Cuba Gooding Jr., The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story – FX Networks

It’s been exactly 20 years since moviegoers got their first big dose of Cuba Gooding Jr. screaming “Show me the money!” as Tom Cruise’s Jerry Maguire fought to keep his last sports-star client. But Gooding’s performance in FX’s stellar American Crime Story installment, “The People V. O.J. Simpson” has raised the bar for this actor even higher. Gooding’s performance as the well known and once-beloved former NFL star deftly combined the sad frustration of a man watching his legacy crumble with a creepy undercurrent that hinted at the many signs pointing toward his guilt. It’s a tightrope that Gooding walks with skill and precision, even while surrounded by other incredible performances brought to the series by the likes of Sterling K. Brown, Sarah Paulson, John Travolta and Courtney B. Vance. After this memorable performance, we can’t wait to see what Gooding chooses to do next. His options just widened.