As Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. hit town this week, he shared his thoughts about the lack of diversity at the Academy Awards (and in Hollywood in general); the presidential candidacy of Ben Carson, whom Gooding portrayed in a 2009 TV film, and his FX limited series, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (9 p.m. Tuesdays).
“This blows me away, since we’re into the fourth week of the show and I realize it’s really connecting with the public,” Gooding said. “The reason I know that? When I turn on my morning TV shows, and they are still doing little news blurbs about it. Like the other day, [murder victim] Ron Goldman’s sister was on talking about her family being upset that David Schwimmer [who portrays lawyer Robert Kardashian] didn’t contact them.”
So far he’s only heard from one person directly connected to the Simpson case. “I was at a dinner party recently and ran into Marcia Clark [the prosecutor played by Sarah Paulson]. She had seen the first two episodes and she was so sweet about the whole thing. We spoke for about 20 minutes. It was amazing, but she was very supportive and sweet about it.”
Gooding plays Simpson himself and has a memory of meeting the actor and athlete, a few years before his arrest.
” ‘Boyz n the Hood’ had just come out and I was in a nightclub and O.J. walked by. Someone told him I was in the film and he said, ‘Hey, young buck! Way to go!’ And off he went with one girl on each arm!” said Gooding with a laugh.
The actor reflected on the impact the trial had on American popular culture. “This trial arguably was the first time we were able to step into the lives of these people and see their dirty laundry aired, exposed, dissected and talked about. But we felt a true kinship to the whole thing, because one of them was a real celebrity.
“O.J. was not just a movie star, but he was a Heisman Trophy winner. His fame crossed both fields: entertainment and sports. … I’d say the O.J. trial in many ways fed into the reality TV world we have today. It launched it all in real time.”
Asked what he would talk about with Simpson if he should ever get the chance, after having tackled this role, Gooding said, “I probably wouldn’t do a lot of talking. People who have been incarcerated want to be heard. They had a lot to say. I don’t know how much would be relevant to reality or not, but I’m figuring O.J. would have a lot to say. I would probably just listen and let him speak his mind.”
As one of the few African-Americans to have won an Academy Award, Gooding also has taken note of the #OscarsSoWhite campaign and this year’s boycott of the awards by some.
“I wouldn’t boycott, and I would attend because I’m proud of my membership. But it was necessary for Jada Pinkett Smith to say what she said in order to spark the conversation. And if you look, that led to some of the rules being changed.
“I think things are moving in the right direction, and it’s the dialogue that gets things moving. Changes in the Academy’s rules and membership have been made. Time will tell if it worked or not. In the end it all starts at the executives’ level. We’ll just have to see, but I am optimistic.”
As for Carson, the actor got to know the noted surgeon and his family quite well back when he was working on “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.”
“Of course, this was long before he ran for president and the film wasn’t the least bit political,” he said, “so that’s the context in which I knew him.”
The actor noted he had positive feelings about Carson, “his wonderful wife, Candy, his mom — they are all a very specific family unit that is inspired by God’s grace.”
Gooding is not surprised the doctor is running for president.
“Look, there is a certain type of person who puts themselves out there. You need a bravado, an arrogance to run for political office, and Ben Carson has got that in spades. So, nothing has surprised me in his run for the office. He’s a very smart man. and he clearly has a lot to say.”
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