Hollywood Shake-Up: SAG-AFTRA Denies Reports of Whoopi Goldberg’s Expulsion Amid ‘Toxic Behavior’ Backlash

By Lila Harper, Entertainment Correspondent November 8, 2025

LOS ANGELES — Rumors of Whoopi Goldberg’s expulsion from the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) exploded across social media Friday, with insiders allegedly citing her “extremist and toxic behavior” as the final straw. The 69-year-old The View co-host, a two-time Emmy winner and EGOT achiever, has long been a lightning rod for controversy— from Holocaust comparisons to defending Roman Polanski—but this whisper campaign marks a new low, pitting her against the very union she’s championed for decades.

The story broke on conservative Facebook pages and X (formerly Twitter), where a viral post from the “Support Our Police” page claimed Goldberg was booted for sowing “constant negativity and division” in Hollywood. “Screen Actors Guild expels Whoopi Goldberg for extremist views in stunning move,” the November 7 post declared, garnering over 5,000 shares and comments like “Finally, some accountability!” Screenshots of anonymous “insider” emails circulated, accusing her of alienating colleagues with “anti-Trump rants” on air and backstage bullying during SAG-AFTRA’s 2023 strike. One purported quote: “Her toxicity is killing morale—it’s time she goes.”

SAG-AFTRA swiftly debunked the tale in a terse statement Friday afternoon: “These reports are entirely false. Ms. Goldberg remains a valued member in good standing. We do not comment on internal matters or fabricated rumors.” Union president Fran Drescher, reached by phone, laughed off the drama: “Whoopi’s a fighter—inside and out. This is just noise from the fringes.” A source close to the guild confirmed no disciplinary action has been taken, attributing the hoax to a doctored image from a 2020 health plan protest where Goldberg criticized SAG-AFTRA cuts alongside Mark Hamill and Morgan Freeman.

The fake news taps into a well of real tensions. Goldberg’s tenure at ABC’s The View—now in its 29th season—has been a ratings juggernaut, averaging 2.5 million viewers amid the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike she vocally supported. Yet her hot takes, like equating Trump’s policies to “fascism” in October 2025 monologues, have drawn fire from conservative actors and beyond. During the strike, she explained The View‘s exemption under the Network Code, irking some who branded her a “hypocrite” for not walking off. “Whoopi you are an actress first. Join the strike… Don’t be a scab,” one fan tweeted in 2023, a sentiment echoed in Friday’s pile-on.

Goldberg’s history with SAG-AFTRA is storied but stormy. She joined in 1983 after The Color Purple, becoming a vocal advocate—rallying for health plan reforms in 2020 and blasting AI “actresses” like Tilly Norwood in September 2025 alongside Emily Blunt. “Creativity should remain human-centered,” she said on The View, aligning with the guild’s post-strike AI safeguards. But critics within the union have whispered about her “divisiveness,” especially after a 2024 spat where she called co-host Sara Haines’ phone ring during a strike speech “rude.”

The expulsion hoax arrives amid Hollywood’s post-strike reckoning. SAG-AFTRA’s 2023 deal—securing residuals and AI protections—has stabilized the industry, but internal fractures linger. A guild survey last month showed 62% of members frustrated with “political activism” overshadowing contract fights. Goldberg, ever the provocateur, doubled down Friday on Instagram: “Expelled? Honey, I’ve been excommunicated before. Lies don’t scare me—truth does the work.” Her post, featuring a clip from Ghost, hit 1.2 million views in hours.

Social media amplified the misinformation. On X, #WhoopiExpelled trended with 120,000 posts, split between MAGA cheers—”Good riddance to the race-baiter!”—and liberal defenses: “This is what happens when you speak truth to power.” Conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro retweeted the hoax: “Even her own guild can’t take the toxicity anymore.” By evening, fact-checkers like Snopes labeled it “false,” tracing the origin to a satirical Facebook meme that snowballed.

Goldberg’s allies rallied. Joy Behar tweeted: “Whoopi’s the heart of The View—and Hollywood. Haters gonna hate.” Fran Drescher added: “She’s family. Rumors are the real toxin.” ABC insiders say her contract—renewed through 2027—is ironclad, with ratings up 15% post-election.

This isn’t Goldberg’s first brush with cancellation. Suspended from The View in 2022 for Holocaust remarks, she returned stronger, earning a Peabody. “I’ve survived worse than fake news,” she quipped in a Variety interview last year. As SAG-AFTRA eyes 2026 contract talks, the episode underscores Hollywood’s fragility: In an industry of stars, one woman’s shine can eclipse the set.

Politically incorrect truth: Goldberg’s “extremist” label is code for “unfiltered Black woman with opinions”—a trope as old as Hollywood itself. If toxicity means calling out bigotry, then expel half the town. The real division? Bots and bad actors peddling hoaxes to troll a trailblazer. SAG-AFTRA’s right to stand by her: Unions protect the messy, not the milquetoast. As Whoopi might say, “Rise above the bullshit—or step in it.”