Whoopi Goldberg recalls “Sister Act” costar Maggie Smith comforting her all night after mother’s death

"She is one of those people for whom I would do anything," Goldberg says in her new memoir, "Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother and Me."

Even though it’s been three decades since they last shared the screen, Whoopi Goldberg is still singing Maggie Smith’s praises.

In her new memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, Goldberg writes of the heartbreaking moment where she learned of her mother’s death — and reveals how her Sister Act costar stepped up to help her cope amidst the grief.

At the time, Goldberg was in London for the 2010 West End run of the Sister Act musical, where she starred as Mother Superior. Smith, who originated the role in the movie, was attending the show with friends and stopped by the dressing room for a quick chat. The conversation halted when Goldberg got a life-changing call from her brother, Clyde.

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"I’ll get on the first plane I can find," Goldberg said, after learning that her mother, Emma, had died of a stroke. Her brother replied, "Don’t rush. She’s not here anymore. It’s okay, Sis."

Goldberg then apologized to Smith for having to fly home so soon.

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"I’m sure I was walking around in a dazed circle,” Goldberg recalled. "That’s when this magnificent woman, Dame Maggie Smith, went from being my backstage company to being my friend through the rest of the night. She decided she would stay with me until I was on my way to the airport."

A flight was arranged for the following morning and in the meantime, Smith didn’t leave Goldberg’s side.

"For the next five hours, Maggie sat with me and let me talk her ear off, telling stories about my mom, my growing-up years, and my brother. We laughed a lot,” she wrote. "I don’t know if I was in shock. I had never been in shock before. I don’t think I cried. I didn’t feel anything except a big wave of kindness from Maggie."

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She added, “ I’ve got to say, she is one of those people for whom I would do anything. Anything Maggie Smith needs, I got her covered.”

In 2020, Disney announced plans to produce Sister Act 3 as a streaming release on its Disney+ service. Goldberg has since kept fans updated on the film's progression on The View, sharing her personal hopes for the cast and inviting stars to be involved in the project.

But Goldberg has also made it explicitly clear that while she is willing to return for Sister Act 3, she can’t imagine doing it without Smith at her side.

"One of the things that I want to make sure I do while I'm here is I want to let Maggie Smith know that I'm holding the part of Mother Superior for you," the View co-host said directly to the camera, during an appearance on the British talk show Loose Women. "Because I just can't do it with anybody but you… We don't want to do it without you, Maggie."

Goldberg's Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me is out now.

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