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Quick Facts
- NAME: Cuba Gooding Jr.
- OCCUPATION: Actor
- BIRTH DATE: January 02, 1968 (Age: 45)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: The Bronx, New York
- Full Name: Cuba M. Gooding Jr.
- AKA: Cuba Gooding Jr.
- AKA: Cuba Gooding
- ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn
Best Known For
Cuba Gooding Jr. is an African-American actor who is best known for his Oscar-winning role in Cameron Crowe's film Jerry Maguire.
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Play NowCuba Gooding Jr. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:51, May 23, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549.
Cuba Gooding Jr. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549 [Accessed 23 May 2013].
"Cuba Gooding Jr." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 23 2013, 09:51 http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549.
"Cuba Gooding Jr.," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549 [accessed May 23, 2013].
"Cuba Gooding Jr.," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549 (accessed May 23, 2013).
Cuba Gooding Jr. [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 23] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549.
Cuba Gooding Jr., http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549 (last visited May 23, 2013).
Cuba Gooding Jr. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/cuba-gooding-jr-9542549. Accessed May 23, 2013.
Synopsis
Cuba Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in the Bronx, New York to the frontman of funk band The Main Ingredient. He landed a small role in the TV series Hill Street Blues and made his big screen debut in Coming to America. Two years later, Gooding played Tre Styles in Boyz 'N the Hood. In 1996, he won an Oscar for his supporting role in Jerry Maguire.
Contents
Early Life
Academy Award-winning actor Cuba M. Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in the Bronx, New York. The son of singers Cuba and Shirley Gooding, Cuba Gooding Jr. moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1972 after his father's pop group hit it big. Though he attended four different high schools, he managed to become class president at three of them and enjoyed performing in school plays. An agent discovered him during one of his performances, and Gooding began working steadily in commercials, eventually landing a small role in the dramatic series Hill Street Blues.
Acclaimed Actor
Inspired by his success, he enrolled in acting classes and made his big screen debut in 1988's Coming to America. Two years later, he was given an opportunity to show his acting talent as Tre Styles in Boyz 'N the Hood. More supporting roles followed, including a highly regarded performance in 1992's hit A Few Good Men. But it wasn't until his role as football player Rod "Show me the money" Tidwell in Cameron Crowe's acclaimed Jerry Maguire in 1996 that Gooding became a bona fide star. Showing great comedic talent and an electric screen presence that equaled, and some say surpassed, that of co-star Tom Cruise, Gooding won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance.
The acclaim lead to a number of roles in feature films, including As Good as It Gets (1997) alongside Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt and What Dreams May Come (1998) co-starring Robin Williams. In 1999, he appeared opposite Anthony Hopkins in Instinct and had a starring role in the action film Chill Factor.
Personal Life
Gooding is married to Sara Kapfer, whom he's known since high school, in 1994. They have two sons, Spencer and Mason.
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