Sophia Bush And Ashlyn Harris Approach Love On Their Terms

sophia bush and ashlyn harris

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris caused quite a stir at Elton John's Oscars afterparty, but for good reason! After dodging dating rumors for quite awhile, they dressed to impress and made their first public debut as a couple! Sophia even wore her best accessory — a mega-watt smile — that further confirms this blissful pair.

While some people love to know whencelebrity couples fell in love, the details about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris' relationship have people wondering when this couple actually got together. Well, our wait is over because Sophia decided to open about what led to her romance with Ashlyn Harris and why certain rumors hold no merit!

Since we're clearly tuned in to this love story, here's everything you need to know about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris's relationship!

Who is Sophia Bush?

Image via Robin L Marshall/Getty Images

Sophia Bush has had a lengthy career as an actress, and she's most recognized for her portrayal of Brooke Davis in the hit TV series One Tree Hill. She's also appeared in Nip/Tuck, Chicago Fire, Incredibles 2, and John Tucker Must Die. When she's not showing off her acting chops, she hosts the Drama Queens podcast alongside former One Tree Hill castmates Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz!

Who is Ashlyn Harris?

Image via Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for W Magazine

Ashlyn Harris is a former U.S. soccer player who had a successful run — no pun intended — as a goalkeeper during the career. She also won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada and continued making an impressionable mark. However, she announced her retirementin 2022 and — per her Instagrampage — has gone on to become the Global Creative Advisor for Gotham FC and Adidas Football.

When did the dating rumors about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris start?

Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

June 2023

Rumors about a possible connection between Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris swirled last summer when Cosmopolitanreported they were on a panel at Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity. Sophia shared a pic of the two at the festival on Instagramand wrote, "Love you @ashlynharris24 and @sophieannkelly" towards the end of her caption.

A source told Page Six, "It’s very new...They are definitely a couple.” But, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris didn't confirm or deny anything at that time.

When did Sophia Bush file for divorce from Grant Hughes?

Image via Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

August 2023

A couple of months after Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were seen getting cozy together, Sophia filed for divorce from her former husband Grant Hughes. Peopleshared that they were only married for a little over a year — 13 months — but didn't end on a bad terms. A source then told Entertainment Tonight, "Grant and Sophia are better off as friends and they weren’t getting enough time with each other before their breakup."

When did Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger file for divorce?

Image via Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

October 2023

While things seemed to quiet down, Ashlyn Harris soon filed for divorce from Ali Krieger after getting married towards the end of 2019. What's interesting is that a source told Peoplethis decision wasn't surprising. "Although it’s new information to the public, Ashlyn and Ali’s divorce began months ago and they have been living apart since the summer,” the source said.

This is also around the time it was speculated Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris had their first official date. A rep told People, "Grant will always want the best for Sophia, and is supportive of all that makes her happy and fulfilled." We guess it helps he and Sophia had a solid friendship before getting married!

As for Ali Krieger, she basically let the world know things were business as usual with an Instagrampost. She captioned a pic of her playing soccer with, "Preparing for playoffs while in my Beyoncé lemonade era." A comment from user @lgbtlfg said, "the fact that a lot of players in these comment’s usually mind their business and stay out of drama but are supporting ali should tell everyone all they need to know."

The only thing Ashlyn said about it on Instagramis that she never intended for her and Ali's divorce to be made a public matter. A portion of her note says, "This process is never easy, but we were making our way through."

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris publicly talked about their relationship?

Image via Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio

March 2024

Besides showing up to Elton John's Oscars afterparty together, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were previously tight-lipped about their relationship. The only hint Sophia offered was much more of a reflective post about 2023 on Instagramat the beginning of January. She said, "This year taught me to listen to myself and no one else. To let go of expectation that wounds and grasp possibility that frees. To not care about optics and instead invest in honesty."

But, she's since chosen to own where she is in life.

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

Sophia Bush on the cover of Glamour Magazine

April 2024

Sophia Bush has now reached a point where she's publicly ready to stand in her truth regarding her life and her relationship status so much that she penned her own cover story for Glamour. The first thing she did was open up about how she really felt about her marriage and fertility struggles.

She wrote, "But after the wedding I found myself in the depths and heartbreak of the fertility process, which was the most clarifying experience of my life. It feels like society is finally making space for brutally honest conversations about how hard and painful any fertility journey is, but I kept mine private. I was trying to get through months of endless ultrasounds, hormone shots, so many blood draws that I have scar tissue in my veins, and retrieval after retrieval, while simultaneously realizing the person I had chosen to be my partner didn’t necessarily speak the same emotional language I did.”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

As far as her relationship with Ashlyn Harris is concerned, the star is enjoying the love that exists between them. Contrary to alleged rumors, their initial relationship was a platonic one that stemmed from a place of understanding and support.

She told Glamour,I didn’t expect to find love in this support system. I don’t know how else to say it other than: I didn’t see it until I saw it. And I think it’s very easy not to see something that’s been in front of your face for a long time when you’d never looked at it as an option and you had never been looked at as an option. What I saw was a friend with her big, happy life. And now I know she thought the same thing about me.”

She also added, "A lot of effort was made to be graceful with other people’s processing, their time and obligations, and their feelings. What felt like seconds after I started to see what was in front of me, the online rumor mill began to spit in the ugliest ways. There were blatant lies. Violent threats. There were the accusations of being a home-wrecker. The ones who said I’d left my ex because I suddenly realized I wanted to be with women—my partners have known what I’m into for as long as I have (so that’s not it, y’all, sorry!).”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

It's safe to say that Sophia Bush is thoroughly comfortable with her love life and identity as a queer woman. She said, "I’ve experienced so much safety, respect, and love in the queer community, as an ally all of my life, that, as I came into myself, I already felt it was my home. I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum. Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.”

And this is what it looks like to reclaim your narrative when so many people are looking at a brief glimpse of the lives of celebrities. We love that Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris are loving each other on their terms without feeling pressured to share anything before they were ready to. Our hope is that their love story continues to unfold beautifully.

Be sure to watch Sophia Bush's interview with Glamour's Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barry here!

Full Credits From Glamour Magazine:

Writer: Sophia Bush

Photographer: Lauren Dukoff

Stylist: Deborah Afshani

Hair: Matthew Collins

Makeup: Afton Williams

Manicure: Brittney Boyce

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris made their official red carpet debut?

Image via Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Kimball Stroud & Associates

April 27, 2024

Per Glamour, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn made their official red carpet debut as a couple on Friday. They attended the White House Correspondent's dinner where they were dressed to impress in complementing black ensembles.

It's easy to see the glowing couple couldn't stop laughing and smiling as they posed for pictures that seemed to capture every good angle of their faces and style.

Image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images

After the dinner, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris posed for more pictures on the red carpet leading to the Correspondent's after-party. Now that we're able to see their full faces, we have to talk about how well their hair and makeup complements their outfits. It's clear that Ashlyn's contour and bronzer were expertly applied to her face while Sophia's blush gave her a natural flush.

*Sigh* Their smiles are the only confirmation we need that they're enjoying the bliss of being a couple.

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This article has been updated.

Lead image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Before they were publicly seen together, we were dying to know if singer Sabrina Carpenter was actually dating actor Barry Keoghan. Rumors about their relationship cropped up in late 2023, and they're definitely not rumors anymore!

The pair made their *official* debut at the 2024 Met Gala, and they looked so cute together. Barry also enthusiastically supported Sabrina's Coachella performance last month, and we've been obsessed ever since. Since the two have been romantically linked for a while now, we’re taking a deeper look at their history and their chemistry.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sabrina Carpenter and her boyfriend, Barry Keoghan!

Who is Sabrina Carpenter?

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Sabrina Carpenter is a 24-year-old actress and singer. Her most popular acting roles began on Disney Channel from 2014 to 2017 with Girl Meets World and 2016’s Adventures in Babysitting.

Sabrina has been releasing original music since 2014, and her 2022 album titled Emails I Can’t Send landed her her first-ever top-40 chart entry. Her songs “Nonsense” and “Feather” are two of her top-listened tracks on Spotify.

Sabrina also opened for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour in 2023.

Additionally, she's worked as a brand ambassador for Converse, Aeropostale, and Samsung, and launched a fragrance line in collaboration with Scent Beauty.

Sabrina was suspected to be dating singer Shawn Mendes last year, but he dispelled rumors about it very publicly in March 2023.

Who is Barry Keoghan?

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Barry Keoghan is an award-winning 31-year-old Irish actor. He’s well-known for his roles in Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Eternals, and Saltburn. He has also been in several TV series, from HBO’s Chernobyl to Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air.

Barry was previously dating girlfriend Alyson Kieran since September 2021, but the pairbroke up in July 2023 after Barry started seeing success for his performance in the film The Banshees of Inisherin. An inside source close to the couple said “they’ve grown apart over recent months and things have finally come to a head. As far as [Alyson is] concerned, it’s over.”

Barry and Alyson still share a young son named Brando, born in August 2022.

Is Barry Keoghan Sabrina Carpenter's Boyfriend? A Relationship Timeline

Catherine Powell / Getty Images for MTV

September 2023

In late September 2023, Sabrina attended an NYC advanced screening of Saltburn, a dark comedy film in which Barry stars. The pair was not seen together, but they were definitely in the same place at the same time.

The pair reportedly met for the first time during Paris Fashion Week at the Givenchy spring/summer 2024 show, just a week after the advanced screening.

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

December 2023

Sabrina and Barry were spotted on a casual dinner date in Los Angeles in December 2023. They weren’t quite visibly affectionate or close together in photos, but shared the same car.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

January 2024

Sabrina and Barry were suspected to attend the 2024 Golden Globes together to debut their relationship, but the pair ended up attending separately.

The two were later spotted out and about at LA’s Luna Luna interactive art installation later in January.Eyewitness accounts said "it definitely seemed like a date.” 👀

February 2024

In early February 2024, the duo was seen gettin’ cozy with each other at a Grammys after party. Someone had snapped a pic of them sitting next to each other, but it appeared they were pretty shy about showing their whole faces. Cute!

The couple confirmed their romance just around Valentine's Day with a fun-filled weekend in Los Angeles (with plenty of PDA, of course). They started out with dinner at Nobu before checking into Hotel Bel-Air. They next day, they spent time together at Sabrina's house in Hollywood and then went out on the town in style!

As much as we can tell, Sabrina and Barry are just having fun with it!

Amy Sussman and Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images for Vanity Fair

March 2024

The 2024 Oscars marked Sabrina and Barry's first red carpet appearance as a couple! The pair pulled up in semi-coordinating outfits – her wearing a black sequined Tory Burch gown, him wearing a sleek black suit by Amiri.

Barry also accessorized his Oscars look with a beaded friendship bracelet (a la Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) that spelled out Sabrina's name!

Photographed side-by-side several times, the couple also took the chance to reference their silly Grammys photo by hiding their faces for the camera. Love!

IG @sabrinacarpenter

April 2024

On April 1, Barry left a fiery comment on Sabrina's Instagram. She posted a carousel promoting the new spring 2024 intimates collection from Skims, packed with steamy pics of her wearing pieces from the drop.

Barry's comment was "🔥🥵 barbie emoji," which is just too cute. Since Sabrina is known over social media as a Bratz doll, we love to see this brand new Barbie side!

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Coachella

April 2024

Barry – being the supportive boyfriend he is – was spotted in the crowd at Sabrina's Coachella weekend 1 set, and the couple shared a few cute moments even when they were apart!

Barry was seen happily snapping pictures on his phone like a proud parent during the high-energy performance. Sabrina also cutely waved to Barry from the stage, and he was definitely fangirling over it! We would be fangirling too, TBH! 🔥

After Sabrina's set, the pair was spotted together in the crowd at Ice Spice's performance alongside friends Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The four appeared to just be hanging out and chatting among themselves in between songs!

May 2024

The couple stepped out together to attend the 2024 Met Gala. Sabrina sported a gorgeous black gown with blooming blue details while Barry's look channeled a 19th century Englishman. They posed together with their signature 'hands over the face' pose, with Barry using his hat as a shield. We are enamored by these two!

Stay updated on the latest celebrity relationships with Brit + Co!

Lead photos by Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue and Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images.

This post has been updated.

Oprah Winfrey is much more than a legend. She's one of the reigning stars of daytime TV, creating such a memorable empire that just her first name carries weight. She's full of wisdomand loves celebrating the success of others. Excuse me, that's grounds for a standing ovation.

In addition to all of the things she's accomplished, Oprah has steadily added books to her book club list since 1996. To date, there are 105 titles she's read and chosen to share with others. If you're thinking, "That's a lot of books" then I agree. But, her goal is to highlight both seasoned and new writers who dare to weave together fiction as well as nonfiction works.

After going through the list, here's everything we think you need to add to your at-home library.

Image via Oprah Daily/Eli Schmidt

Yesterday, Oprah announced her book club's 105th pick On OprahDaily.com and CBS Mornings, where she appeared with author Colm Tóibín to discuss his newly released book Long Island. She had nothing but praise for the novel and said, "I was captivated. Tóibín builds the story around a woman whose life changes seemingly overnight with the news of her husband’s infidelity. It opens the door to her own secrets, grappling with choices she made long ago, urging her to break free from the silences she built around her life. A wonderful page-turner to start your summer reading.”

Image via Cody Love for Oprah Daily

On OprahDaily.com and CBS Mornings, Oprah Winfrey excitedly shared her book club's 104th pick: The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin. In a touching video, Oprah can be seen surprising Hardin in what feels like a "full circle moment." While trying to process her book being chosen as Oprah's next book club pick, Hardin can be heard saying, "I'm just overwhelmed right now. I'm so grateful."

It's a memoir that details how Hardin's past addiction to opiates caused her to make dire decisions that led her to serve jail time. Not only that, but Hardin eventually finds a way to show herself grace as she reconnects with her children and becomes an ally for other women who are incarcerated.

For a sneak peek of what you can expect in the novel, read an exclusive excerpt on OprahDaily.com!

Long Island by Colm Tóibín

Long Island tells the tale of Eilis Lacey and the discovery of her husband's infidelity. Things start off well enough with Eilis and her husband Tony Fiorello living near his family. The family spends a lot of time together and it feels like they have a quintessential bond that can't be broken.

But when Eilis discovers that a man's wife is carrying Tony's child and they don't want anything to do with the baby, she begins to start looking at her own desires as well as the things she's kept secret for the sake of her marriage. She ends up journeying to a familiar place to rediscover herself and it ignites an inner flame that she thought she lost.

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

According to OprahDaily.com, here's the reading schedule for The Many Lives of Mama Love that'll take place on Oprah's book club's Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok channels.

Week #1: Chapters 1–8

Pages 1 to 103

Discussion begins on Saturday, March 9.

Week #2: Chapters 9–14

Pages 105 to 206

Discussion begins on Saturday, March 16.

Week #3: Chapter 15–End

Pages 207 to 304

Discussion begins on Saturday, March 23.

Be sure to grab your copy of The Many Lives of Mama Love so you can join the discussion!

Let Us Descend

Also listed on the Amazon top books list, Let Us Descend is a masterful tale that views slavery through the lens of a young girl who makes powerful discoveries as along her journey. When Annis is sold by her father — a white slave owner — she finds herself thrust into a world at a sugar plantation. Guided by otherworldly spirits, she finds herself coming to terms with who she is despite her circumstances.

"Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver Has Something Big To Celebrate

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Last year on Instagram, Oprah's book club announced that Demon Copperhead by Barvara Kingsolver was celebrating a longstanding run on the NYT Bestseller list. This is surely a testament to the way Kingsolver weaves emotion into her written work for readers to feel.

Read our synopsis of "Demon Copperhead" below!

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

It comes as no surprise that Demon Copperhead continues to give a name and face to the perils the young face while growing up. In this case, Demon is learning to come to terms with his upbringing along with the feeling he's not being seen.

Wellness

Oprah's latest book club pick is written by the talented Nathan Hill. Hill paints a picture of the how the idealistic view of marriage and life can feel out of touch with reality. After falling in love during their college days, Jack and Elizabeth are shocked to discover things feel vastly differently decades later. Forced to either turn from each other or peel back layers of hidden things they've never addressed, they make a decision that'll change the course of everything they've known.

Bittersweet by Susan Cain

Bittersweet tackles an emotion we know all too well — sadness. Susan Cain calls for readers to acknowledge that they don't always feel positive, especially when heartbreaking things occur in life.

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

With the odds seemingly stacked against them, siblings Kiara and Marcus do what they can to survive while also helping a young neighbor. However, a chance encounter with a stranger grants Kiara with a job that helps sustain them — until she's caught up in a web of secrets that begins with an investigation. Found out what fate has in store for her in Nightcrawling.

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

Robert Kolker takes a look at how six of the Galvin children were diagnosed with schizophrenia while the other four weren't. Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family details how a 'perfect' example of a nuclear family grappled with secrets and mental illness, something that sounds all too familiar.

Olive, Again byElizabeth Strout

Olive is all at once stubborn and lovable in Olive, Again. From an odd birth experience to her reluctance to accept an inheritance, Olive's life goes through a series of ups and downs that readers will be able to resonate with.

Wild byCheryl Strayed

In a different take of Eat, Pray, Love, young Cheryl decides to go on a hike of more than a thousand miles after the death of her mother and dissolution of her marriage. Her journey is one of self-discovery and healing all at once.

Sula by Toni Morrison

Two friends, Nel and Sula, have a strong bond that takes them through many stages in their lives. But when a betrayal rocks their friendship, they find themselves on opposing sides. Learn what their outcome is in Sula.

House of Sand and Fogby Andre Dubus III

Living with roommates can prove to be tricky but one thing's for sure - stories and lives often intertwine. House of Sand and Fog weaves a tale of strangers whose lives do just that and then some.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

The Poisonwood Bible follows the Price family, led by devout Evangelist Nathan, as they travel to the Congo in 1959. Determined to save souls, Nathan's fierceness and stubborn nature lead to tragedy that changes the trajectory of the women in his life.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

When Astrid's mother is sentenced for committing murder, she faces herself immersed in the foster care system in Los Angeles. As the things she faces changes from each home she's placed in, Astrid comes of age and somehow finds her footing.

The Pilot's Wifeby Anita Shreve

When Kathryn's pilot husband dies in a crash, the peaceful and predictable life she'd been living is upended. What happens when she begins to doubt her husband's identity? Find out in The Pilot's Wife.

The Way of Integrity: Finding The Path to Your True Self by Martha Beck

Martha Beck paints a case of what it means to live a life that aligns with our true self in The Way of Integrity: Finding The Path to Your True Self. She also shares what happens when we fall out of that alignment but offers attainable ways to figure out who we really are.

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

When astrobiologist Theo Byrne finds himself coming to terms with his wife's death and their son's troubled behavior, he finds himself willing to do whatever it takes to get him the help he needs. Faced with a chance to try a neurofeedback treatment that features the brain patterns of his late wife, Theo decides it's worth trying in Bewilderment.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Reverend John Ames decides to write to his son about his family's history - particularly that of his father and grandfather in Gilead. It's a tale that weaves together spirituality, wisdom and more.

More titles on Oprah Winfrey's Book Club List:

  • The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
  • Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
  • That Bird Has My Wings by Jarvis Jay Masters
  • Finding Me by Viola Davis
  • The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
  • The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
  • Home by Marilynne Robinson
  • Lila by Marilynn Robinson
  • Jack by Maryilnne Robinson
  • Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
  • Deacon King Kong by James McBride
  • American Dirt: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins
  • The Water Dancer: A Novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Becoming by Michelle Obama
  • The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
  • An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
  • Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
  • Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle
  • The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
  • Ruby by Cynthia Bond
  • The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
  • The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
  • A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
  • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  • Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
  • Say You're One of Them by Uwen Akpan
  • The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
  • A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
  • The New Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
  • Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
  • Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
  • The Road by Cormac McCarthy
  • The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier
  • Night by Elie Wiesel
  • A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
  • Light In August by William Faulkner
  • The Sound and Fury by William Faulkner
  • As I lay Dying by William Faulkner
  • The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
  • Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
  • The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
  • Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
  • East of Eden by John Steinbeck
  • Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
  • A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
  • The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
  • Cane River by Lalita Tademy
  • Stolen Livens by Malika Oufkir and Michėle Fitoussi
  • Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio
  • We Were The Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates
  • Drowing Ruth by C/hristina Schwartz
  • Open House by Elizabeth Berg
  • While I was Gone by Sue Miller
  • The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
  • Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell
  • Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
  • Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
  • Vinegar Hill by Manette Ansay
  • River, Cross My Heart by Breena Clarke
  • Tara Road by Maeve Binchy
  • Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes
  • The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
  • Jewel by Bret Lott
  • Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
  • What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage
See Oprah Winfrey's entire book club list here.

Which book(s) are you going to add to your kindle or bookshelf? Let us know in the comments and subscribe to our newsletter for more updates!

Brit + Co. may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Lead image via Cody Love for Oprah Daily

This post has been updated.

There have been a few “pinch me” moments in my career, but nothing compares to connecting with the illustrious Whoopi Goldberg to learn more about her memoir Bits and Pieces, which comes out tomorrow! Perhaps the most shocking discovery is realizing the parallels our lives share.

Having followed her career for a good chunk of my life, Whoopi’s groundbreaking films like The Color Purple, Ghost, and Corrina, Corrina left a huge impression on me as a kid. Her ability to bring life into the characters she plays is masterful, constantly proving how adept she is — and then some — at what she does. It’s no wonder Whoopi is the first black woman to achieve EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscars, and Tony awards).

Outside of her (incredible) acting endeavors, Whoopi’s also become an equity partner of the kid-friendly streaming service platform Blkfam, further proving her commitment to ensuring that Black families can see themselves positively reflected in the media from childhood on. Oh, and she founded Whoopi Prosecco while she's at it, because who doesn't love a good drink? She pours intentionality into everything she does — on TV and in your champagne glasses alike.

The fact that the world now gets a chance to become more familiar with the origins of Whoopi's wonderful intentionality through her memoir feels like a gift. Ahead, we talk about how their love set the tone for Whoopi’s outlook on life, how their memory lives on in her, and we get to touch on the active imagination she still feeds today.

Whoopi Goldberg's mother, Emma Johnson

“I feel great. I’m somewhat reluctant to share very much about my personal life ‘cause I feel like so much has already been shared, but it just seems like I needed to do this,” Whoopi said when I ask her how she’s feeling about sharing a very special part of her heart with readers. “I try to listen to my instincts and everything said, ‘Now’s the time. You might as well do it,’ and so I wrote it,” she continued.

And while that passionate impetus ignited the flame, she also admitted that she was beginning to forget things, so she wanted to make sure she remembering as much as she can by telling these stories now.

One thing that hasn’t changed for the actress is how much she sees and hears her mother, not just in herself, but in other family members. “I see it all the time. I hear her, and now my grandkids hear her as well. I have a great-granddaughter — who’s 10 and never got to meet my mother — but my oldest granddaughter talks to her like she is my mother,” she said with a fond smile. It never ceases to amaze me how connected we are to our ancestors even if we’ve never had the pleasure of being in their company.

Whoopi Goldberg and her brother Clyde Johnson.

Whoopi feels incredibly fortunate she was able to have grown up in a household where her mother and brother were. “Listen, I’m really lucky that she was my mother. I feel like it was a good pairing. Same with my brother. I just don’t know what life would’ve been like had I been born to different people with all of my idiosyncrasies,” she said.

And that’s one of the things that stood out to me throughout Bits and Pieces. Whoopi’s mother truly created an environment that fostered the individual personalities of her children, while also teaching them valuable lessons that still live within Whoopi today.

Emma Johnson, Whoopi Goldberg's mother.

“Most of my being is a product of growing up in this particular household; how I listen to people, why I listen to people, how I will and will not allow people to speak to me,” she stated without hesitation, “All of these things that go into her raising children who were aware of themselves and where they might fit in the universe, and her knowing the universe was much bigger than even she understood, so that I could end up anywhere on any planet; the same with my brother. We could end up anywhere and we’d be alright.”

Her mother also made sure that Whoopi and her brother knew not to judge people at first glance until you actually spent time with them, and to be unafraid to disagree with people. “If people don’t want to be your friend after you disagree, then they’re not people for you to be with,” she shared.

The other thing Whoopi recalls about her mother is how intentional she was about not allowing herself to be boxed in by her circumstances as if they were the beginning and ending point of her life. “She just never would accept the world other people kept trying to put her in. She was like, ‘Look, I will do whatever I need to do to get away from this and elevate myself.’ Her attitude was if you’re not curious, you’re not living,” Whoopi said.

Whoopi Goldberg and her mother Emma Johnson.

The more we talked, the more she expressed her gratitude for her mother and brother again. “I don’t know how it could’ve been any better,” she said with pride. “We were three strange people who really loved each other and because she [her mother] loved us, we knew we weren't different like people thought we were,” she reiterated.

She then briefly addressed her dyslexia with me. While that could bring many down — especially actors young in their career — Whoopi's didn't.

“Dyslexia didn’t mean I was not smart. Dyslexia meant that I perceived things differently. She [Whoopi's mother] said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with that. You just have to get used to teaching people because they don’t know how to listen the way you do. You’re listening with different ears. You have to know that everyone is trying to absorb the information that’s out there, but we don’t all hear it the same way…’” Whoopi pointed out.

Whoopi Goldberg as a child

Before our conversation comes to a close, I can’t help but talk about our shared love of all things horror. I literally clapped with delight when I came to the part in the book where she mentions it because it’s something I used to think I had to apologize for as a kid.

Yet, here’s this monumental actress who loves the genre just as much. When I ask her which three horror movies she’d watch back to back, she lit up before saying, “The Haunting — Robert Wise’s version, The Exorcist — a quintessential horror movie in her opinion, and Poltergeist, or Nightmare on Elm Street.”

She recalled that horror movies used to come on television every Saturday night, and she’d watch them because she was too young to go to parties. “I love all of the old Universal monsters, all the Hammer monsters. I want a movie about all of them.”

When she’s not watching horror movies, Whoopi feeds her imagination by listening to audiobooks at night. She said, “For me, imagination still comes from someone telling me a story and I can end up wherever I end up in the book.” As far as whether people allow themselves to be in touch with their inner child, she said people can lose it because they don’t realize how important that inner child plays.

“But they find it. They go looking for it,” she said with that familiar smile I can’t believe has followed me from my television to my computer screen.

Whoopi Goldberg as a little girl.

Based on our conversation and the way she poured her love into Bits and Pieces, it’s easy to understand that the timing of her memoir couldn’t be more perfect — that intention plus action matters.

My own childhood is full of memories where my mother and older sister were the center of my universe. For a while, it was just the three of us in our small home before my stepdad and stepbrother came into the picture. The days spent with with them consisted of free trips to the library, Wild Adventures, feeding ducks at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, Florida, and so much more — not that different from Whoopi's days with her family.

It's always heartwarming when you get a chance to talk to other people and realize that our experiences aren't always that different. It's why I can confidently say that readers will be surprised at how full their hearts are by the time they reach the last page of Bits and Pieces. It’s a beautiful look at not just Whoopi's soul, but the endearing moments she shared with her family, her ancestry, and ultimately with all of us along the way.

Pre-Order Whoopi Goldberg's Memoir "Bits and Pieces" Today:

Bits and Pieces

Be sure you order your copy of Whoopi Goldberg's memoir Bits and Pieces today. You're truly in for a treat — and just in time for Mother's Day!

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Somehow, we have reached the 20th anniversary of A Cinderella Story. (2004 really was THAT year. The Notebook, A Cinderella Story,Mean Girls). Behind the scenes of an interview with the Today Show, Chad Michael Murray (who played Austin Ames in the movie opposite Hilary Duff's Sam) teased some kind of celebration coming our way!

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Replying to @Mystery bagel tw: emotional ‼️ one of the most iconic scenes #cinderellastory #chadmichaelmurray

"Do you realize this July is the 20th anniversary of A Cinderella Story?" Chad Michael Murray asks the camera. "Next week, we're going to do a little Austin Ames wink and nod to at the fans. You'll see."

There are literally so many things Chad could do in honor of the anniversary, which is happening July 16. The actor has played basketball at his One Tree Hill reunions, so maybe he'd play some football. He could also break out his old costume or reenact the iconic "Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought. Useless and disappointing," scene with Hilary Duff — but TBH I hope whatever he does, he does it with Hilary. This would be the reunion I've been waiting for!!

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Chad Michael Murray has talked about the fun of filming A Cinderella Story in the past — and how hilarious it is his character supposedly couldn't recognize Hilary Duff in the mask. "If you go to masquerade mall and a girl you see almost every day is wearing a small mask and her entire face is exposed and you still can't recognize her, you should probably see an eye doctor... among a few other doctors," he jokes with E! News.

How will you be celebrating the anniversary of A Cinderella Story this July? Let us know on Facebook!

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If there's one word to describe Bridgerton, it's romantic. The costumes, the makeup, the press tour moments between season 3 leads Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton — all of it leaves me giggling and kicking my feet. And apparently, love might be in the air for two other Bridgerton cast members: Luke Thompson and Harriet Cains!

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Luke Thompson (who plays Benedict Bridgerton) and Harriet Cains (Philippa Featherington) were spotted at the Vanity Fair EE BAFTA Rising Star Party together, and they were getting cozy. The deeper I go into the rabbit hole the more I find and suddenly, this is my favorite (potential) celebrity couple!

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These besties are clearly so comfortable around each other, and aren't afraid to get up close and personal. (A fact that might scandalize Harriet's character Philippa Featherington. It seems pretty par for the course for Benedict Bridgerton). Luke Thompson and Harriet Cains might be the couple I'm rooting for, but fans are also hoping to see Benedict find love with Sophie Beckett in Bridgerton season 4. And Luke is expecting to learn even more about his character the longer the show sticks around.

"The more you stay with a character, the more you start to see the chinks in the armor, a bit of vulnerability," he told Vestal Mag in 2022. "Benedict is no exception this season, no matter how blasé he seems to want to be."

I love seeing how Benedict isn't afraid to be his goofy self, and how much he looks out for his siblings (particularly Eloise, which is my favorite relationship on the show!), but things might change once he really, truly falls in love. I don't think Sophie will make him act any less himself, but I'm excited to see how she brings out different parts of his personality we haven't seen yet — and emphasizes the aspects we know and love.

Check out our Bridgerton season 3 interview for more news on your favorite show, and see if the Bridgerton World Tour is coming to a city near you!

Lead image via Netflix