Cuba Gooding Jr. Biography
Cuba Gooding Jr. born Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. is an American actor. After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in Boyz n the Hood (1991), he appeared in A Few Good Men (1992), The Tuskegee Airmen (1995), Outbreak (1995), and Jerry Maguire (1996), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and What Dreams May Come (1998).
He gained later fame for his roles in Men of Honor (2000) as Carl Brashear and in Michael Bay’s World War II epic Pearl Harbor (2001) as Doris Miller. His other films include As Good as It Gets (1997), Rat Race (2001), The Fighting Temptations (2003), American Gangster (2007), Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013), and Selma (2014), playing civil rights attorney Fred Gray.
In 2016, he portrayed O. J. Simpson in the FX drama series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and co-starred in the sixth season of the FX anthology series American Horror Story, subtitled Roanoke. He also provided the voice of Buck in the animated feature film Home on the Range (2004).
Cuba Gooding Jr. Age
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. is 53 years old as of 2021. He was born on January 2nd, 1968 in The Bronx, New York, United States. Mark celebrates his birthday on January 2nd every year. Additionally, his birth sign is Capricorn.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Height and Weight
Gooding measures a standing height of 5 feet 10 inches tall which is equivalent to 1.78 meters tall. Cuba also weighs 76 kilograms which is equivalent to 167 lbs. Additionally, his body measurements are 44-34-15 inches. He also has black hair and black eyes. Moreover, he has an athletic body.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Education
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.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Family, Parents, and Siblings
His mother, Shirley Sullivan, is a singer, and his father, Cuba Gooding Sr., was the lead vocalist of the soul group The Main Ingredient. Gooding has three siblings: April, Omar, and Thomas. His paternal grandfather, Dudley MacDonald Gooding, was a native of Barbados. 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.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Girlfriend, Wife, and Children
In 1994, Gooding married his high school sweetheart, Sara Kapfer, with whom he has three children, including actor Mason Gooding. In 2014, Kapfer filed for legal separation from Gooding. Gooding filed for divorce in January 2017.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Salary
Details pertaining to his annual salary are currently unavailable. This information is however currently under review and will soon be updated.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Net Worth
Daniella has an estimated net worth of $24 million dollars as of 2021. This includes his assets, money, and income. His primary source of income is his career as an actor. Through his various sources of income, he has been able to accumulate good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Measurements and Facts
Here are some interesting facts and body measurements you should know about Cristina.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Wiki
- Full Names: Cuba Mark Gooding Jr.
- Popular As: Cuba Gooding Jr.
- Gender: Male
- Occupation / Profession: Actor
- Nationality: American
- Race / Ethnicity: African-American
- Religion: Christian
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
Cuba Gooding Jr. Birthday
- Age / How Old?: 53 years old as of 2021
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Date of Birth: January 2, 1968
- Place of Birth: The Bronx, New York, U.S.
- Birthday: January 2
Cuba Gooding Jr. Body Measurements
- Body Measurements: 44-34-15 inches
- Height / How Tall?: 5 feet 10 inches
- Weight: 76 kg
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Black
- Shoe Size: Not Available
- Biceps Size: 15 inches
- Chest Size: 44 inches
- Waist Size: 34 inches
Cuba Gooding Jr. Family and Relationship
- Father (Dad): Cuba Gooding Sr.
- Mother: Shirley Gooding
- Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): Omar Gooding, Tommy Gooding, April Gooding
- Marital Status: Married
- Dating /Boyfriend: Married to Sara Kapfer
- Children: Mason Gooding, Spencer Gooding, Piper Gooding
Cuba Gooding Jr. Net Worth and Salary
- Net Worth: $24 million
- Salary: Under Review
- Source of Income: Actor
Cuba Gooding Jr. 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. 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 (1987), Amen (1988), and MacGyver (1988, 1989, and 1990) and also had a small 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, Tre Styles. The film was a box office surprise and critical hit and is considered a modern classic. He followed this success with supporting roles in major films such as A Few Good Men & Gladiator (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 in Cameron Crowe’s 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 and earned Gooding an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His exuberant “Show me the money!” line in the film became a nationwide catchphrase. 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 Doris Miller, the ensemble farce Rat Race (2001), musical dramedy The Fighting Temptations (2003), 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 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 that 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.
Ultimately, neither his earlier successes nor his leading roles in a couple of smaller independent films, including Lee Daniels’ directorial debut Shadowboxer (2005), we’re able to offset these failures.
Later career
Since then, in great contrast to earlier stages of his acting career, Gooding has appeared in many more 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. 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, 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, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie. Gooding’s Emmy nomination for his work on the series was criticized by some reviewers.
In 2018, Gooding headlined the 21st Anniversary revival of the musical Chicago in the West End as Billy Flynn at the Phoenix Theatre. His directorial debut, Bayou Caviar, was released on October 5, 2018.
Other work
In 2006, Gooding earned the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Academy of Neurology for his work raising awareness about Multiple Sclerosis.
In 2012, Gooding 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 an online video game called “The Quest For The Code” which focuses on juvenile asthma management. On March 3, 2018, Gooding appeared as star guest announcer on the 100th episode of ITV’s Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuba Gooding Jr.
Who is Cuba?
Gooding Jr. born Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. is an American actor. After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in Boyz n the Hood (1991), he appeared in A Few Good Men (1992), The Tuskegee Airmen (1995), Outbreak (1995), and Jerry Maguire (1996), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and What Dreams May Come (1998).
How old is Cuba?
He was born on January 2nd, 1968 in The Bronx, New York, United States.
How tall is Cuba?
Gooding measures a standing height of 5 feet 10 inches tall which is equivalent to 1.78 meters tall.
Is Cuba married?
In 1994, Gooding married his high school sweetheart, Sara Kapfer, with whom he has three children, including actor Mason Gooding. In 2014, Kapfer filed for legal separation from Gooding. Gooding filed for divorce in January 2017.
How much is Cuba worth?
Daniella has an estimated net worth of $24 million dollars as of 2021. This includes his assets, money, and income. His primary source of income is his career as an actor. Through his various sources of income, he has been able to accumulate good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
How much does Cuba make?
Details pertaining to his annual salary are currently unavailable. This information is however currently under review and will soon be updated.
Where does Cuba live?
Because of security reasons, Cuba has not shared his precise location of residence. We will update this information if we get the location and images of his house.
Is Cuba dead or alive?
Cuba is alive and in good health. There have been no reports of his being sick or having any health-related issues.
Where is Cuba Now?
He got his breakthrough after he was featured as Tre Styles in Boyz n the Hood.
Cuba Gooding Jr. Contacts
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