ClassicMacGruber asks:
How was your experience of making Lightning Jack?
I have taken first place in “team penning" and cutting horse competitions in celebrity rodeos. This would not be possible without my horse training on that movie which is one of my favourites.
Bushofghosts asks:
I have only seen you in two roles, which were both brilliant and mythical: Boyz N the Hood, and OJ. Why don’t we have films that tell us what the lives of young black men are like?
That is a statement best reflected for today's upcoming filmmakers. I, as one, look to expose current issues in my work as well.
jonnoh asks:
Since you’ve been a fan of the Arizona Cardinals since Jerry Maguire what do you make of the NFL protests against Trump including the Cardinals who have also been involved?
I never talk politics as my number one rule. But I am in absolute complete support of expression in any form.
writeronthestorm asks:
Is there any role that you were beaten to by another actor that still bothers you?
Yes. Django Unchained. If you go on YouTube and type in Cuba Gooding Jr and horseback riding you can see my screen test.
After Jerry Maguire, the longest I have gone without someone shouting 'Show me the money!' at me is two days
doowenday asks:
Post Jerry Maguire, what is the most number of days you have gone without someone shouting “Show me the money” at you in the street?
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PaddyJFW asks:
Cuba, any plans for a Boat Trip 2? Thought the first film didn’t get the credit it deserved. Superb cameo from the late great Roger Moore too.
DWFan1 asks:
What’s your favourite Pixar film?
Toy Story. A perfect example of a cartoon geared towards kids and their parents.
And it was my first Pixar film. I have three kids so I've seen a lot of them.
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Aaronaldo83 asks:
Is it time for a sequel or reboot of Boyz N The Hood? Maybe catch up with Tre and Furious, and tell an up to date story of what it’s like for young black men in today’s US
Not only is it timely but I literally thought of doing it as a theatre production, as a musical. I just talked about that with my producing partner. In the vein of Hamilton.
dothestrand asks:
What was it like making When Dreams May Come? Vincent Ward is a fantastic film-maker who never gets the credit or work he deserves. It’s a bit of a Williams schmaltz-fest but it’s one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. And Werner Herzog is in it!
MyRandomThoughts asks:
Can I have a part in your next movie please? :))
Yes. I would cast you all! And on that note, I just wrote, directed and starred in my first feature, Bayou Caviar. Coming to a theatre near you!
Scott McLennan asks:
Have you visited Cuba and do you have any travel tips for the island?
No! I've been invited three times but never made it due to scheduling conflicts.
Nancytex asks:
Hi Cuba! Could you wish a Happy 50th Birthday to your old friend and my BFF, Regina Chaffee, from Tustin High?! You worked together at Burger King a lonnng time ago. That would make her day! Thank you, and congratulations on Chicago!
DarkAnaemicI asks:
What are your memories of working with De Niro on Men of Honor?
He's a method actor and stays in character and he was playing a hardass role in that film. But I had the best time off camera with him. All I'll say is two words: Apple Martini.
greysky asks:
Was the making of As Good As It Gets as much fun as I suspect it was. Or was it just damned hard work?
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danielplainview asks:
I always get sucked into watching As Good As It Gets on TV, no matter how many times I’ve seen it. Any anecdotes about acting alongside Jack?
Yes. Millions of them. We filmed on the Sony Studios lot and he told me a story of being a film runner on the back of a bicycle taking the stock from the sound stage to the editing room when he was 17. I couldn't believe that.
laffatron asks:
Who from the Boyz N the Hood cast are you still in touch with?
I just wrapped a movie for Will Smith's production company called Life in a Year co-starring Nia Long who played my girlfriend in Boyz N the Hood.
MoncurAndHisCollar asks:
At the time of filming were you aware of the cultural impact Boyz N the Hood would go on to have? The scene with the police officers’ stop and search really stuck with me. Powerful stuff.
Yes. There were gunshots in the distance and fist fights on the set. The extras lived the life that we were portraying in the movie.
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Aaronaldo83 asks:
I grew up watching your brother Omar in tv classics like Hanging with Mr Cooper and Smart Guy. Was there ever any sibling rivalry between you two? Also, do you think it’s time for a sequel or reboot of Hanging with Mr Cooper?
No rivalry! I'm nine years older than him so when I became "famous" he was just starting out and I wanted the best for him. And I still do!
25aubrey asks:
One of my favourite ever shows from the US was the magnificent Hill Street Blues, what was it like as an up-and-coming actor to get a part in one of the episodes?
I was discovered in a high school play by an agent and she said she'd represent me. That got me my SAG card and started my career. RIP Steven Bochco and thank you for starting my career.
VKK1989 asks:
What moment in your life has had a profound effect in a way you least anticipated?
I had a meeting with my high school councillor for college submissions. She said to me if you don't take your SATs this weekend there is no college for you. And I realised that college had no place in my plans for my life. I didn't know it until then - I just wanted to go to work.
aemenzies17 asks:
If you could have a Super Power of any sort – what would it be and how would you use it?
TheLittlestLatvian asks:
I’m a massive Jerry Maguire fan! So my question is … Who was your favourite Snow Dog?
SpaceGonk asks:
Which gives you more satisfaction – film or theatre?
Film work is spontaneous therefore it gives you the opportunity to indulge in fresh creativity. Theatre is the act of rediscovery every day because you're dealing with the same material.
AlexHD asks:
Do you remember your first visit to the theatre?
No! I remember seeing Cabaret several times over the course of one month. But my first time? No.
It's my job to bring the truth to the performance. If I do that, you'll forget the physicality and get carried away in the character's world
KissMyNorovirus asks:
I loved The People Vs OJ – was there any trepidation over taking on such a notorious role? Did you approach the role assuming he was guilty?
It had nothing to do with the script and everything to do with Ryan Murphy. I was offered to play OJ in a feature film the week before meeting Ryan and I passed on it. I actually prefer to play historical characters that people know because the research and preparation is so much easier. However, it's my job to bring the truth to the performance. If I do that, you'll forget the physicality of the subject and be carried away into the world of my character.
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Cuba Gooding Jr is in the building!
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Post your questions for Cuba Gooding Jr
Thirty years ago, Cuba Gooding Jr got a haircut from Eddie Murphy in a barbershop scene in Coming to America. Before long, the young actor with the big grin and bursting charisma was breaking through to major roles such as Tre Styles, a conflicted teen growing up in South Central Los Angeles in the blistering 1991 drama Boyz N the Hood.
It was his role as an American football player in Jerry Maguire that brought him both an ultra-quotable line (“Show me the money!”) and an Oscar for best supporting actor. His exuberant acceptance speech is one of the most famous in the awards’ history.
His Hollywood career has included the films As Good As It Gets, Pearl Harbor, Snow Dogs, American Gangster and Selma. Then, in 2016, he appeared in the breathtaking true-crime TV series The People vs OJ Simpson, delivering an Emmy-nominated performance as the actor-sportsman accused and acquitted of murder in a trial that gripped the US.
Gooding is currently on stage in another sensational crime drama, playing the untouchable lawyer Billy Flynn in Kander and Ebb’s classic musical Chicago at the Phoenix theatre in London.
He’ll be taking your questions on the show – and his whole career – in a webchat at 1pm on Tuesday 29 May. Post yours in the comments section below.
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All great questions, thanks for taking me down memory lane! Much love, Cuba