Lip Reader Reveals Whoopi Goldberg’s Blunt Response After Demi Moore Asked for a Photo at the Oscars

Nostalgia hit the Oscars red carpet when two stars of Ghost reunited after 35 years, but not everything went according to plan when cameras captured Whoopi Goldberg‘s unexpected three-word refusal to her former co-star. The 97th Academy Awards witnessed numerous heartwarming reunions on March 2, including the much-anticipated encounter between Demi Moore, 62, and Goldberg, 69, whose paranormal romance film was a favorite of audiences back in 1990. As attendees and viewers celebrated this blast from the past, a professional lip reader decoded their exchange, revealing a surprisingly candid moment between the Hollywood veterans.

The interaction began warmly enough when Moore spotted Goldberg speaking with press representatives and approached her with a friendly “How are you?” According to professional lip reader NJ Hickling, who analyzed the conversation for The Mirror US, Goldberg responded with a simple “I’m fine” as the former co-stars reconnected on the star-studded walkway.

What transpired next caught fans’ attention. After their initial pleasantries, Moore apparently suggested they capture the nostalgic moment with a photograph. “Let’s get a photo,” Moore proposed, to which Goldberg initially seemed willing, reportedly responding, “Together, I’d like to.” However, as Moore suggested, “Let’s stand back,” Goldberg apparently delivered her straightforward rejection: “I don’t pose.”

Despite this minor awkwardness, the interaction remained cordial. Moore responded by reassuringly rubbing Goldberg’s shoulders and saying, “That’s okay,” demonstrating how their comfortable relationship remained intact despite the decades since their collaboration.

The unexpected reunion generated significant social media excitement, with numerous fans expressing amazement at how little the pair seemed to have aged since their award-winning film debuted 35 years earlier. The original supernatural romance, which also starred Patrick Swayze, earned Goldberg an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1991 for her memorable portrayal of psychic Oda Mae Brown.

Variety shared footage of the encounter on X, though their video didn’t capture the entire conversation. In their clip, Moore could be heard complimenting Goldberg on her appearance in her Christian Siriano ballgown, exclaiming that her former co-star looked “gorgeous.” Goldberg replied, “I feel kind of cute,” prompting Moore to say, “You do look kind of cute!”

For Moore, the evening carried particular significance as she attended with her first-ever Oscar nomination for her performance in The Substance. Despite being the bookmakers’ favorite, Moore ultimately lost the Best Actress award to 25-year-old Mikey Madison for her work in Anora.

The nomination represented a career milestone for Moore, who earlier this year delivered an emotional Golden Globe acceptance speech addressing past professional dismissals. “This is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor,” she revealed during that January ceremony, recounting how a producer had underestimated her three decades earlier by categorizing her as merely a “popcorn actress.”

“In those moments when we don’t think we’re smart enough or pretty enough or skinny enough or successful enough or basically just not enough, I had a woman say to me, ‘Just know, you will never be enough, but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick,’” Moore shared in her moving Globe speech.

The 2025 Oscars featured several other notable reunions, including Adrien Brody and Halle Berry recreating their famous 2003 kiss and Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal sharing a When Harry Met Sally moment.