CJ
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Actor, Producer, Director, WriterBorn January 2, 1968 (57 years)
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
He was born in Bronx, New York to Shirley, a singer with the Sweethearts, and Cuba Gooding, Sr., a lead vocalist of soul group The Main Ingredient. He has two brothers, musician Tommy Gooding and fellow actor Omar Gooding, and sister, April Gooding. His family moved to Los Angeles after Gooding Sr.'s music group had a hit single with "Everybody Plays the Fool" in 1972 but abandoned his family two years later. Gooding Jr. 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.
His first job as a professional entertainer was as a break-dancer 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 (1981) and MacGyver (1985).
His first major role was in the John Singleton's box office surprise and critical hit Boyz n the Hood (1991). He followed this success with roles in major films like A Few Good Men (1992), Lightning Jack (1994), Outbreak (1995), Men of Honor (2000), Rat Race (2001), and The Fighting Temptations (2003) in which he co-starred alongside Beyoncé Knowles.
In 1996, he was cast as an arrogant football player on the brink of a career-ending injury in Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire (1996). The film was a success and earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His "Show Me The Money" line in the film became a nationwide catchphrase. In 1997, he had a notable supporting role in As Good As It Gets (1997). The next several years, his films were inconsistently successful; Boat Trip (2002), Norbit (2007), and Daddy Day Camp (2007), all of which had received extremely negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.
Gooding also starred in a film titled A Murder of Crows, which he co-produced with his long time friend and business partner Derek Broes. The film was Gooding's first attempt at producing. Since then, he has had series of starring roles in grittier films released direct-to-DVD such as the revenge dramas Hero Wanted and Wrong Turn at Tahoe, as well as the sci-fi action pic Hardwired and the action comedy Lies & Illusions.
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. An appearance in the World War II film, Red Tails, produced by George Lucas and with other prominent actors such as Terrence Howard, will mark his only return to the big screen since American Gangster.
He was born in Bronx, New York to Shirley, a singer with the Sweethearts, and Cuba Gooding, Sr., a lead vocalist of soul group The Main Ingredient. He has two brothers, musician Tommy Gooding and fellow actor Omar Gooding, and sister, April Gooding. His family moved to Los Angeles after Gooding Sr.'s music group had a hit single with "Everybody Plays the Fool" in 1972 but abandoned his family two years later. Gooding Jr. 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.
His first job as a professional entertainer was as a break-dancer 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 (1981) and MacGyver (1985).
His first major role was in the John Singleton's box office surprise and critical hit Boyz n the Hood (1991). He followed this success with roles in major films like A Few Good Men (1992), Lightning Jack (1994), Outbreak (1995), Men of Honor (2000), Rat Race (2001), and The Fighting Temptations (2003) in which he co-starred alongside Beyoncé Knowles.
In 1996, he was cast as an arrogant football player on the brink of a career-ending injury in Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire (1996). The film was a success and earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His "Show Me The Money" line in the film became a nationwide catchphrase. In 1997, he had a notable supporting role in As Good As It Gets (1997). The next several years, his films were inconsistently successful; Boat Trip (2002), Norbit (2007), and Daddy Day Camp (2007), all of which had received extremely negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.
Gooding also starred in a film titled A Murder of Crows, which he co-produced with his long time friend and business partner Derek Broes. The film was Gooding's first attempt at producing. Since then, he has had series of starring roles in grittier films released direct-to-DVD such as the revenge dramas Hero Wanted and Wrong Turn at Tahoe, as well as the sci-fi action pic Hardwired and the action comedy Lies & Illusions.
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. An appearance in the World War II film, Red Tails, produced by George Lucas and with other prominent actors such as Terrence Howard, will mark his only return to the big screen since American Gangster.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Cuba Gooding Jr. Filmography
| 2025 | Dog Patrol: Operation Santa Paws · as Sheriff Jacobs |
| 2025 | A Line of Fire · as Javier Cardona |
| 2024 | The Firing Squad · as Samuel Wilson |
| 2024 | Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace · as Balthazar |
| 2024 | Skeletons in the Closet · as Andres |
| 2023 | The Weapon · as Blue |
| 2020 | Life in a Year · as Xavier |
| 2018 | Bayou Caviar · as Rodney Jones |
| 2016 | American Crime Story (TV Series) · as O. J. Simpson |
| 2016 | Inside Look: The People v. O.J. Simpson - American Crime Story (TV Series) · as Oj Simpson |
| 2015 | Empire (2015) (TV Series) · as Puma |
| 2015 | The Book of Negroes (TV Series) · as Sam Fraunces |
| 2014 | Selma · as Fred Gray |
| 2014 | Forever (2014) (TV Series) · as Isaac Monroe |
| 2014 | |
| 2013 | Machete Kills · as El Camaleon |
| 2013 | Don Jon · as Hollywood Actor #2 |
| 2013 | The Butler · as Carter Wilson |
| 2013 | Summoned · as Detective Callendar |
| 2013 | Absolute Deception · as John Nelson |
| 2013 | Life of a King · as Eugene Brown |
| 2013 | Guilty · as William 'billy' Remz |
| 2012 | One in the Chamber · as Ray Carver |
| 2012 | Firelight · as Dj |
| 2012 | Doggiewoggiez! Poochiewoochiez! · as Cast |
| 2012 | Red Tails · as Major Emanuelle Stance |
| 2012 | Double Victory: The Tuskegee Airmen at War · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2011 | American Horror Story (TV Series) · as Dominic Banks |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | The Hit List · as Jonas Arbor |
| 2011 | These Amazing Shadows · as Tre Styles |
| 2011 | Ticking Clock · as Lewis Hicks |
| 2010 | 2 Everything 2 Terrible 2: Tokyo Drift · as (archive Footage) |
| 2009 | Wrong Turn at Tahoe · as Joshua |
| 2009 | Hardwired · as Luke Gibson |
| 2009 | The Devil's Tomb · as Mack |
| 2009 | Lies & Illusions · as Isaac |
| 2009 | The Way of War · as David Wolfe |
| 2009 | Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story · as Ben Carson |
| 2008 | Linewatch · as Michael Dixon |
| 2008 | Harold · as Cromer |
| 2008 | Hero Wanted · as Liam Case |
| 2007 | The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends · as Loofah (voice) |
| 2007 | American Gangster · as Nicky Barnes |
| 2007 | Daddy Day Camp · as Charlie Hinton |
| 2007 | What Love Is · as Tom |
| 2007 | Norbit · as Deion Hughes |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters · as Tré Styles |
| 2005 | Dirty · as Salim Adel |
| 2005 | Shadowboxer · as Mikey |
| 2004 | A Dairy Tale · as Buck (voice) |
| 2004 | Home on the Range · as Buck (voice) |
| 2003 | Radio · as Radio |
| 2003 | The Fighting Temptations · as Darrin Hill |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Snow Dogs · as Ted Brooks |
| 2001 | Rat Race · as Owen Templeton |
| 2001 | In the Shadows · as Draven |
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor · as Doris Miller |
| 2000 | Men of Honor · as Senior Chief Carl Brashear |
| 2000 | The Kid · as Wedding Guest |
| 1999 | Chill Factor · as Arlo |
| 1999 | Instinct · as Dr. Theo Caulder |
| 1998 | A Murder of Crows · as Lawson Russell |
| 1998 | What Dreams May Come · as Albert Lewis |
| 1997 | As Good as It Gets · as Frank Sachs |
| 1997 | Trading Favors · as Liquor Store Clerk |
| 1996 | Jerry Maguire · as Rod Tidwell |
| 1995 | The Tuskegee Airmen · as Billy Roberts |
| 1995 | Losing Isaiah · as Eddie Hughes |
| 1995 | Outbreak · as Major Salt |
| 1994 | Blown Away · as Bomb Squad Class Member |
| 1994 | Lightning Jack · as Ben Doyle |
| 1993 | Judgment Night · as Mike Peterson |
| 1993 | The Untouchables (1993) (TV Series) |
| 1993 | Daybreak · as Torch |
| 1992 | A Few Good Men · as Cpl. Carl Hammaker |
| 1992 | Hitz · as Officer Alvarez |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) |
| 1992 | Gladiator · as Abraham Lincoln Haines |
| 1992 | |
| 1991 | Boyz n the Hood · as Tré Styles |
| 1990 | Nasty Boys (TV Series) · as Poptop |
| 1989 | Mancuso, FBI (TV Series) |
| 1989 | Sing · as Stanley |
| 1988 | Coming to America · as Boy Getting Haircut |
| 1987 | The Bronx Zoo (TV Series) |
| 1986 | Amen (TV Series) · as Kenny Mitchell |
| 1985 | MacGyver (TV Series) · as Billy Colton |
| 1985 | 227 (TV Series) |
| 1984 | CBS Schoolbreak Special (TV Series) · as Paul |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Sesame Street (TV Series) |
| 2025 | Diddy: Monster's Fall · as Self - Actor |
| 2024 | TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2022 | Piers Morgan Uncensored (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2018 | Oxford Street 24/7 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | A Hotel for the Super Rich & Famous (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us' (TV Series) · as Self - Actor |
| 2017 | The Oscars · as Self |
| 2017 | The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2017 · as Self - Presenter |
| 2016 | The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2016 | Harry (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | John Bishop: In Conversation With... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2016 | 2016 EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Big Time in Hollywood, FL (TV Series) · as Cuba Gooding Jr. |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | 2015 EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2014 | The Meredith Vieira Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2013 | The Arsenio Hall Show (2013) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2013 | The 67th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2013 | The Broadway.Com Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | The Butler: An American Story · as Self |
| 2012 | Katie (2012) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Steve Harvey (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2012 | The Last Leg (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Larry King Now (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2012 | 43rd NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2012 | The BET Honors · as Self |
| 2012 | The 38th Annual People's Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2012 | Oprah's Next Chapter (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | Scream Awards 2011 · as Self |
| 2011 | 12th IIFA Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2011 | Big Morning Buzz Live (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2011 | Piers Morgan Tonight (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | The Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | The 2010 World Music Awards · as Self |
| 2010 | 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2009 | The Dr. Oz Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Chris Moyles' Quiz Night (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | The 81st Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2009 | Super Bowl XLIII · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | The Bonnie Hunt Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | The 80th Annual Academy Awards · as Self |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Lily Allen and Friends (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | The Orange British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2008 | The 50th Annual Grammy Awards · as Self |
| 2008 | 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2007 | Movies Rock · as Self |
| 2007 | TMZ (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Britain's Got More Talent (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Up Close with Carrie Keagan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2007 | The 12th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2006 | Lightfield's Home Videos · as Self |
| 2006 | The 2006 Black Movie Awards · as Self |
| 2006 | Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2006 | Celebrity Debut · as Self |
| 2006 | 37th NAACP Image Awards · as Self - Host |
| 2005 | Howard Stern on Demand (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | In the Cutz (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2005 | Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2005 | The Contender (2005) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Insider (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | 35th NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2004 | The 46th Annual Grammy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2004 | The 30th Annual People's Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Friendly Fire: Making an Urban Legend · as Self |
| 2003 | A Century of Black Cinema · as Self |
| 2003 | The 75th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Past Winner |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | I Love The 80s (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | The Wayne Brady Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Tinseltown TV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Announcer |
| 2002 | V Graham Norton (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | RI:SE (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Making Rat Race · as Himself |
| 2002 | |
| 2001 | Beyond the Movie: Pearl Harbor · as Self |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Richard & Judy (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | Zoolander · as Cuba Gooding Jr. |
| 2001 | America: A Tribute to Heroes · as Self |
| 2001 | 32nd NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2000 | |
| 2000 | VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards · as Self - Host |
| 1999 | 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self |
| 1998 | Welcome to Hollywood · as Cuba Gooding Jr. |
| 1998 | TRL (2017) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | The 70th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter & Past Winner |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | The 69th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1997 | 54th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Whoever That Fails (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | VIP World (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | MADtv (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | 1995 MTV Movie Awards · as Self |
| 1994 | Extra (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Inside the Actors Studio (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Maury (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1989 | The Arsenio Hall Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | This Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1986 | The Oprah Winfrey Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1980 | A Capitol Fourth (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1973 | AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Late Late Show (IE) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1954 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | |
| 2008 | |
| 1998 |