Cuba Gooding Jr was born on January 2nd, 1968 in Bronx, New York. Cuba’s father, the original Cuba Gooding, was the lead singer for the seventies group the Main Ingredient. When the groups single “Everybody Plays the Fool” hit the charts the band was catapulted to stardom and the Gooding family’s life was changed forever. The newfound success meant a move from their home in the Bronx to Los Angeles. Cuba’s father split from the family but left little money for his three children on the way out.

Gooding attended four high schools in the Los Angeles area and was class president at three of them. He landed his first professional gig at the Olympics, as a break-dancer for Lionel Richie’s performance. He also appeared in a high school production of “Li’l Abner” which caught the eye of a friends parent that happened to be an agent.

He went on to numerous auditions that landed him work in commercials and an episode on the hit TV series “Hill Street Blues.” He became more serious about acting and decided that lessons were necessary for him to appear professional. The lessons and workshops helped him get parts on other TV productions and he also landed his first feature film debut in Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America”. His first real big break was in 1990 when he auditioned for John Singleton’s “Boyz N the Hood”. His performance as Tre Styles, a young black man trying to break out of the South Central Los Angeles ghetto, was remarkable. Cuba managed to humanize a piece of America that most had only heard about but had no contact or understanding of.

Over the next few years, Gooding appeared in a string of not-so-terrific movies. He did however have an opportunity to show his comedic talents in “Lightning Jack” with Paul Hogin in 1994. He was also given recognition for his outstanding performance in “Outbreak.” He was working steadily but found the time to marry his high school sweetheart, Sara Kapfer, and have two sons, Mason and Spencer.

Cuba auditioned for a part in Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire. The casting people felt that his 5’11” frame was too short for Rod Tidwell, however they couldn’t deny his talent. It was in a telephone conversation with Crowe that Gooding convinced the director to give him the part by saying, “There aren’t that may big parts for a black actor in Hollywood. This is my shot.” Gooding was about to be shown the money.

Jerry Maguire was a mega-hit and Gooding’s performance was also. He was showered with recognition and great reviews. He also won a Golden Globe nomination, and the coveted Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He followed up the award winning success with the critically celebrated “As Good As it Get’s,” and in “What Dreams May Come.” He also appeared along side Anthony Hopkins in “Instinct.

Now that Cuba is back in the spotlight he is cautious, but optimistic, about the future. “It’s so hard to predict. If I’m accurate, it’s out of luck. And if I’m inaccurate, I’ll feel like an idiot for guessing in the first place” Gooding says.