Cuba Gooding Jr. became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars within years of breaking onto the scene, but his career has fallen far from those early-year peaks.
Recent years have seen the 56-year-old star largely absent from the screen, after a series of controversies and legal issues knocked his once-pristine star from its pedestal. Even numerous accusations and several settlement agreements aren’t enough to end his career completely, however — he’s still acting, just not in the releases he used to boast. The award-winning star left Oscar bait in the past, and now focuses his time toward smaller, lesser-known projects that aren’t worried about the bad optics of his involvement.
His career prospects were tanked further in early 2024, when Gooding’s name was mentioned alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs’ in a dramatic lawsuit. Diddy was a controversial figure before his homes were raided by federal authorities, and his association with Gooding only served to further tarnish the Jerry Maguire actor’s name.
Just where did Cuba Gooding Jr. go?
Back in the late ’90s, leading into the 2000s and even 2010s, Cuba Gooding Jr. was everywhere. He was starring in releases across genre lines, from war epics and actioneers to romantic comedies, kids’ films, and gripping dramas. He was considered among Hollywood’s best, with nowhere but to go but up, and then his various controversies started catching up to him.
Gooding first faced legal trouble in 2019, after he was accused of forcibly touching a woman at a Times Square bar. From there, the allegations started stacking up, and by late 2020 a full 30 women had stepped forward to accuse the star of unwanted sexual contact.
30 accusations only led to three instances of formal charges, but they were enough to slow Gooding’s roll. The events of the next few years — which included yet more accusations of unwanted touching and harassment, and even one of rape — saw Gooding slowly loose the grip he once held on fame, and his fate was sealed when his name was linked to Diddy’s in early 2024.
Gooding was named as a defendant, alongside Diddy, in a February 2024 lawsuit that claimed, among other things, that Gooding groped music producer Rodney Jones without his consent. His association with Diddy, who is currently embroiled in a federal sex trafficking case, is the final nail in Gooding’s coffin for many, and may see his on-screen career end for good.