Cuba Gooding Jr. Net Worth

Cuba Gooding Jr. made a name for himself in the entertainment industry as a breakdancer before successfully transitioning into acting. 

Early television roles in shows like Hill Street Blues and MacGyver and appearances in popular films like Coming to America boosted his fame. 

Despite his share of controversies over the years, Gooding Jr. has managed to sustain an acting career over 30 years. This article looks at the Oscar winner’s current net worth, evaluating his assets, earnings, and other financial details. 

Gooding Jr.’s varied career has enabled him to accumulate impressive wealth, even with a few bumps. Now, we analyze the numbers behind the fame.

Cuba Gooding Jr.’s net worth, salary, and assets

With an acting career of over three decades, Gooding Jr. has amassed an impressive net worth of $12 million. He has commanded remarkable salaries throughout his time in Hollywood thanks to his undeniable on-screen charisma and talent. 

For example, he earned $600,000 for his Oscar-winning performance in Jerry Maguire, proving his box office draw and critical appeal. He further leveraged his fame to secure $1.5 million paydays for films like What Dreams May Come and Men of Honor.

His salary climbed even higher when he pocketed $2 million for movies such as Snow Dogs and $2 million for Instinct. In addition to commanding lofty salaries, Gooding Jr. has invested in real estate over the years. 

Cuba Gooding Jr. and Famke Janssen in ‘Bayou Caviar’ (Source: IMDb)

He previously owned lavish homes in Pacific Palisades and Studio City, Los Angeles. In 2013, at the height of his earning power, the actor sold his sprawling Pacific Palisades mansion for $9.8 million after purchasing it for $3.5 million. 

Continuing to cash out on his properties, he offloaded his Studio City residence in 2019 for $1.4 million. With his impressive salaries adding up and strategic property investments, he has accumulated his current $12 million net worth. 

His continued acting roles and real estate dealings ensure his wealth will grow for years. Even with a few controversies, Gooding Jr.’s screen presence and acclaim will continue opening up high-paying opportunities in Hollywood.

Cuba Gooding Jr.’s career

Gooding Jr.’s entertainment career began as a breakdancer, performing with Lionel Richie at the 1984 Summer Olympics closing ceremonies. He later studied Japanese martial arts for three years before pursuing acting full-time. 

His early roles included guest appearances on TV shows like Hill Street Blues, Amen, and MacGyver in the late 1980s. His breakout lead role came in 1991 when he starred as Tre Styles in John Singleton’s critically acclaimed inner-city drama Boyz n the Hood. 

He followed this with supporting roles in major films like A Few Good Men, Judgment Night, and Outbreak in the first half of the 1990s. 

In 1996, he reached new heights of fame playing an arrogant yet charismatic football player in Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire opposite Tom Cruise. He earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role. 

Cuba Gooding Jr. with Robin Williams in ‘What Dreams May Come’ (Source: AshbyDodd)

He reaffirmed his talents the following year with a notable supporting turn in As Good as It Gets. Over the following decade, he starred in hits like What Dreams May Come, Men of Honor, and Pearl Harbor, as well as flops like Chill Factor, Boat Trip, and Norbit.

Since 2010, he has appeared more often in direct-to-DVD films than in major theatrical releases.

However, he has still delivered some well-received performances in recent years, like playing Ben Carson in Gifted Hands and supporting roles in Red Tails and The Butler.

Most recently, he was O.J. Simpson in 2016’s American Crime Story, for which he received an Emmy nomination for Lead Actor in a Limited Series.

2018 Gooding Jr. made his Broadway debut in The Trip to Bountiful and premiered his directorial debut film Bayou Caviar. So, while his career has had ups and downs, the versatile actor continues to find a mix of roles on screens, big and small.

Cuba Gooding Jr. awards

Gooding Jr.’s breakout role in 1996’s Jerry Maguire earned him widespread critical praise and several prestigious awards. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his charismatic performance, solidifying his status as a Hollywood star. 

His enthusiastic Oscar acceptance speech became one of the ceremony’s most memorable. 

Jerry Maguire also won the American Comedy Award, Blockbuster Entertainment Award, Critics Choice Award, and Golden Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor. 

In the wake of this success, he received a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002, recognizing his impact on the industry.

He later won two NAACP Image Awards for Best Actor in a TV Movie for his roles in Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story and Firelight.

Beyond acting accolades, he was honored with the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Academy of Neurology in 2006 for raising awareness of traumatic brain injuries through his film portrayals.

Most recently, he shared a Black Film Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble in 2014 for the widely acclaimed historical drama Selma about the civil rights movement.

So, over his lengthy career, Gooding Jr. has received critical recognition through an Oscar, multiple TV and film awards in comedy and drama categories, impactful advocacy honors, and praise from industry peers.

Cuba Gooding Jr. legal allegations

In June 2019, Gooding Jr. was arrested and charged with misdemeanor forcible touching and sexual abuse for allegedly groping a woman at a bar in New York City. By August 2020, over 30 women had accused him of unwanted sexual touching. 

He was formally charged for three incidents of forcible touching and sexual abuse. In August 2020, a woman filed a civil lawsuit accusing Gooding of raping her in a New York City hotel room in 2013. 

The two parties settled the lawsuit in June 2023, allowing Gooding to avoid trial. However, his lawyers maintained that he had consensual relations with the woman.

Cuba Gooding Jr. in court on 22 January 2020 in New York (Source: The Guardian)

In April 2022, he pleaded guilty to forcibly kissing a woman without consent at a nightclub in 2018. 

He also admitted to two other non-consensual physical encounters with women in 2018 and 2019. His plea deal enabled him to avoid jail time if he underwent six months of counseling. 

However, in February 2023, two more women filed civil suits alleging Gooding had sexually assaulted them in those previous criminal cases from 2018 and 2019. One woman, a former cocktail waitress, said Gooding Jr. forced his tongue in her mouth. 

The other alleged he groped her breast without consent. The suits seek unspecified damages. 

So, over the past few years, more than 30 women have leveled sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Gooding Jr. While he avoided jail time, he has faced civil lawsuits seeking accountability and damages for his actions.