Cuba M. Gooding, Jr. was born on 2nd January, 1968 in The Bronx, New York City, USA, of Barbadian descent. He is an actor who rose to prominence for his multiple award winning role in the comedy film “Jerry Maguire” (1996) directed, co-produced and co-written by Cameron Crowe. The net worth of Cuba Gooding Jr. has been accumulated from acting since 1986.
Concerning the net worth of Cuba Gooding Jr., it has been estimated that it stands at $15 million. Reportedly, he earned the salary of $2.5 million for his role in the film “Instinct” (1999), $1.5 for “What Dreams May Come” (1998) and $1.5 for “Men of Honor” (2000).
Cuba Gooding Jr. Net Worth $15 Million
The actor was raised in a family of two singers, his mother Shirley Gooding (Sweethearts) and father Cuba Gooding, Sr. (The Main Ingredient). Succeeding the graduation from high school, Cuba studied Japanese martial arts. However, his passion for acting led him to take that career path, and it should be noted that it was Coralie Jr., the eccentric Hollywood agent who discovered him. As an actor he debuted on television, taking roles in episodes of the series “Better Days” (1986), “Hill Street Blues” (1987), “Amen” (1988) and others. In 1988, he appeared in a small role of the feature film “Coming to America” (1988). Soon, Gooding Jr. was nominated for roles in the drama film “Boyz n the Hood” (1991) directed by John Singleton, and disaster film “Outbreak” (1995) directed by Wolfgang Petersen. Still, all these appearances contributed to Cuba’s net worth.
In 1996, Cuba landed his most successful role so far, as Rod Tidwell in the comedy film “Jerry Maguire” (1996), a supporting role which won the Academy, American Comedy, Blockbuster Entertainment, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, Satellite and Screen Actors Guild Awards. The film was a huge success including both critical praise and box office. However, it was not just a five-minute fame as Gooding continued to win awards as well as receiving nominations for his work.
Cuba again appeared in the spotlight after he received awards for his roles in the feature films “What Dreams May Come” (1998) and “Radio” (2003) as well as television films “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story” (2009) and “Firelight” (2012). Other roles that captivated critics were landed in the comedy film “As Good as It Gets” (1997), drama film “Men of Honor” (2000), thriller film “Shadowboxer” (2005), crime film “American Gangster” (2007) and historical drama film “The Butler” (2013). However, it happened that Cuba Gooding Jr. was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award as the Worst Actor, received for the roles of Jerry Robinson in “Boat Trip” (2002), Deion Hughes in “Norbit” (2007) and Charles Hinton in “Daddy Day Camp” (2007). Praised or criticized, Cuba Gooding Jr. still added revenues to the total size of his net worth after every role landed on the big screen and television.
In 1994, Gooding married his wife, his high school sweetheart Sara Kapfer. They have three children together, and the family resides in Pacific Palisades and Porter Ranch, California, USA.
Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor i...
Nominations
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture...
Movies
Jerry Maguire, Men of Honor, Boyz n the Hood, Snow Dogs, What Dreams May Come, As Good as It Gets, Pearl Harbor, Red Tails, The Butler, The Fighting Temptations, Rat Race, Shadowboxer, Boat Trip, Norbit, Radio, Selma, American Gangster, A Few Good Men, Daddy Day Camp, Life of a King, Machete Kills, ...
TV Shows
The Book of Negroes, American Crime Story, American Horror Story
Steven Spielberg came to me and said, 'I want you to be in Amistad (1997) and I said, 'It's a slave role; show me the money. I'm so a big thing,' and he goes, 'I can direct you.' and I said, 'No, I have to pass.' To me, at the time, I remember this interview I read (with) Christopher Reeve talking about Superman. What other role could live up to being Superman; he was Superman. I bought into that. People were telling me (of Jerry Maguire (1996)), 'You're black, it's a comedy role, you're not gonna win this thing.' So, when I won it, it was like I had all these things in my life - 'This is what you are, this is what you've become... Now represent that. I have arrived and now I have to live up to this thing.' (I didn't know) the next day I should have rolled up my sleeves and said, 'OK, now let's continue on this journey.' Creatively, I stopped myself.
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[on his most embarrassing moment] That Oscar win, when I jumped around that damned stage!
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[on his final audition for Jerry Maguire (1996)] I came in there and did everything I had to do and the rest was history. So it was never like me sitting going, "Ah, there's Tom!" [Tom Cruise] To me, it was like that son of a bitch was holding me back from doing what I had to do.
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I have never made a decision based on race and never will. I am admiring of my fellow peers, black filmmakers and black actors and actresses. When [Halle Berry] and [Denzel Washington] won Oscars, I felt pride because I was black, but never did I analyze their win based on color.
Cuba Gooding Jr. is in Ottawa filming Sacrifice (2011) , a $6.8-million drama that also stars actor Christian Slater. [April 2010]
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Born in the Bronx but raised in Los Angeles, his parents once managed the Apollo Theatre in New York.
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Lives in Pacific Palisades and Porter Ranch, California.
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Enjoys vacations in Hawaii with his family and goes there often.
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His father, Cuba Gooding, is a Goodwill Ambassador to Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. On Dec. 5. 2009, he received a "key" to the city from Mayor Torres.
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Is an avid hockey player and has a rink in his back yard.
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He and his wife Sara were high school sweethearts.
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Turned down the leading role of Cinque in Amistad (1997).
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Occasionally plays a member of the armed forces or law enforcement. He played "Petty Officer Doris Miller" in Pearl Harbor (2001), "Senior Chief Carl Brashear" in Men of Honor (2000), "Corporal Carl Hammaker" in A Few Good Men (1992) and "Officer Alvarez" in Judgement (1992).
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He and his wife welcomed their third child, a daughter, in Fall 2005. Her name is Piper and no other details have been released.
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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".
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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 (1996).
He played a role in the MacGyver (1985) episode, MacGyver: The Coltons (1991), which was the pilot to a series about the Colton Brothers. However, the pilot did not sell and so the series never was produced.
He was a non-celebrity contestant on The All-New Dating Game (1986) (approx 1986) He was contestant #1. The woman passed him up and chose contestant #2.
