Amarah Skye Dean (born November 13, 1989) is an American visual artist, painter, and reality television personality. She is the daughter of actress Alex Martin and the granddaughter of EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg.
Dean gained wide public attention in 2022 as a contestant on ABC’s Claim to Fame.
Who is Amarah Dean?
Amarah Dean is an American visual artist known for creating graffiti-influenced abstract paintings and for competing on ABC’s reality series Claim to Fame in 2022.
She is the eldest daughter of actress and producer Alex Martin and the granddaughter of comedian, actress, and talk show host Whoopi Goldberg.
She shares her birthday, November 13, with her grandmother Whoopi.
That shared birthday has always been a touchstone in their relationship. Amarah has spoken publicly about how close she is with Whoopi, describing her as “everything” in an interview with Essence magazine in 2023.
Despite her famous family, she has consistently pursued her own career as a painter and has kept her personal life largely private.
Early Life of Amarah Dean
Amarah Skye Dean was born on November 13, 1989, in Berkeley, California. She grew up in the United States as the eldest child of Alex Martin, the only daughter of Whoopi Goldberg.
Her mother, Alex Martin, was only 16 years old at the time of Amarah’s birth.
Amarah has two younger siblings from her mother’s long relationship with Bernard Dean. Her sister is Jerzey Dean, a fashion designer, and her brother is Mason Dean. The three siblings grew up in a household shaped by the entertainment and creative world surrounding their family.
Amarah’s grandmother Whoopi became a grandmother at age 34. Their multigenerational dynamic, with women raising children young, has been something Amarah has reflected on in interviews.
Her biological father’s identity has not been publicly confirmed.
Amarah Dean Age
Amarah Dean is 36 years old as of June 29, 2026, born on November 13, 1989. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
She held her first solo art show in July 2022, the same month Claim to Fame premiered on ABC.
Since then, she has continued painting and building her creative identity outside of her family’s public profile.
Amarah Dean Ethnicity and Nationality
Amarah Dean holds American nationality and was born in Berkeley, California. She is African-American.
Her grandmother, Whoopi Goldberg, is one of the most recognized African-American performers in entertainment history.
Amarah has spoken publicly about creating art that speaks directly to the experiences of women, and particularly Black women, reflecting a cultural perspective that runs through her work.
Amarah Dean Height and Weight
Amarah Dean stands at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 meters) tall. Her exact weight has not been publicly confirmed.
Her height and striking appearance have made her a natural presence on screen.
She carries herself with a composed, confident manner that translated well to the social dynamics of Claim to Fame, where personality and composure were as important as strategy.
Amarah Dean Career
Life as a Visual Artist
Before her reality television appearance, Amarah Dean built an independent identity as a visual artist. Her work blends graffiti-inspired techniques with abstract painting, drawing on influences including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Patrick Martinez, and Georgia O’Keeffe.
She shares her paintings on Instagram under the handle @skeezydoesit.
In July 2022, she mounted her first solo art exhibition, timed to coincide with her public debut on Claim to Fame. The show displayed her graffiti and abstract paintings and introduced her work to an audience beyond her existing social media following.
Dean told Essence in 2023 that she wanted her art to speak to women, and specifically to Black women. Her art career predates her television appearance and reflects a deliberate choice to develop a skill set completely independent of her family’s entertainment legacy.
In 2018, she spoke publicly about having considered acting as a career path at one point, but ultimately decided against it. She later told an interviewer that she felt she wasn’t suited to it and turned instead to painting.
Claim to Fame
In 2022, Amarah Dean joined the cast of Claim to Fame on ABC. The series, hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas, brought together 12 contestants who are relatives of celebrities. Contestants competed in challenges while trying to keep their famous relative’s identity hidden from one another.
The premiere episode aired on July 11, 2022.
Amarah told interviewers that she almost didn’t join the show after receiving an initial contact through a direct message on social media. She decided to participate after consulting with her grandmother, who advised her to “be a strong b—- and come back happy.” Whoopi’s blessing was the deciding factor.
On the show, Amarah created a memorable moment by telling fellow contestants that her famous relative had won an adult film award, deflecting from the truth. Her wit and confidence made her one of the more entertaining personalities in the first season.
She was ultimately eliminated during the August 22, 2022 episode when fellow contestant Lark correctly guessed that her celebrity relative was Whoopi Goldberg. Amarah reacted with characteristic bluntness as she walked out of the house.
Recent Projects
Amarah Dean co-hosts the podcast The Amara and Rose Show, which she launched following her Claim to Fame appearance. The podcast has allowed her to continue building an audience through a format more consistent with her personality-driven, conversational style.
She has also continued selling her paintings and building her visual art practice.
Her social media presence, anchored around her Instagram handle @skeezydoesit, gives fans direct access to her art and personal updates.
Amarah Dean Husband
Amarah Dean is married to Chris Dean. The couple met in 2012 and married in 2013 in a private ceremony.
Chris has kept a very low public profile since the couple began receiving media attention through Amarah’s connection to Whoopi Goldberg.
Despite the public nature of Amarah’s family background, the couple has maintained privacy around the details of their relationship and shared life.
Amarah Dean Children
Amarah Dean and Chris Dean welcomed a daughter named Charli Rose in March 2014. Charli’s birth made Whoopi Goldberg a great-grandmother at the age of 58.
Whoopi introduced Charli Rose to her fans on Instagram on April 1, 2014, sharing a video of herself bottle-feeding the newborn.
Whoopi has spoken warmly about Charli in public, noting that she insisted the baby call her “Whoopi” rather than “great-grandma.” Charli does.
Amarah Dean Net Worth
Amarah Dean’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026. Her income sources include original painting sales, the podcast, and prior media appearances.
Her work as a visual artist predates her television profile and represents a long-term creative investment.
While she has not pursued major film or television acting roles, her platform has grown steadily since Claim to Fame aired in 2022.
Amarah Dean Social Media
Amarah Dean is active on Instagram, where she posts her paintings and personal updates. Her handle is @skeezydoesit, and the account has served as her main creative portfolio for years.
She used Instagram long before her appearance on Claim to Fame to share her visual art and connect with followers interested in abstract and graffiti-influenced painting.
Her grandmother Whoopi Goldberg has also referenced and shared Amarah’s work on social media, giving her art additional visibility beyond her own following.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amarah Dean’s net worth?
Amarah Dean’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026, earned through art sales, podcasting, and media appearances.
How old is Amarah Dean?
Amarah Dean is 36 years old as of June 2026, born on November 13, 1989.
Who is Amarah Dean married to?
Amarah Dean is married to Chris Dean. The couple wed in 2013 and have a daughter named Charli Rose.
What is Amarah Dean’s height?
Amarah Dean stands at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 meters) tall.
What is Amarah Dean known for?
Amarah Dean is known as the granddaughter of Whoopi Goldberg and for competing on ABC’s Claim to Fame in 2022. She is also an independent visual artist who works in graffiti and abstract styles.
Where was Amarah Dean born?
Amarah Dean was born in Berkeley, California, on November 13, 1989.
The Bottom Line
Amarah Dean appeared on ABC’s Claim to Fame in 2022, competing under the alias Amara Skye while hiding her connection to Whoopi Goldberg from her fellow housemates. She mounted her first solo art exhibition the same month the show premiered.
She grew up in Berkeley, California, as the eldest child of actress Alex Martin, and shares a birthday with her grandmother Whoopi. Amarah has said publicly that she deliberately avoided acting to build a creative identity separate from her famous family.
Dean co-hosts the podcast The Amara and Rose Show and continues to sell original paintings through her Instagram account @skeezydoesit. Her daughter Charli Rose, born in 2014, made Whoopi Goldberg a great-grandmother.
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