Jan 2, 1968

The Bronx, New York, USA

Gooding, Jr.'s 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 as a customer in the barbershop scene.

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, ... ... (read more...) for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Cuba took his first shot at producing with long-time manager and partner Derek Broes. Broes and Gooding tapped long time friend Rowdy Herrington as the writer/director of the film A Murder of Crows. The film has gained cult status among murder mystery buffs. Broes later left Hollywood for the technology world and now sits in an executive chair at Microsoft Corporation.
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Gooding Jr.'s subsequent career has included box office successes like Men of Honor (2000), Snow Dogs (2002), and a supporting role as Navy Cross awardee Doris Miller in the 2001 film, Pearl Harbor.

In 2006, he 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 where he plays a Secret Service agent who uncovers a conspiracy after a presidential assassination.

He also hosted the 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards. Cuba has been married to schoolteacher Sara Kapfer since 1994, whom he has known since 1986; they have three children, Spencer, Mason, and Piper.