Cuba Gooding, Jr.

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Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Image:CubaGoodingJr.jpg
Born January 2 1968 (1968-01-02) (age 41)
The Bronx, New York
Spouse(s) Sara Kapfer (1994-present)

Cuba Gooding, Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an Academy Award-winning American actor.

Contents

[edit] Personal life

Gooding was born in The Bronx, New York, the son of Shirley, a singer with the Sweethearts, and Cuba Gooding, Sr., a lead vocalist of soul group The Main Ingredient.[1] He has a brother, fellow actor, Omar Gooding. His family moved to Los Angeles after Gooding, Sr.'s music group had a hit single with "Everybody Plays the Fool" in 1972; the elder Gooding abandoned his family two years later. He became a born-again Christian at age 13.[2] Gooding was raised by his mother and attended four different high schools (including North Hollywood High School, Tustin High School, Apple Valley High School, and John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills in Los Angeles). He served as class president in three of them. During his appearance on the The Howard Stern Show, Gooding, Jr. revealed that after his father had left, his family lived in hotels throughout Los Angeles.

Gooding has been married to Sara Kapfer since 1994; the two have known each other since 1986. Together, they have three children: sons Spencer Gooding, born in 1994 and Mason Gooding, born in 1996; and a daughter, Piper Gooding, born in 2005.

[edit] Career

Gooding first appeared in a commercial for the clothing line Bugle Boy during the 1980's. His first major film role was in director John Singleton's 1991 film, Boyz N The Hood, a well-reviewed film about inner city youths. Prior to this, he had appeared in many TV shows, including a recurring role on MacGyver. He also had a very minor part in the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America.

Following the success of Boyz N The Hood, he was cast in a series of roles, both leading and supporting, including the 1996 film, Jerry Maguire, for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Gooding Produced The murder mystery A Murder of Crows with longtime friend and partner Derek Broes and the movie has gained cult status among murder mystery buffs. Gooding's subsequent career has included box office successes like Men of Honor (2000), Snow Dogs (2002), and a supporting role as Navy Cross awardee Dorie Miller in the 2001 film, Pearl Harbor.

In 2006, Gooding appeared in the crime drama Dirty, which received a limited theatrical release, as well as the direct-to-DVD, 24-esque political drama End Game playing a Secret Service agent who uncovers a conspiracy after a presidential assassination. He hosted the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards.[3] After a string of comedies that were mostly disliked by critics, Gooding has vowed to never appear in another comedy, saying that he "thought people wanted me to make them laugh, but I was wrong on so many levels. I try to take all my energy and take it into comedy, and that's when I'm terrible".[4] Since that statement in March 2006, Gooding appeared in two comedy films in 2007: Norbit and Daddy Day Camp. He also currently appears in advertisements for Hanes underwear with former NBA star Michael Jordan.

[edit] Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1988 Coming to America Barber Shop Customer
1989 Judgement Officer Alvarez
Sing Stanley
1991 Boyz n the Hood Tré Styles
1992 Gladiator Abraham Lincoln Haines
A Few Good Men Cpl. Carl Hammaker
1993 Daybreak Torch (Stephen Tolkin)
Judgment Night Mike Peterson
1994 Lightning Jack Ben Doyle
1995 Outbreak Maj. Salt
Losing Isaiah Eddie Hughes
1996 Jerry Maguire Rod Tidwell Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - Golden Globe
1997 As Good as It Gets Frank Sachs
Do Me a Favor Liquor Store Clerk
1998 What Dreams May Come Albert Lewis
A Murder of Crows Lawson Russel Produced by Derek Broes
1999 Instinct Theo Caulder
Chill Factor Arlo
2000 Men of Honor BM2/Chief/Senior Chief Carl Brashear
2001 Pearl Harbor Petty Officer Doris Miller
Rat Race Owen Templeton
In the Shadows Draven
2002 Snow Dogs Dr. Ted Brooks
2003 Boat Trip Jerry Robinson
The Fighting Temptations Darrin Hill
Radio James Robert "Radio" Kennedy
2004 Home on the Range Buck voice-over
2005 Dirty Salim Adel
Shadowboxer Mikey
2006 End Game Alex Thomas
Lightfield's Home Videos
2007 Norbit Deion Hughes
What Love Is Tom
Daddy Day Camp Charlie Hinton
American Gangster Leroy "Nicky" Barnes
The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends Loofah voice-over
direct-to-video
2008 Linewatch Michael Dixon post-production
Harold T. Sean Shannon post-production
Hero Wanted Liam Case post-production
The Way of War filming
Awards
Preceded by
Kevin Spacey
for The Usual Suspects
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
1996
for Jerry Maguire
Succeeded by
Robin Williams
for Good Will Hunting

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Cuba Gooding Jr.
  1. ^ Gaul, Lou. Cuba Gooding Jr. talks 'Daddy Day Camp' . Phillyburbs.com. 7 August 2007.
  2. ^ Williams, Kam. CUBA GOODING, JR: The Daddy Day Camp Interview with Kam Williams. Eurweb.com. 15 August 2007.
  3. ^ Emmons, Natasha. Same themes, new dreams. Variety.com. 23 February 2006.
  4. ^ Movie Snippets: Jane Austen Biopic, 'Transamerica' & Cuba Gooding Jr.. Star Pulse.com. 2 March 2006.

[edit] External links

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