Oprah Winfrey Reveals Complex Relationship With Mother And Recalls Church Incident, Says 'I Couldn't Think...'

Oprah Winfrey talks about the church incident when she reflected back on her childhood and relationship with her mother, Vernita Lee.

Written by Sakshi Shelke , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 18, 2025 | 06:01 PM IST | 25.4K

Oprah Winfrey (CC: Getty images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.

Oprah Winfrey truly is not afraid to show her vulnerable side. The Color Purple star recounted her past, stating that she once found it difficult to say any positive praises to her mother, Vernita Lee, who passed away in 2018 and who she was not reporteldy close with.

According to Mindfood outlet, Winfrey talked about it in a candid way on her-- The Oprah Podcast. The ex-talk show host and actress—who got emotional while discussing the complex relationship with her mother—stated that she was once asked to come to Church to “give all these accolades” about Vernita Lee as “it was important for her to be seen as religious in the community …”

Winfrey expressed, “And I couldn’t think of one thing.” The former talk show host recalled thinking that she did have a single memory. Winfrey reflected on the podcast that when the time arrived for her to speak about her mom, she “thought, ‘Well, what do I actually have to be grateful for?’ She didn’t abort me. She did the best that she knew.”

The actress stated, “The best that she knew was not enough to feed what I needed, was not enough to make me feel whole, was not enough to make me feel valued or seen or important to her."

Winfrey added that it wasn’t but it was the “best” Vernita Lee could do and Winfrey stopped hoping that it could have been anything else than what she had.

For the universe, Vernita Lee, who worked as a maid while bringing up three children, passed away at the age of 83 in 2018. She bid adieu to the world in her Milwaukee, Wisconsin home on Thanksgiving, per People magazine.