Cuba Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in The Bronx, New York. His father, Cuba Gooding, was the lead vocalist for the R&B group The Main Ingredient, which had a hit with the song "Everybody Plays The Fool". His mother, Shirley, was a backup singer for The Sweethearts. His father moved the family to Los Angeles in 1972, only to abandon them two years later. Despite this setback, Cuba was able to maintain a positive outlook and overachieved throughout school. He attended four different high schools and was elected class president in three of them. While at high school, Cuba met and fell in love with Sara Kapfer, whom he later lived with for seven years before tying the knot in March 1994.

Following high school, Cuba 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 and MacGyver. His first major role was in the 1991 box office surprise Boyz n the Hood. He followed this success with supporting roles in major films like A Few Good Men, Lightning Jack and Outbreak.

In 1996, Cuba was cast as an arrogant but loyal football player in the Tom Cruise-Cameron Crowe film Jerry Maguire. The film became a huge box office smash and earned Cuba an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His "Show Me The Money" line in the movie became a nationwide catchphrase. The role elevated him to superstar status, as many of Hollywood's top producers began to "show him the money" to appear in their films.

Since Jerry Maguire, Cuba has managed to keep busy with a wide range of roles alongside many of Hollywood's biggest stars. Most recently, he won critical support for his portrayal of a mentally handicapped man in the heartwarming film Radio, another movie about football. In 2002, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Currently, he resides in Studio City, California with Sara, now a school teacher, and their two sons.
Men of Honor (2000): $1,500,000
Instinct (1999): $2,500,000
What Dreams May Come (1998): $1,500,000
Jerry Maguire (1996): $600,000
Outbreak (1995): $400,000
Lightning Jack (1994): $500,000
Gladiator (1992): $100,000

Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 43. [1991] Older brother of Omar Gooding. Chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. [1997] Break danced in the 1984 closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles Son of Cuba Gooding, lead singer of The Main Ingredient singing group ("Everybody Plays The Fool"). Suggested by Roger Moore to replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. He was a non-celebrity contestant on "The New Dating Game." (approx 1986) He was contestant #1. The woman passed him up and chose contestant #2. Was a backup dancer for Paula Abdul He played a role in the MacGyver episode "The Coltons" which was the pilot to a series about the Colton Brothers. However, the pilot did not sell and so the series never was produced. Sons: Spencer Gooding, born in 1994 and Mason Gooding, born in 1996. Shares a birthday with Brandon DeShazer, Taye Diggs, Kate Bosworth, and Dax Shepard. Was discovered by eccentric Hollywood agent, Coralie Jr. for his break-dancing talent. He thanked Coralie in his acceptance speech when he received the academy award for his best supporting role in Jerry Maguire. Attended John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills his Junior year. There he joined the drama club, stage crew and ran cross country. That year, 1986, he appeared in the California Shakespeare Festival where he won first place in his portrayal of Othello. He and his wife welcomed their third child, a daughter, in Fall 2005. Her name is Piper and no other details have been released. Occasionally plays a member of the armed forces, or law enforcement. He played Petty Officer Doris Miller in Pearl Harbor, Senior Chief Carl Brashear in Men of Honor, Corporal Carl Hammaker in A Few Good Men, and Officer Alvarez in Judgement.