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Cuba Gooding Jr. | |
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File:Cuba Gooding Jr. 2012.jpg | |
Born | The Bronx, New York City, U.S. | January 2, 1968
Nationality | American |
Education | North Hollywood High School Tustin High School Apple Valley High School John F. Kennedy High School |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1986–present |
Known for | Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire O.J. Simpson in American Crime Story Radio in Radio |
Spouse | Sara Kapfer (m. 1994) |
Children | 3 |
Parents | Cuba Gooding Sr. Shirley Sullivan |
Awards | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Jerry Maguire (1996) |
Cuba Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in Boyz n the Hood (1991), his Academy Award–winning role as Rod Tidwell in Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire (1996), and his portrayal of O.J. Simpson in the FX drama series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016). He co-starred as actor Dominic Banks in the sixth season of the FX anthology series American Horror Story, subtitled Roanoke. He has also held roles in films such as As Good as It Gets (1997), American Gangster (2007), Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013), and Selma (2014), playing civil rights attorney Fred Gray.
Personal background[]
Gooding was born on January 2, 1968 in The Bronx, New York City.[1] His mother, Shirley (née Sullivan), is a singer with the Sweethearts, and his father, Cuba Gooding Sr., is a lead vocalist of the soul group The Main Ingredient.[2][3] Gooding has three siblings: April, Omar, and Tommy. His paternal grandfather, Dudley MacDonald Gooding, was a native of Barbados.[3] His family moved to Los Angeles in 1972 after his father's music group had their hit single "Everybody Plays the Fool"; two years later, the elder Gooding left the family. Gooding himself was raised by his mother and attended four different high schools: 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.[4] He became a born-again Christian at age 13.[5] In 1994, Gooding married his high school sweetheart, Sara Kapfer, with whom he has three children: Spencer, Mason, and Piper. In 2014, Kapfer filed for divorce from Gooding citing irreconcilable differences.[6]
Career[]
Early career and major success[]
Gooding's first job as an entertainer was as a breakdancer performing with singer Lionel Richie at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[2] After high school, Gooding studied Japanese martial arts for three years, before turning his focus toward acting. Early on, he landed guest starring roles on shows like Hill Street Blues (1981), Amen (1988) and MacGyver (1988, 1989 and 1990)[7] and also had a tiny part in the popular comedy Coming to America (1988). Gooding's first major role was in John Singleton's inner-city crime drama Boyz n the Hood (1991), in which he played the lead, Tré Styles. A box office surprise and critical hit, the film is now considered a modern classic.[8][9] He followed this success with supporting roles in major films such as A Few Good Men (1992), Judgment Night (1993), Lightning Jack (1994), and Outbreak (1995). In 1996, Gooding reached a new level of prominence when he was cast as an arrogant yet charismatic football player on the brink of a career-ending injury in Cameron Crowe's blockbuster dramatic sports comedy Jerry Maguire (1996) with co-star Tom Cruise, which was a major critical and commercial success and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Most significantly, it earned Gooding an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His exuberant "Show me the money!" line in the film became a nationwide catch phrase.[10] Additionally, his Oscar acceptance speech has often been cited for its enthusiasm.
Post-Oscar prominence[]
In 1997, Gooding followed his breakout with a notable supporting role in the acclaimed Academy Award-winning comedy As Good as It Gets (1997), but in the following years his career was inconsistently successful. Some of his best received performances include turns in films such as the mystical drama What Dreams May Come (1998) and the US Naval drama Men of Honor (2000), in which he played the lead role and co-starred with Robert De Niro. Gooding also received attention for his roles in the epic Pearl Harbor (2001) as historical figure Doris Miller, the ensemble farce Rat Race (2001), the musical The Fighting Temptations (2003) in which he co-starred alongside Beyoncé Knowles, and the football drama Radio (2003), in which he played the title role. Additionally, though not well received critically, the family comedy Snow Dogs (2002) was a commercial success. Other roles of note during this time include Theo Caulder in the psychological thriller Instinct (1999) and the voice of Buck in the Disney animated film Home on the Range (2004). However, during this stage of his career, he appeared in a series of films which were not critically or commercially successful, such as Chill Factor (1999), Boat Trip (2002), Norbit (2007) and Daddy Day Camp (2007), all of which had received extremely negative reviews and, with the exception of Norbit, performed poorly at the box office. On top of this, Gooding had allegedly turned down roles in successful films such as Amistad (1997) in the aftermath of his Oscar win. Ultimately, neither his earlier successes nor his leading roles in a couple of smaller independent films, including Lee Daniels' directorial debut Shadowboxer (2005), were able to offset these failures.
Recent career[]
Since then, in great contrast to earlier stages of his acting career, Gooding has appeared in many more gritty, critically ignored, direct-to-DVD films than theatrical or television releases. A well received performance as Ben Carson in Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009) and a small supporting role in Ridley Scott's American Gangster (2007), both proved to be exceptions to this trend. Gooding's next major film role was in the 2012 World War II film Red Tails, produced by George Lucas. In 2013, Gooding had roles in several theatrical release films, including a well received supporting performance in Lee Daniels' The Butler and brief appearances in Don Jon and Machete Kills. He also made his Broadway theatre debut alongside Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams in a Tony Award-nominated production of The Trip to Bountiful.[11] In 2014, he appeared as Civil Rights Movement attorney Fred Gray in the widely acclaimed historical drama Selma. He has since appeared much more frequently on television than in the past, including performances as Samuel Fraunces in the miniseries The Book of Negroes, as a comedically embellished version of himself on Big Time in Hollywood, FL, and as O. J. Simpson in the anthology series American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson. Despite his performance receiving mixed reviews,[12][13][14] he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
Other work[]
In 2012, he starred in a TV pilot for Fox called Guilty that was directed by McG. Though it was well received in screenings, it was ultimately not picked up by the network. He appeared on Channel 4's Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on August 5, 2011, closing the show dueting "Bad Romance" with Lulu. In 2002, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gooding starred in a video game called The Quest For The Code. [15]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Coming to America | Boy Getting Haircut | |
1989 | Sing | Stanley | |
1991 | Boyz n the Hood | Tre Styles | Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor |
1992 | Gladiator | Abraham Lincoln Haines | |
1992 | A Few Good Men | Corporal. Carl Edward Hammaker | |
1993 | Judgment Night | Mike Peterson | |
1994 | Lightning Jack | Ben Doyle | |
1994 | Blown Away | Bomb Squad Class Member | Cameo |
1995 | Outbreak | Maj. Salt | Nominated – Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture |
1995 | Losing Isaiah | Eddie Hughes | |
1996 | Jerry Maguire | Rod Tidwell | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Comedy/Romance Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated – Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture |
1997 | As Good as It Gets | Frank Sachs | Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture |
1998 | What Dreams May Come | Albert Lewis | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Drama/Romance Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture |
1998 | A Murder of Crows | Lawson Russell | Also producer |
1999 | Cruel Intentions | Samuel Hargrove | |
1999 | Instinct | Theo Caulder | |
1999 | Chill Factor | Arlo | |
2000 | Men of Honor | BM2/Chief/Senior Chief Carl Brashear | Nominated – BET Award for Best Actor Nominated – Black Reel Award: Best Actor Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture |
2001 | Pearl Harbor | Petty Officer Doris Miller | |
2001 | Rat Race | Owen Templeton | |
2001 | In the Shadows | Draven | |
2001 | Zoolander | Himself | Cameo |
2002 | Snow Dogs | Dr. Theodore "Ted" Brooks, D.D.S. | |
2002 | Boat Trip | Jerry Robinson | Nominated – Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
2003 | The Fighting Temptations | Darrin Hill | |
2003 | Radio | James Robert "Radio" Kennedy | Camie Award for Best Cast NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Nominated – Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
2004 | Home on the Range | Buck the Domestic Horse | Voice |
2005 | Shadowboxer | Mikey | Nominated – Black Movie Award for Best Actor |
2005 | Dirty | Salim Adel | |
2006 | End Game | Alex Thomas | |
2007 | Norbit | Deion Hughes | Nominated – Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
2007 | Daddy Day Camp | Charles "Charlie" Hinton | Nominated – Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
2007 | What Love Is | Tom | |
2007 | American Gangster | Nicky Barnes | Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
2007 | The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends | Loofah the Beipiaosaurus | Voice Direct-to-DVD |
2008 | Hero Wanted | Liam Case | Direct-to-DVD |
2008 | Harold | Cromer | Also producer |
2008 | Linewatch | Michael Dixon | Direct-to-DVD |
2009 | The Way of War | David Wolfe | Direct-to-DVD |
2009 | The Devil's Tomb | Mack | Direct-to-DVD |
2009 | Lies & Illusions | Isaac | Direct-to-DVD |
2009 | Hardwired | Luke Gibson | Direct-to-DVD |
2009 | Wrong Turn at Tahoe | Joshua | Direct-to-DVD |
2011 | Ticking Clock | Lewis Hicks | Direct-to-DVD |
2011 | Sacrifice | Detective John Hebron | Direct-to-DVD |
2011 | The Hit List | Jonas Arbor | Direct-to-DVD |
2012 | Red Tails | Major Emanuel Stance | |
2012 | One in the Chamber | Ray Carver | Direct-to-DVD |
2013 | Don Jon | Hollywood Actor #2 | Cameo |
2013 | Absolute Deception | John Nelson | Direct-to-DVD |
2013 | Life of a King | Eugene Brown | |
2013 | The Butler | Carter Wilson | Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture |
2013 | Machete Kills | El Camaleón | |
2014 | Freedom | Samuel | Also executive producer |
2014 | Selma | Fred Gray |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Better Days | Bully | Episode: "Wooly Bully" |
1987 | Hill Street Blues | 2nd Gang Member / Ethan Dillon | 2 episodes |
1988 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Paul | Episode: "No Means No" |
1988 | Amen | Kenny | Episode: "Thelma's Handyman" |
1989–91 | MacGyver | Billy Colton | 4 episodes |
1993 | Daybreak | Torch (Stephen Tolkin) | Television film |
1995 | The Tuskegee Airmen | Billy Roberts | Television film Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special |
1999 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "Cuba Gooding Jr./Ricky Martin" |
2009 | Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story | Ben Carson | Television film NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
2012 | Firelight | Dwayne Johnson (DJ) | Television film NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special |
2012 | Guilty | William "Billy" Remz | Pilot |
2015 | Empire | Dwayne "Puma" Robinson | Episode: "The Devil Quotes Scripture" |
2015 | The Book of Negroes | Samuel Fraunces | 2 episodes |
2015 | Big Time in Hollywood, FL | Himself | 6 episodes |
2015 | Forever | Isaac Monroe | 3 episodes |
2016 | American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson |
O. J. Simpson | 10 episodes Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Movie/Limited Series Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Pending—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special |
2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Matt Miller | 5 episodes |
Dominic Banks | 5 episodes |
Stage[]
Year | Title | Role | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | The Trip to Bountiful | Ludie Watts | Stephen Sondheim Theatre |
References[]
- ↑ "Biography".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gaul, Lou (August 7, 2008). "Cuba Gooding Jr. talks 'Daddy Day Camp'". Phillyburbs. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 [1][dead link]
- ↑ "Cuba Gooding Jr Bio: movies.yahoo.com". Yahoo.com. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ↑ Williams, Kam (August 15, 2007). "Cuba Gooding: The Daddy Day Camp Interview with Kam Williams". Kamwilliams. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ↑ Lee, Ken; Rouse, Wade (April 23, 2014). "Cuba Gooding Jr. Separates from Wife". People Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ↑ "Billy Colton (Character) from "MacGyver" (1985)". IMDb.com. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ↑ Barboza, Craigh (January 1, 2009). John Singleton: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604731163.
- ↑ Company, Johnson Publishing (November 1, 1998). Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company.
- ↑ "Cuba Gooding Jr". Vibe. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009. Unknown parameter
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ↑ Busis, Hillary (December 20, 2012). "Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams head to Broadway | PopWatch | EW.com". Popwatch.ew.com. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ↑ Schilling, Dave. "The People v OJ Simpson: episode one – great casting, with one exception".
- ↑ Starr, Michael. "Cuba Gooding Jr. has made despicable O.J. Simpson boring". Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ↑ McGovern, Joe. "In defense of Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson". Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Cuba Gooding Jr". Lodi News-Sentinel. Associated Press. January 18, 2002. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cuba Gooding Jr.. |
- Template:Str rightmost/ Cuba Gooding Jr. on IMDb
- Cuba Gooding Jr. at the Internet Broadway Database
- Cinema Confidential interview (January 2002)
- Hollywood.com interview (November 9, 2000)
- Jet interview (October 11, 1999)
- Ebony interview (June 1997)
- JAM! Movies interview (December 13, 1996)
- Hanes Backstage Game with Cuba Gooding Jr. & Michael Jordan (July 2007)
- USAToday
- Jezebel