Whoopi Goldberg has confessed to scattering her mother’s ashes in a very unusual location – but issued a warning to deter fans from following in her footsteps.
The View host, 68, who published a heartfelt memoir dedicated to mom Emma Harris in May, lost her mother in 2010 due to following complications of a stroke.
Whoopi often shares details about their close relationship – including how she ‘depended’ on her ‘remarkable’ mother and how the profound loss changed her life.
While recalling a special trip to Disneyland with her mom, the actress-turned-comic book writer revealed that she went back to the adventure park after Emma passed away in order to remember happier times.
During the trip, she also decided to secretly distribute her mom’s ashes on the ride called It’s A Small World, which is the attraction she and her mom favored.
Whoopi admitted to the unusual act while speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
The star began her anecdote by begging fans to not do the same.
‘No one should do this. My mother loved Disneyland, and so we took her to Disneyland. She loved Small World,’ she said.
The actress added that she would pretend to sneeze while scattering Emma’s ashes so no one knew what she was doing.
Whoopi shared: ‘So, in the Small World ride, periodically, I scooped some of her up, and I do this.
‘I said, “My God, this cold is getting worse and worse.” And then we got over to the flowers where it says, Disneyland, and I was like, “Oh, look at that!”‘
However, after the ride, Whoopi ultimately felt guilty and decided to alert staff of what she had just done.
She said: ‘I told them I did it. I wanted to make sure, actually, that I hadn’t done something that was dangerous because it hadn’t occurred to me. But there’s a reason they don’t want ashes just floating around.’
Whoopi’s memoir titled, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, details heartwarming stories of her late mother and brother.
The actress touched on the tragic moment her mom came home from the hospital with no memory of her kids – adding that it defined her as a person.
Whoopi has previously opened up about her profound loss on Loose Women, admitting that she didn’t know how much she ‘depended’ on her mother and brother until they passed.
The TV personality admitted being the ‘baby’ of the family has forced her to ‘grow up.’
Whoopi revealed that she wants the book to serve as a way to keep her loved ones’ memory alive.
She said: ‘This book is dedicated to everyone who is just trying to figure out the small stuff as well as the stuff where you have to be more than you thought you could be and it’s dedicated to love.’
The actress has previously written many children’s books, including Alice and the Sugar Plum Ballerina Series, and she published an adult book titled ‘If Someone Says “You Complete Me”…Run!’
Whoopi’s memoir was highly anticipated by fans who relished the opportunity to hear more about the Academy Award winner’s life through her own words.
The actress rose to stardom in 1984 when debuted on Broadway in Whoopi Goldberg, which was developed from her one-woman show The Spook Show.
A year later, she received her first starring film role in The Color Purple, where she received an Academy Award nomination or Best Actress.
After starring in the film Ghost, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has since become known as a talk show host on The View.