her own struggles as a teen mom, Goldberg expressed admiration for her daughter's parenting skills, saying at a party attended by Page Six, "Alex is a better mother to her three kids than I ever was." Despite financial hardships, they have found strength in each other and continue to inspire through their shared experiences.
Alex met her best friend when she was just a kid
Alex Martin Dean's bond with her best friend, Leisa Weaver, is rooted in a friendship that has spanned over two decades. In a joint interview with Inside Reel, the duo reminisced about their enduring connection, tracing back to their teenage years. "We're like one big family since we've raised our kids together," said Martin Dean of the relationship. She also added that they have been close since the first moment, saying, "It was an instant connection when we met." Additionally, they know how to make each other laugh. Martin Dean said on this topic, "It just is what it is ... This is how we've been for 20-plus years."
Both Martin Dean and Weaver come from families entrenched in the entertainment industry. Weaver's father, Lee Weaver, is known for his roles in iconic films like "Donnie Darko" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." This shared background perhaps contributed to the connection they felt upon meeting, an unspoken understanding that has persisted through the years.
"I can't get rid of her," Martin Dean joked in the trailer for her and Weaver's reality show, "According to Alex." She also said, "She's the closest thing to a sister that I'm ever going to get." As to how their relationship has changed over time? "I think that the only thing that's really changed about the two of us is our size," Martin Dean told Inside Reel.
Alex Martin Dean became a mother at 15
Alex Martin Dean's journey as a mother began at the very young age of 15, a path that, according to Martin Dean, was not that uncommon at the time. Speaking on a panel for Generation Her, Martin Dean said, "At that time, at the end of the '80s, there were a lot of girls like me." Reflecting on her experience, Martin Dean emphasized her family's role in navigating the challenges she faced, saying, "I definitely had a major support system, and that helped me out tremendously."
Despite the stigma and obstacles associated with being a teen mother, especially as a celebrity's kid, Alex was determined to defy the odds and create a better future for herself and her child. Inspired by her own journey, she embarked on a mission to support other young mothers facing similar struggles, which is how she got involved with the organization Generation Her, which is dedicated to empowering teen mothers and transforming communities. Something that Martin Dean was missing through her teen motherhood journey was peers that she could lean on. "It would have been nice to get a different kind of support ... I just wanted to find sister teen moms and mentors that ... helped me with life skills," she said on the panel. By sharing her story and advocating for the voices of teen mothers, Martin Dean aims to empower others to stay focused, achieve their goals, and become active members of society.
Alex Martin Dean's other best friend is her mom
Alex Martin Dean and her mom, Whoopi Goldberg, share a bond that goes beyond the typical mother-daughter relationship. In an interview with "The Wendy Williams Show," Martin Dean and Goldberg revealed that they talk "multiple times a day." When asked if they talk about everything, Martin Dean said, "Yeah, just about, yeah." The mother-daughter pair discuss everything from everyday life to their relationships, with Martin Dean saying that when she needs to talk about her husband, she needs "to vent to someone who actually likes both of us." Despite their close relationship, Goldberg humorously admitted that there is "some stuff I don't want to know."
One of the most valuable pieces of advice Martin Dean has received from her mother is, "Don't read Twitter, don't read comments, don't read any of that stuff, 'cause you know some people have a lot of time and they like to hate on stuff they don't understand." This advice was especially useful as Goldberg said it when Martin Dean's new reality show was starting to air. While they are close friends now, they didn't always see eye to eye. "The funny woman you see on TV is also my mother, and growing up, seeing her on different stages as a comedian and an actor, let's just say, she's not very funny when she's grounding me for sneaking out of the house as a teenager," Martin Dean told Cannabis Cactus in 2023.
Alex Martin Dean made cameos in her mom's movies
Alex Martin Dean, daughter of the iconic actress Whoopi Goldberg, has had her own share of Hollywood appearances, making cameos in some of her mother's notable films. In the 1990s, Martin Dean began establishing herself in the industry, appearing in movies like the 1999 satire film "American Intellectuals" and joining the cast of "Call Me Claus" in 2001 and "Strange as Angels" in 2003. Notably, she also had minor roles in two of her mother's iconic movies: "The Color Purple" in 1985 and "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" in 1993.
In addition to her film roles, Martin Dean had the honor of serving as Miss Golden Globe at the 1994 Golden Globe Awards. Despite her minor appearances, Martin Dean's involvement in her mother's films adds a fun layer to their family dynamic and shows how she became involved in the film industry. With her talent and lineage, Alex Martin Dean continues to make her mark in Hollywood, taking on producing roles. For example, Martin Dean produced the short film "Sensitive Men" in 2018, a comedy about two men doing anything it takes to get their exes back.
Alex Martin Dean went to culinary school
Alex Martin Dean is known, in part, for her diverse career ventures. The daughter of acclaimed actor Whoopi Goldberg once donned a chef's hat while pursuing a passion for cooking by attending culinary school. In the trailer for her reality show, "According to Alex," she reminisces about her varied career paths, mentioning, "I've been an actress, I was in a rap group, I went to culinary school." However, as her friend Leisa Weaver jokingly chimed in, "the children have always gotten in the way."
Despite the twists and turns of her professional journey, Martin Dean's love for cooking remains steadfast. She continues to enjoy preparing meals for her family and even dreams of opening a Tapas bar as part of her entrepreneurial endeavors. Martin Dean's culinary interests have also extended to her television appearances, as she was a guest on Mario Batali's show "The Chew" alongside her mother in October 2015. Obviously, Alex Martin Dean has a variety of passions and isn't afraid to explore them, making her a versatile woman both in her professional and personal life.
Alex Martin Dean became a mother of three – and a grandma!
Alex Martin Dean, who had her first daughter at fifteen, went on to have two more children, making her a mother of three. She also became, unexpectedly, a grandmother at a relatively young age. With her children, Amara Skye, Mason, and Jerzey Dean, Martin Dean experiences the joys and challenges of raising a family.
Speaking about becoming a great-grandmother, Whoopi Goldberg humorously recounted the experience on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," saying, "I was a grandmother kinda young ... and now I'm a great-grandmother," then adding, "I had just gotten into the groove ... and then this girl came and said she and her man were having a baby and I wanted to wring her neck." She also commented on Martin Dean's experience becoming a first-time grandmother, saying, "My daughter's like, 'Ugh, I'm gonna be a grandmother!'" to which Goldberg had a unique response: "I let her go through all of that, and I whispered in her ear, 'I got no sympathy for you. You made me a grandmother when I was 33, b****."
Despite Goldberg's comedic admonition of her daughter, she also said on the "Rachael Ray Show" that Martin Dean "raised ... very strange and wonderful children." Part of the reason that Martin Dean and Goldberg started the reality show "According to Alex" in 2015 was to provide a sort of launchpad for Martin Dean's children as they explore different careers.
She started a nail polish company with her best friend
Alex Martin Dean is no stranger to starting interesting and unique businesses, and NailBuzz.com is no exception. The company, which she started with her BFF Leisa Weaver, made a line of nail polishes inspired by the friends' love for cocktails and pampering. The idea struck, and they were off, creating nail polish shades mirroring the colors of their favorite beverages. In an interview with "The Wendy Williams Show," Martin Dean recounted how the idea originated, saying, "Leisa and I decided that we like pampering and we like cocktails."
Talking to Williams, Martin Dean discussed her vision for the brand, emphasizing their desire to combine the luxury of pampering with the vibrant hues of cocktails. Despite encountering some challenges along the way, such as disagreements over the name and website design ("I don't like that," Martin Dean said of the website name in an interview with Madame Noire), Martin Dean and Weaver still had incredible fun launching their cocktail-inspired brand.
Alex Martin Dean had her own reality show
Alex Martin Dean stepped into the spotlight with her own reality show, "According to Alex," which started airing in 2015 and ran for one season. The show aimed to offer viewers a refreshing departure from the drama-filled narratives often seen in reality television. "I think that there was a space open for what we're doing," Martin Dean said in an interview with TheGrio, "I watch all the 'Housewives,' but I think there's been this whole rush of violence ... black women hate each other ... let me stab you in the back and smile in your face." Leisa Weaver, Martin Dean's best friend, added, "That's not true, that's not black women, that's not black families."
Contrary to the sensationalized conflicts often depicted in reality TV, "According to Alex" aimed to highlight the love and support present within black communities. On the "Rachael Ray Show," Martin Dean described the show as, "kind of a coming of age for 40-year-olds ... We're kind of getting into our new phases." The idea for the show came from Martin Dean's mother, Whoopi Goldberg, who said of the idea on "The Wendy Williams Show," "The reason the show came up is because she and her best friend Leisa make me laugh ... I don't know what happens, they get loud, they start moving and grooving and talking stuff to each other — it's the greatest thing."
Alex Martin Dean married her husband three times
Alex Martin Dean has been married not once, not twice, but three times — to the same man, Bernard Dean. In an interview with Madame Noire, she said of the experience, "It's about love, it's about growing up, it's about ... coming full circle, it's about destiny and fate and being where you're supposed to be ... So, that's what I did. Three times, and I'd do it again." In response to this, her friend Lisa quipped, "The diamond gets bigger."
She detailed the complicated story on "The Wendy Williams Show," saying, "We eloped the first time" when she was 20, and her husband was 25, "and then we had an actual wedding, and then we had a divorce, and then we had another wedding back in Vegas." Because of all of the back and forth, apparently, the kids were "very confused."
Throughout the ups and downs, Martin Dean and Bernard's love endured, with Whoopi Goldberg jokingly noting to Wendy Williams that "Once they got back the third time, everybody said to them, "Enough! No More! Clearly, you're meant to be together; quit fooling around!'" Their enduring love story, spanning over two decades, serves as a testament to their unwavering commitment and the power of love to overcome challenges.
She and her mom launched a cannabis brand together
Whoopi Goldberg and her daughter, Alex Martin Dean, have ventured into the cannabis industry together, launching their own recreational cannabis brand named Emma & Clyde in 2023. The brand, named after Goldberg's mother and brother, aims to provide high-quality cannabis products while destigmatizing the recreational and medical use of marijuana.
Goldberg emphasized the medicinal benefits of cannabis, telling Cannabis Cactus in an interview, "I'm really serious about this. I want it to work for everybody." Goldberg especially cares that the product works for women because, she said, "I want it to work for people who want to get up and go to work every day, or go to school and not lose productivity because, for example, women lose productivity every time they get their period ... and it's awful." Goldberg also stated that the businesses first priority is "being accessible and affordable and really putting out the idea that you deserve to have something good looking that doesn't cost an arm and a leg."
For Martin Dean, the venture is about leaving a "footprint of longevity on a family affair, where we can create organic, high-quality products for generations of medical patients and recreational users." With Emma & Clyde, Goldberg and Martin Dean are not just launching a brand; they are advocating for the normalization of cannabis use while prioritizing quality, affordability, and accessibility for all consumers.