Distinguished and versatile actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. spent many years in bit roles before finally becoming a star. The son of Cuba Gooding, lead singer for the '70s pop group Main Ingredient, he was born in the Bronx, but moved to Los Angeles after his father's group had a hit single "Everybody Plays the Fool" in 1972. Around the time young Gooding was six, his father abandoned the family. During his teens, Gooding, who became a born-again Christian at age 13, attended four different high schools but managed to become class president of three of them. He made his professional debut in 1984 as a breakdancer during Lionel Richie's show at the Olympics. As an actor Gooding was discovered by an agent while performing in a high-school play. He began working steadily in television commercials and this led to a bit part on an episode of Hill Street Blues. The experience inspired him to take acting lessons and after attending workshops and classes, he began to get a few more parts in television and films. He made his first feature-film appearance in Coming to America (1988) in which he played "Boy Getting Haircut." Gooding got his first real break when he was cast as Tre Styles in Boyz N the Hood (1990). The film earned Gooding considerable acclaim and seemed to offer the promise of a great career. Sure enough, Gooding began landing good-sized parts in feature films. Unfortunately, but for a couple exceptions such as A Few Good Men (1992), most of the films were not well regarded. In 1994, he demonstrated a flair for comedy when he played Paul Hogan's mute sidekick in Lightning Jack, but more mediocre films, including Losing Isaiah (1995) followed. In 1997, Gooding once again shone in the spotlight when he won an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role as loyal football player Rod Tidwell in Jerry McGuire.