Cuba Gooding Jr.'s parents and siblings: A look at the star-studded family tree
My mother raised me, and held our family together. My father has always been there for me with love and advice: even when he was on the road he would always call. To me it’s the most important thing to have a foundation to work from and for me it’s my family.
This quote from Cuba highlights the significant role of Cuba Gooding Jr.'s parents, Cuba Gooding Sr. and Shirley Sullivan, in shaping his acting journey. His family has been a constant source of unwavering support and inspiration since the beginning of his career.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Cuba Gooding Jr.'s father, Cuba Gooding Sr., was the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient.
- The actor's mother, Shirley Sullivan, was a singer who performed as part of the Sweethearts, an all-female backup group.
- His father died on 20 April 2017.
- The award-winning actor has three siblings, April, Omar, and Tommy Gooding, who are also in the entertainment industry.
Profile summary
| Full name | Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 2 January 1968 |
| Age | 57 years old (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Place of birth | The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'10" |
| Height in centimetres | 178 |
| Weight in pounds | 167 |
| Weight in kilograms | 76 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Father | Cuba Mark Gooding Sr. |
| Mother | Shirley Gooding |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-wife | Sara Kapfer |
| Children | 3 |
| High School | Apple Valley High School |
| Profession | Actor, film director |
| @cubagoodingjr |
Cuba Gooding Jr.'s parents: The support system behind the star
The famous actor is the son of Cuba Gooding Sr. and Shirley Sullivan. His parents married in the mid-60s when Cuba Jr.'s father was 22. They later parted ways in 1974, and in 1994, they remarried. Here is a closer look at his parents and their influence on his life and career.
Cuba Mark Gooding Sr.
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Cuba Mark Gooding Sr.
- Date of birth: 27 April 1944
- Date of death: 20 April 2017
- Age at death: 72 years
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, United States
- Profession: Singer
Cuba Mark Gooding Sr. was born on 27 April 1944 in Harlem, New York City, United States. His parents were Dudley MacDonald Gooding and Addie Alston. Cuba Sr.'s father, Dudley, died when he was 11 years old.
Cuba Gooding Sr. was a musician, popularly known as the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient. The band released hit tracks such as Everybody Plays the Fool and Just Don't Want to Be Lonely.
Source: Getty Images
The singer left the band in the late 1970s for a solo career with Motown Records. He released two albums, Love Dancer and The 1st Cuba Gooding Album. Cuba Jr.'s dad has released other tracks, including If You Were Mine and Never Gave Up.
The singer supported his son, Cuba Jr., and inspired him greatly. During an interview with the Friends of Big Shout, Cuba Jr. was asked whether he had always been interested in becoming a musician. He answered:
I’ve definitely always had some interest. My dad, of course, really had hopes of me following in his footsteps. He always used to tell me how someday I’d become this big recording star, but I really wanted to get into acting, so that’s what I ended up doing.
Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his parked Jaguar in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, a week before his 73rd birthday.
Shirley Sullivan
Source: Getty Images
Cuba Jr.'s mother, Shirley, was also an American singer. She was a member of The Sweathearts, a girl band she formed alongside Kim Lewis and Barbara Sullivan. The group was active in the 1940s through the 1960s and released hit songs like (He's My) Superman and Everybody I Know.
Shirley has been supportive of his son Cuba Jr.'s career. During the 2002 premiere of Snow Dogs, Cuba recounted a pivotal decision his mother had made. He mentioned:
When we had moved away from Hollywood, my mom made the decision to move us back just so that I could pursue an acting career and I owe her everything. I love her for that.
Get to know Cuba Gooding Jr.'s siblings
Cuba Gooding Jr. has two brothers and a sister, each of whom has contributed to the family's artistic legacy in their own way. Below is a glimpse into his siblings' personal and professional lives, listed from the oldest to the youngest.
April Gooding
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: April Gooding
- Date of birth: 2 January 1967
- Age: 58 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: The Bronx, New York, United States
- Profession: Actress, voice actor, comedian, realtor
April is the oldest and the only sister to Cuba Jr. She was born on 2 January 1967 in The Bronx, New York, United States. Cuba Jr.'s sister is an actress, voice actor, comedian, and realtor. She has been featured in films and TV shows such as The Shield, Everybody Hates Chris, Night Into Day, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.
Omar Gooding
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Omar Miles Gooding
- Date of birth: 19 October 1976
- Age: 48 years old (as of August 2025)
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Profession: Actor, comedian, rapper, film producer
Omar is Cuba Jr.'s younger brother. He was born on 19 October 1976 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Omar, also known by his stage name, Big O, is an actor, comedian, rapper, and film producer. He completed his studies at North Hollywood High School in 1994.
The actor debuted in his acting career in 1988 in a minor role in Webster. Since then, he has starred in over 140 acting credits, including Barbershop, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, My Cherie Amour, Garlic Parmesan, Saturdays, and King of Newark.
Omar has produced several projects. Some include African Twist, The Leo Movie, AM Radio, and A Familiar Lie. He is also a rapper, having released his debut hip-hop album, The Excuse, in 2019.
Cuba Jr.'s brother has been married to Mia Vogel since 2016. They have two sons, Omar Dari Gooding Jr., born in January 2017, and the other born in November 2019. He also has another son, Bradley Gooding, from his previous relationship.
Tommy Gooding
- Full name: Thomas Gooding
- Date of birth: 3 June 1980
- Age: 45 years old (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: The Bronx, New York, United States
- Profession: Actor, singer, music director
Tommy is the youngest among Cuba Jr.'s siblings. He was born on 3 June 1980 in The Bronx, New York, United States. Tommy attended Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, where he studied music.
Cuba Jr.'s brother followed his parents' footsteps into becoming a musician and bassist. He has worked with bands like GQ, Circular Time, and JJ Sansavarino. Tommy was a music director for his father's soul group, The Main Ingredient.
The bassist founded a music production company, Goodbrown Music, where he works as a composer and producer on various creative projects. Tommy is also an actor. He has appeared in comedy sketch shows such as Sketch TV Time, Okay? and Whatever It Takes: When Blood Runs Cold.
Tommy's wife is Seydurah Avecmoi. The couple tied the knot on 11 November 2019.
FAQs
- Who is Cuba Gooding Junior's mother? The Outbreak star's mom is called Shirley Sullivan.
- How many siblings does Cuba Gooding Jr. have? Cuba Jr. has three siblings.
- Does Cuba Gooding have any brothers? The American actor has two brothers, Omar and Tommy Gooding.
- Who is Cuba Gooding's sister? Cuba has a sister named April Gooding.
- Are Omar Gooding and Cuba Gooding Jr. related? Omar Gooding and Cuba Gooding Jr. are biological brothers.
- Who is Omar and Cuba Gooding's father? Omar and Cuba Jr.'s dad was Cuba Gooding Sr., a soul singer.
- How old is Cuba Gooding Jr.? The actor is 57 years old as of 2025. He was born on 2 January 1968.
Cuba Gooding Jr.'s parents and siblings have been instrumental in shaping his personal and artistic journey. His father, Cuba Gooding Sr., was a renowned soul singer, and his mother, Shirley Sullivan, was a vocalist. Cuba was raised alongside his siblings, April, Omar, and Tommy.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
