EXCLUSIVE: Why Cuba Gooding Jr Is Sweating Over 'Sketchy' Past As He's Dragged into Horrors of Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex Scandal
Cuba Gooding Jr. is worried his history with Sean 'Diddy' Combs could come back to haunt him.
April 8 2025, Published 11:46 a.m. ET
With Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial set to get underway next month, RadarOnline.com can report actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is freaking out over being dragged into the mess – especially in light of his own relationship with the disgraced rapper.
Gooding is already busy defending himself in a separate trial revolving around his interactions with Combs.
Gooding is facing charges Combs 'groomed' a young music producer for him.
Last year, former Combs producer and collaborator Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones accused Gooding, 57, of sexually harassing and assaulting him while on Combs' yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2023.
The Jerry Maguire star has vehemently denied the charges, and friends say he has tried to focus on saving his career.
A source said: "Cuba has vowed to leave his own struggles behind and lead a model life. But Diddy's case just sucks him right back into the same kind of scandal he's trying so hard to avoid."
Gooding reportedly wants to avoid any negative publicity, and is anxious to settle any accusations out of court.
The insider added: "He's sweating bullets about the prospect of having to go to court to answer Lil Rod's charges. In the meantime, he's vowed to be an upstanding citizen and not get into any more trouble by being a lech."
A photo shows Gooding and Jones spending time together on Combs' yacht.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Jones is accusing Combs of subjecting him to "constant" sexual harassment throughout the duration of time the two collaborated on The Love Album: Off the Grid.
It is alleged that during one incident with the Snow Dogs actor, Gooding "began touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones' legs, his upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks, and his shoulders."
Combs is accused of trying to "pass off" Jones to Gooding, introducing him to the Oscar-winning star before leaving the two alone in a studio onboard.
Jones "was extremely uncomfortable and proceeded to lean away from Mr. Gooding Jr.," the lawsuit accusing the film star of sexual assault and misconduct stated: "He rejected his advances, and Mr. Gooding Jr. did not stop until Mr. Jones forcibly pushed him away."
Gooding has previously settled other sexual assault cases.
Shortly after the filing, Gooding told the PBD Podcast he met Combs around 2019-2020 and they hung out "two or three times," including New Year's Eve 2023, when he listened to music on the music mogul's yacht with Jones.
He said that encounter happened after he jumped from star-studded yacht parties until he met up with Diddy, where he was invited to listen to a song.
Gooding argued: "This guy who's suing him (is) going after the money, man. I'm sure, and by the way, I don't know P. Diddy's life. I don't know what he's going through. We were acquaintances."
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At least 30 women have come forward over the past six years accusing Gooding of making unwanted sexual advances.
In 2023, he narrowly avoided a civil trial following a rape allegation by settling with a woman known only as "Jane Doe" just before jury selection was set to begin.
It's not known what the final deal was, but Doe originally sought $6 million in damages.
In a separate case, Gooding pleaded guilty in 2022 to a misdemeanor charge that he forcibly kissed a worker at a nightclub in New York back in 2018.
He completed alcohol and behavior modification counseling and was later able to plead guilty to a lesser harassment violation, resolving the case without any time behind bars.
