Cuba Gooding Jr (Actor)

"I couldn't be nervous [acting opposite Tom Cruise], because his character works for my character. The only time I got nervous was at the 'Mission: Impossible' premiere. I was standing there, chilling, and here comes Tom introducing me to all the bigwigs in Hollywood. And I'm like, 'Damn, Cuba, you're in another league now.'" - Gooding to Oliver Jones in Premiere Magazine, January 1997

"I was shocked to see the racism in Hollywood. As a young actor you think this is the fairy world. I've seen Sidney Poitier kiss a white woman in a movie. Then you hear, 'We want to make you an offer on this movie, but we can't because we have another black actor up for a role and we can't have two black actors.' That just happened to me. I was blown away." - Gooding to Entertainment Weekly, Feb. 21-28, 1997

"I'm sure there are great stories about families in Compton who struggle with gang violence. There are even better stories of middle-class blacks who struggle to be accepted in upper-echelon communities. But people across the globe won't know it until we start making those f*cking movies. I'm tired of people saying that blacks don't sell overseas. They say blacks are dangerous, and that makes them afraid. Well, they're only afraid because of the movies we're making." - Gooding quoted in Rolling Stone Magazine, April 3, 1997

"My father was a big influence on me. He taught me in this business, you get it in a flash. And you can lose it in a flash. So you have to save your money and prepare to be in this for the long haul." - Gooding quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times, May 31, 1999

Gooding's production company is Goodbro Picture Entertainment (formed with childhood pal Derek Broes).

On his fist-pumping Oscar acceptance speech: "I remember walking up [to receive the award]. I remember going up there. And then the music playing. And then it just seemed like the thing to do: yell out the names. What I don't remember is, when did I stop yelling? What made me stop? Did they stop for a commercial break? Did the people stop applauding? Do you know who I remember seeing? Woody Harrelson! I don't know why. He jumped in the aisle and there was nobody else there, and he went 'Yeaaaaaaaahhhh!' And I'm, like, 'That's Woody Harrelson standing in the aisle.'" - Gooding quoted in The Washington Post, May 30, 1999