Cuba Gooding Jr. Calls Being Named as a Co-Defendant in Lil Rod's Lawsuit Against Diddy the 'Most Ridiculous Thing Ever'

Cuba Gooding Jr. doubled down on denying accusations made against him in a sexual assault lawsuit filed by Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr. back in February.

In a new interview published Thursday, August 1, the Jerry Maguire actor declared being named as a co-defendant in the court case against him and Sean "Diddy" Combs the "most ridiculous thing ever."

"Welcome to being a celebrity! Welcome to my world," Gooding Jr. added while speaking with the news publication, seemingly insinuating he was only embroiled in the scandal because of his status in Hollywood.

Gooding Jr.'s apparent denial of allegations made in Lil Rod's lawsuit comes after the music producer accused the Men of Honor star of sexually harassing and assaulting him on a yacht rented by Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023.

The legal filing claimed Combs, 54, tried to "pass off" Lil Rod to Gooding Jr., 56, before the "I'll Be Missing You" rapper left them alone in a studio aboard the lavish boat.

It was then "Cuba Gooding Jr. 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," court documents from the lawsuit read, per a second news outlet.

While Gooding Jr. hasn't owned up to the alleged actions, he previously pleaded guilty to one count of forcible touching in 2022 after a woman who had been working at Manhattan's LAVO nightclub claimed he violated her in 2018.

Gooding Jr. admitted in court that he "kissed the waitress" on her lips without consent.

The Boyz n the Hood actor was additionally accused of pinching a female server at TAO Downtown's behind and making sexually suggestive comments toward her. In 2019, another woman alleged Gooding Jr. squeezed her b----- without consent at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge in New York City.

Despite his disgraceful past — and denying present-day accusations — Gooding Jr. insisted in his recent interview that he's learned to take accountability for his actions and has leaned on faith to become a better person.

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"We are dealing with accountability or what is appropriate, what is accessible. I’ve walked my journey and understood that there are things and there’s people and reactions in society that are shifting," he expressed. "Life is about adjusting. People feel that I’m accessible to them, so I come in contact with all kinds of people, from people who adore you to people who are offended by you, people who feel you're aggressive. And you have to learn that as you walk on this path, you must stay neutral."

Gooding Jr. noted: "When people interpret what’s going on with you or what you’re being exposed to, you have to make sure that you know your intention. You have to be accountable for your own actions, and I have been. I have been. People have spoken positive and negative, but I can’t control that."

Extra interviewed Gooding Jr., while USA Today obtained court documents regarding Lil Rod's lawsuit.