Over the course of her climb to the Hollywood A-List, Whoopi Goldberg has worn many hats: stand-up comedian, Broadway star, screen actress and daytime television host. But before her breakout role in a Steven Spielberg film, she was a young mom hopping around the country, taking odd jobs and doing avant-garde theater.

This week on Making, we chart Whoopi Goldberg’s winding path to stardom, from living off $64 a month in welfare, to taking the Broadway stage with her one-woman show. Host Brandon Pope chats with her first theater partners, her first director and her first stage manager to discover who Whoopi was when she was just a wide-eyed talent waiting to be discovered.

“The first time I saw her, I knew she was going to make it,” said William Farley, the director for her first on-screen performance. “She was an original. And an original, they become seen.”

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