Born in The Bronx, NY; son of Cuba Gooding, lead singer of 1970s rhythm-and-blues group The Main Ingredient ("Everybody Plays the Fool"). Young, impressively mature black performer who began his career breakdancing onstage with Lionel Richie at the 1984 Olympics. Gooding appeared in commercials and guested on TV episodes before making his feature acting debut in COMING TO AMERICA (1988). His breakthrough came with a starring role in John Singleton's celebrated directorial debut, BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991), in which Gooding ably conveyed the pressures and contradictions attendant upon growing up as a young black man in South Central Los Angeles. He faced somewhat less enthralling ethical dilemmas in GLADIATOR (1992), opposite James Marshall. Also that year, he played Cpl. Carl Edward Hammaker in A FEW GOOD MEN. Other notable credits include JUDGMENT NIGHT (1993), LIGHTNING JACK (1994), OUTBREAK, LOSING ISAIAH and "The Tuskegee Airmen" (TV) (all 1995), JERRY MAGUIRE (Supporting Actor Academy Award®) and THE AUDITION (both 1996), DO ME A FAVOR and AS GOOD AS IT GETS (both 1997), WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998), INSTINCT and CHILL FACTOR (both 1999), MEN OF HONOR (2000), PEARL HARBOR, IN THE SHADOWS and ZOOLANDER (all 2001), SNOW DOGS and BOAT TRIP (both 2002), THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS and RADIO (both 2003), HOME ON THE RANGE (2004, voice), SHADOWBOXER and DIRTY (both 2005), LIGHTFIELD'S HOME VIDEOS and END GAME (both 2006), NORBIT, WHAT LOVE IS, DADDY DAY CAMP and AMERICAN GANGSTER (all 2007), and LINEWATCH, HERO WANTED, THE WAY OF WAR and HAROLD (all scheduled for release in 2008).  Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 1996: JERRY MAGUIRE 1 nomination, 1 Award