Who Is Alvin Martin? All About the Whoopi Goldberg’s First Husband

Many people know Whoopi Goldberg. She is a global star with a long career in movies, TV, comedy, and even on Broadway. But not many people know much about Alvin Martin, the man who played a very important role in the early years of her life. Their marriage was short, but it shaped both of their stories in powerful ways.

What makes Alvin Martin interesting is how private he has always been. While Whoopi became one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Alvin chose a quiet life far from cameras and interviews. Yet his name continues to come up because he is deeply connected to Whoopi’s early struggles, her recovery, and the start of her journey into fame.

This article takes a simple and clear look at who Alvin Martin is. We explore his early life, how he met Whoopi, their marriage, their daughter Alex, and how he became part of a big, multi-generational family.

Profile Summary: Alvin Martin

Early Life of Alvin Martin

When people talk about Alvin Martin, one of the first things they notice is how little he shares about his own life. Most public facts come from documents, old records, and stories connected to Whoopi Goldberg. Alvin was born in 1958, which makes him around 67 or 68 years old in 2026. His exact birthday is not public, and he prefers to keep it that way.

He was born in Merseyside, England, which is why some reports call him “Whoopi Goldberg’s British first husband.” Later, he moved to the United States and lived most of his adult life there. Even his ethnicity is confusing across different sources. Some older reports say he is White. Newer reports describe him as African American. Since Alvin never speaks publicly, these mixed details still remain.

His religion is listed as Christian, and he is known to have a simple, modest appearance. In older records, he is described as a kind, steady, and soft-spoken man. Some details say he stood around 5’8″, while others say 6 feet tall. Again, this shows how private and quiet Alvin has always been. There is no confirmed information about his parents, siblings, or early schooling.

But one thing is clear: by the early 1970s, Alvin Martin was living in Los Angeles and working in a job that would soon change his life forever — and also change Whoopi Goldberg’s life in a very big way.

How Alvin Started His Work as a Counselor

Before his name became connected to Whoopi Goldberg, Alvin Martin was known as a dedicated drug and substance-abuse counselor in Los Angeles. This was during a time when addiction treatment programs were very different from today. Counselors had to work closely with people who felt lost, scared, or alone. Alvin became one of those steady hands people trusted.

He helped young people understand their struggles and took the time to guide them. Many people in his field used simple, supportive methods to help patients face addiction step by step. Alvin was part of that caring community. He did not look for praise or trophies. He simply wanted to help people find a new start.

This job placed him right in the path of a teenage girl named Caryn Johnson — a girl who was trying to escape a dangerous addiction and who would later become known as Whoopi Goldberg.

How Alvin Martin Met Whoopi Goldberg

The story of how Alvin Martin and Whoopi Goldberg met is emotional and meaningful. It did not begin with romance. It began with survival. Whoopi, whose real name at the time was Caryn Elaine Johnson, was a teenager battling heroin addiction. She was homeless, scared, and unsure of what to do next.

Her friends staged an intervention and brought her to a rehab center in Los Angeles. Alvin was working there as a counselor. He was assigned to help her, listen to her, and guide her through recovery. This was not a simple job. Addiction recovery takes patience, kindness, and trust. Alvin became one of the first steady and supportive figures in Whoopi’s young life.

Over time, their counselor-patient bond grew deeper. They talked, they shared fears, and they built trust. Whoopi has said many times that Alvin was a key person in her recovery and that he helped save her life. This connection slowly turned into love, even if their lives were both difficult and uncertain at the time.

By 1972, Whoopi became pregnant with Alvin’s child. And by the next year, their stories were tied together in an even bigger way.

Alvin Martin’s Marriage to Whoopi Goldberg (1973–1979)

In 1973, when Whoopi was just 18 years old, she and Alvin Martin got married. This was long before she became a star. Their life together during the 1970s was anything but glamorous. It was tough, simple, and filled with moments of struggle. But it was also filled with moments of hope.

The couple lived in a small, one-room apartment. Money was so tight that they shared a single bed with their newborn daughter. They used food stamps, and Whoopi once said they only received $27 a week on welfare. Their car broke down often. Sometimes they would drive across the country in old, unreliable cars simply because that was all they could afford.

But despite all this, they kept going. Whoopi worked small jobs. Alvin worked as a counselor. They tried their best to build a life together. Their marriage lasted six years, and it remains the longest marriage Whoopi Goldberg ever had.

Becoming a Father to Alex Martin

A few months before their marriage, in May 1973, Whoopi gave birth to their daughter, Alexandrea “Alex” Martin. Alex would later become an important name of her own in the entertainment world. But in the early years, she grew up in the middle of her parents’ struggles.

Alex remembers their early life clearly. She once said that she grew up knowing what food stamps looked like because her mother framed her old welfare card. Alex remembers sharing a bed with her parents in a tiny room. She remembers long car trips in old cars that broke down. These moments shaped her, but they also brought her strong values like resilience and gratitude.

As Alex grew older, she discovered her own love for acting and storytelling. She later became an actress and producer, appearing in films like Sister Act 2, American Intellectuals, Call Me Claus, and more. She even became Miss Golden Globe in 1994, a special honor given to rising young Hollywood talent.

Their Divorce in 1979

By 1979, the marriage between Alvin Martin and Whoopi Goldberg came to an end. Their divorce did not include public fights or dramatic headlines. It was simply two people accepting that their paths were different.

Whoopi later explained that she married because she felt society expected her to. She believed that having a husband would make her seem “normal.” But she also admitted she was never truly in love, and she never felt comfortable sharing her space or her emotions that way.

After the divorce, Whoopi moved forward into a world that would soon make her famous. Alvin, on the other hand, stepped away from the spotlight almost completely. He did not give interviews. He did not appear in the media. And most reports say he never remarried.

Alvin’s Quiet Life After the Split

After the divorce, Alvin Martin slowly stepped away from public life. He did not give interviews, He did not appear in magazines, He did not stay around Hollywood events. Instead, he chose a very quiet and simple life, far away from cameras and attention. This made people even more curious about him, because he never tried to use Whoopi Goldberg’s fame to boost himself.

Most reports say Alvin stayed in the United States after the divorce. He lived a calm life and focused on peace and privacy. Some sources say he continued working as a counselor. Others say he might have retired. But no one knows for sure, because Alvin never shared these details with the public. He simply wanted a private life, and he succeeded.

Alvin’s Growing Family Over the Years

Even though Alvin Martin stayed out of the spotlight, his family did not. Through his daughter Alex, Alvin became part of a warm and growing family that is now full of kids, grandkids, and even great-grandkids.

His oldest grandchild is Amarah Skye, born in 1989. She is an artist and even appeared on the reality show Claim to Fame. Amarah later became a mom herself in 2014 when she gave birth to Charli Rose. This made Alvin a great-grandfather and Whoopi a great-grandmother.

Next came Jerzey, born in 1995. She graduated from the Academy of Art University. She is creative and stylish, and she often appears at events with her family. Alvin’s younger grandson, Mason, was born in 1998. Mason also welcomed a child of his own in December 2025 — a baby girl named Lotus Dean. This added another sweet little face to the family line.

How Alvin and Whoopi Stay Connected Today

Even though their marriage ended many years ago, Alvin Martin and Whoopi Goldberg remain connected through kindness and respect. On The View in 2024 and 2025, Whoopi shared that she still keeps friendly ties with Alvin. She said she values the people who were part of her early life, especially those who helped her through hard times. Alvin is one of those people.

She also said that she likes to stay on good terms with her ex-husbands because she believes that shared history matters. This does not mean they talk every day. But it means they are at peace, and they respect the journey they went through together.

Two Different Lives After Fame

One of the most interesting parts of this story is the contrast between Whoopi Goldberg’s life and Alvin Martin’s life. Whoopi is known around the world. She has won an EGOT — an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. She starred in The Color Purple, Ghost, Sister Act, Star Trek, and many more. She is on TV almost every day on The View. People recognize her everywhere she goes.

Alvin, however, chose the opposite path. He never wanted fame. He never used Whoopi’s name to become popular. While Whoopi appeared on red carpets, films, and talk shows, Alvin lived a quiet and private life in the background. This is rare today. Many people chase attention, but Alvin walked away from it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The story of Alvin Martin is simple, quiet, and very human. He helped Whoopi Goldberg during one of the darkest moments of her life. Alvin became her first husband and the father of her daughter, Alex. He lived through poverty, struggle, and hope with her long before she became famous.

After their divorce, he chose a peaceful life far from cameras and headlines. Yet his legacy continues through his daughter, his grandchildren, and now his great-grandchildren.

FAQs

1. How old is Alvin Martin now?

Alvin Martin was born in 1958, which makes him about 67–68 years old in 2026. His exact birthday has never been publicly shared.

2. What did Alvin Martin do for a living?

He worked as a drug and substance-abuse counselor in Los Angeles during the early 1970s. This job is how he met Whoopi Goldberg during her recovery.

3. Who are Alvin Martin’s children and family members?

Alvin has one daughter, Alexandrea “Alex” Martin, and through her he has three grandchildren — Amarah, Jerzey, and Mason — and two great-grandchildren, Charli Rose and Lotus Dean.

4. Is Alvin Martin still married today?

No. Alvin Martin divorced Whoopi Goldberg in 1979 and has never remarried, according to all available reports. He chose a private life away from the public.

5. What is Alvin Martin’s net worth?

His personal net worth is unknown because he never lived publicly. His ex-wife Whoopi Goldberg is worth around $60 million, and his daughter Alex Martin is valued at about $4 million.

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