The Oscar-winning actor named in Diddy’s bombshell lawsuit just broke his silence
Cuba Gooding Jr. hasn’t exactly been in hiding since being named as a co-defendant in a bombshell lawsuit filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The Oscar winner has been seen socializing in the Miami area, most recently singing in Spanish trackside at the Miami Grand Prix in Miami Gardens last weekend.
In the $30 million suit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones accusing Diddy and various people in his circle of sexual assault, Gooding was not initially named.
The “Jerry Maguire” star, who pleaded guilty to forcible touching in 2022, was only referred to as “a relevant actor who has fallen from grace.”
On March 25, hours after feds raided Combs’ Star Island mansion as part of a sexual-trafficking probe, Jones amended the suit to add the movie star by name.
Court documents include a picture of the two men aboard a yacht in the Caribbean in January 2023, when Jones claims the movie star groped and harassed him.
Combs, through his lawyer, has denied all allegations, but Gooding hasn’t spoken about the claims until now. Appearing on Patrick Bet-David’s “The PBD Podcast” on Wednesday, the Bronx native revealed he was shocked when he heard he was embroiled in the saga.
“That’s the craziest thing,” he said. “I wake up in the morning. I turn on the ‘Today’ show [and hear] ‘Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. …’ Excuse me! You pull me into this?!”
The 56-year-old father of three went on to say that Diddy is an acquaintance he has only met “two or three times.”
As for the alleged boat incident with Jones, he explains that there were “probably 300 people” aboard, and the producer only showed one “sordid” angle, with Gooding’s arm around his shoulder.
“It makes me laugh . ... I get it... because you made it look like you wanted it to look,” says Gooding of Lil Rod. He then showed Bet-David his camera phone with a different angle, which is not seen.
He claims Jones is just looking for an easy payday and targeted him due to the “darkness” of his past scandals.
“This guy who’s suing him is going after the money, I’m sure.”
So why pipe up now? It might be because Gooding felt comfortable enough during the host’s expansive interview, which also covered his youth, family life and long career.
“My lawyers said, ‘You know, every outlet in the world wants to talk with you,’ ” the embattled Hollywood vet said. “I’m not, like, defining myself from headlines in the press, so I stayed quiet.”
Madeleine Marr: madeleinemarr