BY JOE DEL TUFO
Big Shout Magazine, October 1992

You’ll remember Cuba Gooding Jr. from his performance as Tre in the film Boyz N the Hood. He also played the lead role in the 1991 boxing film Gladiator. Cuba is currently working on a movie called Daybreak as well as a major release with Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Tom Cruise called A Few Good Men. At 24, he is one of the most sought-after young actors in Hollywood and is truly on the brink of super stardom. We spoke with Gooding at Alpha Wave Studios in Edgemont, PA last month, where he and his father Cuba Gooding Sr., former lead vocalist of the ’60 group the Main Ingredient were putting finishing touches on the soundtrack to Daybreak.

Big Shout: You were virtually unknown before landing the lead in Boyz N the Hood. How did you manage to get that role, and what were you doing career-wise before the film?

Gooding: My first break came when an agent saw me in a school play. From that I got a few small parts on Hill Street Blues, but the agency was only able to screen for small parts… what they call variety acts. So I’d be trying out for these parts like “cashier in a grocery store” or “kid playing in a pickup football game.” Not really an extra, but I didn’t have a lot of lines to speak. I never really auditioned for lead roles. So when Boyz N the Hood came up, I was really only auditioning for this small role.

BS: And they were impressed enough to let you audition for something larger?

Gooding: Well, not exactly. When I was there auditioning I got a chance to look over the entire script. As I read it, I knew that I was perfect for the character Tre — I mean, basically he was me. It was this story of a guy my age trying to grow up in a very difficult situation. The relationship between Tre and his father, played by Larry Fishburne, was very much like my own experience — dedication in the face of anything. So I went back and convinced the casting director to let me re-audition for the lead. John Singleton (director) and the casting director agreed I was appropriate.

BS: Were you surprised that they chose you?

Gooding: After reading the script and auditioning for the part, I felt like I would get it. Sometimes things just fit into place. I felt very confident when I was auditioning for the part that I would get it.

BS: Right now you’re working on music for your newest film Daybreak, as well as an album with your father. How did that come about?

Gooding: I’m currently working on The Gooding and Gooding Project with my father. It is basically a collection of old R&B songs that we both picked out. They’re mostly tracks that sound good as duets like “Girl Blue,” which is an old Main Ingredient track we’ve chosen to do for Daybreak. A lot of the songs have me singing to him about some father/son topic, such as the breakup of a relationship. It’s a very open, honest way of performing that I don’t think many musicians are willing to do right now. It’s always been a dream of mine to record with my father. He’s always been my biggest inspiration.

BS: So you’ve always had some interest in becoming a musician?

Gooding: I’ve definitely always had some interest. My dad, of course,, really had hopes of me following in his footsteps. He always used to tell me how someday I’d become this big recording star, but I really wanted to get into acting, so that’s what I ended up doing.

BS: Now that you’re active in both, will you be spending more time with music now or acting?

Gooding: There are a bunch of guys out there who’ve proven you can do both. Often I’ve found that you can’t have one without the other, and sometimes they build on each other.

BS: How so?

Gooding: A good example was during some of the more difficult dramatic scenes in Boyz N the Hood. Very often we’d set up for a shot for very long periods of time, and I would have to very quickly become very emotional — angry, upset, whatever. I would listen to a few of my dad’s songs on my Walkman to get me in the mood for the scene, and it always helped me. Music is a very inspirational thing for me.

BS: You’re living near L.A. now. Were you directly affected by the riots?

Gooding: I was actually shooting in New York when the riots happened, so I watched a lot of it on television. It was shocking, and I think it was unfortunate for everyone involved. There was just too much negative attention, too much destruction. I don’t think anything was really gained, and even if it were, I don’t think it’s the way to solve anything. I can’t say that I was surprised that it happened though.

BS: What is your opinion of the current political situation?

Gooding: I’m not sure yet how I feel about either of the candidates. Obviously, there are many things that need to be done, but I don’t feel like I’m informed well enough yet to make a decision.

BS: What things do you think need to be done first?

Gooding: I think we need to get our homeless off the streets and back into jobs. Once we have a foundation, once we have people working, a lot of the other things will follow. That’ what I would like to see done first.

BS: You obviously have a good relationship with your family. With all of the talk of family values now, how important do you think it has been to your success?

Gooding: It’s been everything. My mother raised me, and held our family together. My father has always been there for me with love and advice: even when he was on the road he would always call. To me it’s the most important thing to have a foundation to work from and for me it’s my family.

BS: In Boyz N the Hood you played the “straight arrow.” You were the one voice of reason in a world going mad. Your music has the same positive outlook. You seem to be trying to relay a message to young America. How would you describe it?

Gooding: I feel that communication is important. And education parallels this. You have to teach people how to communicate, and you have to be able to communicate in order to educate. I believe these are the most important things. I try to live my life as my parents raised me, trying to help communicate to others what I’ve learned.

BS: What would your advice be to the millions of young kids who are living lives that seem hopeless?

Gooding: I have to used myself as an example. I’ve been in situations where normal people aren’t usually put. I’ve been through several difficult times. I was homeless for a while, and now I’ve had to deal with a lot of money and success, which can also be challenging. I just have to say that I’ve been down pretty low too, and I was persistent enough and had the faith in myself to make it through. I believe we can all make opportunities for ourselves.

BS: What do you consider your most difficult experience?

Gooding: That’s a tough one. I think right after I graduated high school when I had to decide whether to go to college or not. It was frightening not knowing what to do with life. I felt that I wanted to act, but I also wanted to continue my education for many reasons. It’s one of those decisions you really have to make on your own, and I think that was the hardest part.

BS: What are your future projects?

Gooding: We just finished Daybreak, which was a really challenging film. It’s a very emotional drama, about AIDS in the year 2000. In the film the government has set up mass quarantines for AIDS victims, which end up being like concentration camps. I was very pleased the way the film turned out. I had a lot of very emotional scenes that were very challenging for me. The film was originally supposed to be played on HBO, but after seeing it, they made the decision to put it in the theaters to reach a larger audience. I’m also currently working on the Gooding and Gooding Project album, which we’ve just begun recording, as well as A Few Good Men, which should be out for Christmas.