Cuba Gooding Jr.’s breakout role came with ‘Boyz n the Hood,’ the teen hood drama film where he portrayed Tre Styles and which was critically acclaimed and regarded as a modern classic. Prior to this his first job was as a breakdancer followed by guest appearances in ‘Amen,’ a small role in ‘Coming to America,’ ‘Hill Street Blues,’ and ‘MacGyver.’ He played successful supporting roles in big films like ‘Outbreak,’ ‘Judgement Night,’ ‘A Few Good Men,’ and ‘Lightning Jack.’ His performance in ‘Jerry Maguire,’ was highly appreciated and garnered him with an ‘Academy Award.’ The film was a blockbuster commercially and critically acclaimed. This was followed with a supporting in ‘As Good as it Gets,’ an Academy Award-winning comedy. However, in following years he could not achieve much success. Some of his notable works in films and television include, ‘What Dreams May Come’ Pearl Harbor,’ ‘Men of Honor,’ ‘The Fighting Temptations,’ ‘Rat Race,’ American Gangster,’ ‘American Horror Story,’ and ‘Selma.’
A fictionalized account of the criminal career of gangster Frank Lucas who was notorious for smuggling heroin, American Gangster is a crime film produced by Ridley Scott. A critical and commercial success, the film was nominated for 21 awards.
After getting into a fight, Tre Styles is sent to live with his strict father Furious Styles, who instills in him values like self-respect and responsibility despite living in a crime-filled neighborhood. He is friends with less fortunate half-brothers Ricky, an aspiring athlete, and hotheaded Doughboy who gradually succumbs to a life of violence, dragging his friends along.
Melvin Udall, a popular romance novelist has OCD and is rude to everyone around. His routine life is shaken when his neighbour is assaulted and he is entrusted to take care of his dog. Moreover, the only waitress who puts up with his nuisance in the restaurant he visits is ready to leave the job to take care of her critically ill son.
After two US Marines kill another, Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway proposes to defend them suspecting that they acted on a "code red" order from above. When the case is instead assigned to Liutentent Daniel Kaffee, known for seeking plea bargains, Galloway convinces him to take the case to court and question Colonel Nathan Jessup despite lack of evidence.
In 1965, the African-American citizens of Alabama found it difficult to register to vote, though the Constitution allotted them same rights as the whites. When Martin Luther King Jr.’s meeting with President Lyndon Johnson did not bear fruit, King, accompanied by many African-American activists, led a march from Selma to Montgomery amidst intense opposition; finally achieving Voting Rights Acts of 1965.
When a 35-year-old sports agent working for Sports Management International (SMI) experiences a life-altering epiphany and decides to change the course of his career, all hell breaks loose. Inspired by the real-life story of sports agent Leigh Steinberg, the movie was a critical and commercial hit.
Loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, the movie tells the story of African-American Cecil Gaines who went from being an enslaved plantation worker to a butler at the White House in 1957. He becomes a witness to some of America’s most iconic political moments, including the birth of the Civil Rights Act.
Inspired by true events, the film chronicles the journey of Carl Brashear, the son of a sharecropper, who joins the recently desegregated US Navy to become the first African American master diver. However, he has to overcome his lack of education and battle against his embittered trainer, Billy Sunday, who has been ordered to ensure that Brashear fails.
The crown prince of Zamunda, Akeem Joffer, leads a luxurious life and is supposed to marry a girl of his parent’s choice. However, he decides to choose his life partner himself and along with his aide, Semmi, travels to Queens for the purpose. Disguised as poor student, he finds his perfect match in Lisa McDowell, but she has a boyfriend and her father does not approve of him.
This adaption of Ronald Bass 1978 novel of the same name tells the tale of a couple—Chris and Annie—who lose their children in an accident. Their attempt to get back to their life is further shattered when Chris is killed and a brokenhearted Annie ends her life. Chris finds himself in heaven but is aghast to know that Annie is in hell and sets out save her with the help of Albert.
Based on a true-life story of a friendship-bond. Football-coach Harold Jones at T.L. Hanna High School, Anderson, South Carolina, takes an intellectually challenged African-American student, James Robert ‘Radio’ Kennedy under his wings, developing a strong bond that boosts Radio’s self-confidence. Though Jones faces resistance when fans and parents feel that Radio is hindrance for team’s success, Radio proves inspiration for his community.
An African monkey carries a deadly virus into a small Californian town. Those infected, with only few hours in hand, have very little chance of survival. Dr. Sam Daniels, an army doctor struggling with his personal issues, now has very little time to find a cure. Moreover, the virus itself has a secret behind, which some want to protect.
Four young friends are going for a boxing match. But since there is too much traffic on the way, they decide to take a shortcut. However, they soon end up in a dangerous neighborhood, and become witnesses to a murder by Fallon, a gang leader. Now, they have to run for their lives, as Fallon doesn’t want to leave any witnesses.
Dimwitted Derek Zoolander is devastated after he fails to win the top male fashion model honor and is disowned by his family for being unable to assist his father and brothers in the coal mines. Fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu gives him a new lease of life, but is actually planning to brainwash him into assassinating Malaysia's Prime Minister.
Jon Martello, an Italian American bartender living in New Jersey, is addicted to porn. He meets and begins an affair with Barbara but is still dissatisfied and cannot leave his old habit. However, when he meets Esther, he begins to understand the true meaning of love and relationship.
A renowned anthropologist goes missing in the jungles and appears years later, after he murders two poachers who were killing the gorillas that he was studying. After he is imprisoned, a young psychiatrist tries to evaluate him.
Gladiator is an action sports drama film which tells the story of Tommy, a young boy, who moves to Chicago, along with his father. He soon steps into the world of underground boxing, in order to pay off gambling debts accumulated by his father. He soon meets another boy who is also fighting in order to get money to move out of the ghetto. The two boys become friends, as they are both being exploited by a boxing promoter.
Eccentric business magnate Donald Sinclair devises a race from Las Vegas to Silver City, Mexico, for the high rollers of his Las Vegas Casino. The US $2 million prize money is kept in a train station locker but the journey proves to be more than what the contestants can handle.
Khaila, a drug-addicted woman, abandons her baby boy in a garbage bin, believing that he is dead. He is found and adopted by a social worker and her husband. Years later, Khaila finds out that her boy is not dead. She begins a legal battle with the boy’s adoptive mother for custody of the child, in order to have him back.
Lawson Russell is a disgraced lawyer who befriends an aging novelist named Christopher Marlowe. Marlowe lets Russell borrow his manuscript for his latest novel ‘A Murder of Crows’, but he dies of a heart attack shortly after. Russell decides to publish the dead man’s manuscript under his own name, and it becomes a best-seller. However, he is soon suspected of murder when it seems that the five murders mentioned in the book are actually based on real events.
Rafe and Danny, two boyhood friends, join WWII as first lieutenants and Rafe falls in love with Evelyn, a nurse. Rafe, who volunteers to fight with the British, is shot down and is presumed dead, while Evelyn finds solace in the company of Danny. However, Rafe comes back on the eve of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.
Vincent, a drug pusher determines to strike first and kill the other dealer who is out to kill him. However, he lands in soup when he along with his smart hand accidentally kill an employee of lord Nino. The notorious crime lord will surely take revenge but will Vincent escape death?
This war drama film tells the story of three African-American pilots who were mostly kept on the ground due to segregation. However, they eventually find a chance to be a part of the Tuskegee training program.
Machete-wielding ex-Federal agent, Machete Cortez, is hired by the US President Rathcock to hunt down and kill Marcos Mendez, who is threatening to fire a nuclear missile. Machete travels to Mexico and is immediately hunted by assassins and cartels. He catches up to Mendez only to find a megalomaniac Luther Voz to be the main villain.
Hero Wanted is an action crime drama thriller film which tells the story of a man who is injured in a bank robbery. However, he hunts down and kills the robber who had left him and a girl for dead. But, he soon finds himself being hunted by his gang, and it seems that they will not stop until they have avenged their man.
Rose is a professional hitman who is shocked upon discovering that she is having a terminal illness. However, she decides to take on the last mission of her life, with the help of her lover and her stepson.
Darrin Hill finds himself in a complicated situation, since he loses his job, and is also facing huge debts. He soon receives word that his aunt Sally has passed away, and he is going to inherit an amount of $ 150,000 if he can direct the church choir, and lead it to victory in the annual ‘Gospel Explosion’.
Lightning Jack is a western comedy film which tells the story of Paul Hogan, an Australian outlaw in the American west, who takes a mute man named Ben Doyle as hostage during a bank robbery. However, over time, they eventually become good friends, and Jack begins to teach him about robbing banks.
Armando and Salim are two former gangsters who are now working as cops. Armando finds himself in a dilemma when an innocent old man is killed in an operation, and he is supposed to make a statement soon.
Snow Dogs is an adventure comedy film which revolves around Dr Ted Brooks, a dentist based in Miami, who inherits a pack of sled dogs. However, if he doesn’t learn the tricks of the trade, he will lose the dogs to a mountain man named Thunder Jack.
One in the Chamber is an action crime thriller film which revolves around Ray Carver, an assassin working for two rival mafia groups. Soon, he finds himself targeted by ‘The Wolf’, a legendary Russian hitman, but upon finding themselves in the middle of a gang war, both Ray and The Wolf decide to join forces, and get rid of all the mafia members of both groups.
After they make an insensitive remark, a travel agent decides to play a prank on two straight friends, and they end up on a cruise ship meant only for gay men.
Norbit, and his best friend, Kate, grew up in an orphanage which doubles as a Chinese restaurant. They are separated when Kate gets adopted. Norbit later gets married to a tyrannical, overweight, and abusive girl named Rasputia. When Kate re-enters his life, Norbit tries to find his way back to his one true love Kate.
A group of elite Special Operations soldiers are assigned by Dr Elissa Cardell, a CIA operative to rescue her scientist father Lee Wesley, who has gone missing from an archeological dig in a desert in the Middle East. The soldiers eventually find the place, but it seems that it is haunted by some kind of ancient evil force.
In order to provide his child with the luxuries which he had never experienced, a father decides to launch a summer day camp for his son. However, things don’t go as planned and he faces financial difficulties, as well as competition from a rival camp.
Home on the Range is an animated comedy western film which is about the resident animals of a farm, who decide go on a bounty hunting mission, for a notorious outlaw, in an effort to save their farm.
As a serial bomber, targeting Boston bomb-squad members, kills a close friend of the recently retired explosive expert Jimmy Dove, he returns to help find the bomber. Dove soon identifies the man behind the bombings as former-colleague, radical Irishman Ryan Gaerity, who had escaped from prison to avenge Dove, whom he held responsible for his imprisonment. But can Dove stop the mad bomber?
Cuba Gooding Jr. Awards
| Jerry Maguire | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | 1997 |
