Topline
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr., who’s known for his roles in Jerry Maguire and The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, has settled a lawsuit accusing him of raping a woman in a New York City hotel room roughly 10 years ago, according to multiple reports.
Cuba Gooding has been in court before for sexual abuse accusations.
Key Facts
The actor and the anonymous woman who was accusing him of sexual abuse “resolved the matter” Tuesday morning just before a court trial was scheduled to begin, a calendar entry in the court record said, according to AP.
Gooding’s accuser had remained anonymous throughout the process, but Judge Paul Crotty ruled last week she would have to reveal her name at trial.
The lawsuit sought $6 million in damages.
Key Background
The woman claims that, in 2013, Gooding asked her to join him at a hotel in Manhattan, where he invited her to his room so he could change clothes. She alleges he then raped her in his room. Gooding’s lawyers maintain the sex was consensual and say she bragged about it afterwards.
Big Number
30. That’s how many women have accused Gooding of groping as of August 2020, just before the rape claim was filed against him, according to CNN. In 2019, Gooding turned himself in to the New York Police and later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for forcible touching and third-degree sexual abuse. A woman said he groped her at a hotel bar, and investigators were able to corroborate her claims with security footage. He also pleaded guilty in 2022 to a similar incident that allegedly occurred in 2018, and admitted to two other incidents during that plea. He has not had to serve any prison time for the various misdemeanors to which he’s pleaded guilty.
Surprising Fact
Gooding, 55, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his 1996 role in Jerry Maguire. He also received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his 2016 portrayal of O.J. Simpson in the series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Further Reading
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. Pleads Guilty In Groping Case (Forbes)
Prosecutors say 30 women have come forward with groping accusations against Cuba Gooding Jr. (CNN)
Cuba Gooding Jr. Surrenders to Police to Face Groping Charge in New York (New York Times)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/06/actor-cuba-gooding-jr-settles-before-trial-in-rape-case/