Born:
January 02, 1968
in
The Bronx, New York
Best Known For:
His Oscar-winning performance in Jerry Maguire.
Early-life:
Cuba M Gooding Jr was born on January 2, 1968, in The Bronx, New York, the son of singers Shirley and Cuba Sr. He has two brothers, vocalist Tommy and fellow actor Omar. Gooding's father moved the family to Los Angeles in 1972, but left them shortly afterwards, and the children were raised by their mother alone. Gooding Jr got his first professional break as a dancer, and performed with Lionel Richie at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Olympic Games.
Career:
Bitten by the acting bug, Gooding Jr landed roles on TV shows such as Hill Street Blues and MacGyver in the late 1980s. In 1991, he landed a part in the film Boyz n the Hood, and it launched him on the road to stardom. Small but important roles in the likes of A Few Good Men and Lightning Jack led to bigger parts in Outbreak and Losing Isaiah. However, it was the 1996 smash Jerry Maguire, which saw him win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, that really put him on the map. Since then, his career has been patchy, with movies such as Pearl Harbor and Rat Race alongside meatier fare such as As Good As It Gets and American Gangster. He continues to be an in-demand actor.
Quote:
"I have never made a decision based on race and never will. I am admiring of my fellow peers, black film-makers and black actors and actresses. When Halle and Denzel won Oscars, I felt pride because I was black, but never did I analyse their win based on colour."
Trivia:
In 2013, Gooding Jr made his Broadway debut in The Trip to Bountiful.