Cuba Gooding Jr.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: January 2, 1968

Age: 55 years old

Birth Place: Bronx, New York

Children: Mason Gooding

An energetic performer who inexplicably countered critically acclaimed dramatic performances with buffoonish comedies, Cuba Gooding, Jr. experienced both serious highs and embarrassing lows in his uneven career. After starting his career as a backup break dancer for Lionel Ritchie at the 1984 Olympic Games, Gooding forged ahead with an acting career with several brief film and television appearances before showing early talent with his subtle portrayal of a bright youth being led down a dangerous path in "Boyz N the Hood" (1991). The role earned him serious consideration from Hollywood, though he failed to take advantage of his newfound clout. For the next few years, he languished in forgettable movies like "Lightning Jack" (1994) and "Outbreak" (1995) before finally striking Oscar gold with his highly infectious performance as an arrogant football star in the winning "Jerry Maguire" (1996). But like "Boyz," Gooding failed to seize the moment, choosing instead to star in "Snow Dogs" (2002), "Boat Trip" (2002) and "Daddy Day Camp" (2007). Though he received strong critical attention for his performances in "As Good As It Gets" (1998), "Radio" (2003) and "American Crime Story" (FX 2016- ), Gooding still had work to do in living up to his early promise.

Credits

The Tuskegee Airmen

Actor
Billy Roberts
TV Show
2023

Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace

Actor
Balthazar
Movie
2023

Life in a Year

Actor
Xavier
Movie
2020

Bayou Caviar

Actor
Rodney Jones
Movie
2018

Bayou Caviar

Director
Movie
2018

Bayou Caviar

Screenwriter
Movie
2018

Access

Guest
TV Show
2017

Access Live

Guest
TV Show
2017

Trailblazers

Guest
TV Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
TV Show
2017

American Horror Story: Roanoke

Actor
Dominic Banks/Matt Miller
TV Show
2016

Harry

Guest
TV Show
2016

John Bishop: In Conversation With

Guest
TV Show
2016

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime StoryStream

Actor
O.J. Simpson
TV Show
2016

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2016

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
TV Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
TV Show
2015

EmpireStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2015
84%

The Book of NegroesStream

Actor
Sam Fraunces
TV Show
2015
100%

ForeverStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2014
57%

The Meredith Vieira Show

Guest
TV Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
TV Show
2014

SelmaStream

Actor
Fred Gray
Movie
2014
99%

Freedom

Actor
Samuel Woodward
Movie
2014

The Arsenio Hall Show

Guest
TV Show
2013

Lee Daniels' The Butler: A Time of Change

Guest Star
TV Show
2013

Life of a King

Actor
Eugene Brown
Movie
2013

Machete Kills

Actor
El Camaleon 2
Movie
2013

Absolute Deception

Actor
John Nelson
Movie
2013

Summoned

Actor
Detective Callendar
Movie
2013

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Actor
Carter Wilson
Movie
2013

Katie

Guest
TV Show
2012

Steve Harvey

Guest
TV Show
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
TV Show
2012

Red Tails

Actor
Major Emanuelle Stance
Movie
2012

Firelight

Actor
Dwayne Johnson
Movie
2012

One in the Chamber

Actor
Ray Carver
Movie
2012

Piers Morgan Tonight

Guest
TV Show
2011

Ticking Clock

Actor
Lewis Hicks
Movie
2011

Sacrifice

Actor
John Hebron
Movie
2011

The Hit List

Actor
Jonas Arbor
Movie
2011

ConanStream

Guest
TV Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
TV Show
2010

Talk Stoop

Guest
TV Show
2010

ES.TV

Guest
TV Show
2009

The Dr. Oz Show

Guest
TV Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
TV Show
2009

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

Actor
Ben Carson
Movie
2009

The Devil's Tomb

Actor
Mack
Movie
2009

Lies & Illusions

Actor
Isaac Kahn
Movie
2009

Wrong Turn at Tahoe

Actor
Joshua
Movie
2009

Hardwired

Actor
Luke Gibson
Movie
2009

AFI's 10 Top 10

Guest
TV Show
2008

Harold

Actor
Cromer
Movie
2008

Harold

Producer
Movie
2008

Linewatch

Actor
Michael Dixon
Movie
2008

Hero Wanted

Actor
Liam Case
Movie
2008

The Way of War

Actor
David Wolfe
Movie
2008

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
TV Show
2007

American GangsterStream

Actor
Nicky Barnes
Movie
2007
81%

Norbit

Actor
Deion Hughes
Movie
2007

Daddy Day Camp

Actor
Charlie Hinton
Movie
2007

The Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends

Voice
Loofah
Movie
2007

Our World With Black Enterprise

Guest
TV Show
2006

End Game

Actor
Alex Thomas
Movie
2006

What Love Is

Actor
Tom
Movie
2006

Made in Hollywood

Guest
TV Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
TV Show
2005

Shadowboxer

Actor
Mikey
Movie
2005

Dirty

Actor
Salim Adel
Movie
2005

Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle

Actor
TV Show
2004

The Insider

Guest
TV Show
2004

Home on the RangeStream

Voice
Buck
Movie
2004
52%

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
TV Show
2003

Boat Trip

Actor
Jerry
Movie
2003

Radio

Actor
Radio
Movie
2003

The Fighting Temptations

Actor
Darrin Hill
Movie
2003

Dr. PhilStream

Guest
TV Show
2002

Snow Dogs

Actor
Ted
Movie
2002

Pearl Harbor

Actor
Doris "Dorie" Miller
Movie
2001

Rat Race

Actor
Owen Templeton
Movie
2001

In the Shadows

Actor
Draven
Movie
2001

106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live

Actor
TV Show
2000

Men of Honor

Actor
Carl Brashear
Movie
2000

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
TV Show
1999

Instinct

Actor
Theo Caulder
Movie
1999

Chill Factor

Actor
Arlo
Movie
1999

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
TV Show
1998

What Dreams May Come

Actor
Albert Lewis
Movie
1998

A Murder of Crows

Actor
Lawson Russell
Movie
1998

A Murder of Crows

Producer
Movie
1998

Welcome to Hollywood

Self
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
TV Show
1997

As Good as It GetsStream

Actor
Frank Sachs
Movie
1997
86%

Trading Favors

Actor
Liquor Store Clerk
Movie
1997

Le Monde merveilleux de Disney

Actor
TV Show
1996

Jerry MaguireStream

Actor
Rod Tidwell
Movie
1996
84%

OutbreakStream

Actor
Maj. Salt
Movie
1995
59%

Losing IsaiahStream

Actor
Eddie Hughes
Movie
1995
45%

The Tuskegee Airmen

Actor
Billy Roberts
Movie
1995

Extra

Guest
TV Show
1994

Inside the Actors Studio

Guest
TV Show
1994

Lightning Jack

Actor
Ben Doyle
Movie
1994

Terror Bajo Tierra

Actor
Movie
1993

Daybreak

Actor
Torch
Movie
1993

Judgment Night

Actor
Mike Peterson
Movie
1993

Noche Infernal

Actor
Movie
1993

Amanecer Sin Futuro

Actor
Movie
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
TV Show
1992

Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story

Actor
Tyree
Movie
1992

Gladiator

Actor
Abraham Lincoln Haines
Movie
1992

A Few Good MenStream

Actor
Cpl. Carl Hammaker
Movie
1992
84%

Hitz

Actor
Officer Alvarez
Movie
1992

Los Chicos de la Calle

Actor
Movie
1991

Boyz N the HoodStream

Actor
Tre Styles
Movie
1991
96%

MacGyverStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1985

Growing PainsStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1985

227Stream

Guest Star
TV Show
1985

Good Morning America

Guest
TV Show
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
TV Show
1975

Sesame StreetStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1969

TodayStream

Guest
TV Show
1952

News about
Cuba Gooding Jr.