Cuba Gooding Jr.: “When I’m not being creative is when I’m frustrated”

Cuba Gooding Jr. hasn’t had the greatest success since winning his Oscar for Jerry Maguire.  Let’s just say making Snow Dogs didn’t do much for his career.  But now that Gooding is starring in The Trip to Bountiful on Broadway, he feels like things are finally back on track.

“There was so much expectation after I won the Oscar,” he said in an interview with AP.  “And so many opinions that floated around, and the negativity about me and my choices.  And there were some missteps on my part—I was saying no to a lot of good directors that I shouldn’t have.  Now that I’m at this creative place, I understand the path God put me on.  He put me where I’m supposed to be right now.  Now if there’s anything to prove, it’s that that first promise of my ability was correct and I’m ready to engage again.” Read more

5 Clips for George Lucas’ ‘Red Tails’ featuring Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bryan Cranston

Here’s 5 clips from George Lucas‘ War Would II action flick, Red Tails.

Directed by Anthony Hemingway and starring Terrence Howard, Tristan Wilds, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bryan Cranston, the film follows the story of the Tuskegee Airmen as they take to the skies to fight for their country — and the fate of the free world.

The film has a huge cast; also starring Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Brandon T. Jackson, Ne-Yo, Method Man, Kevin Phillips, Rick Otto, Lee Tergesen, Andre Royo, Elijah Kelley, Marcus T. Paulk, Michael B. Jordan, Jazmine Sullivan and Gerald McRaney.

It’ll be release on January 20th. Check out the clips below! Read more

Trailer #3: ‘Red Tails’ starring Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard

Here’s the 3rd trailer for Red Tails, the film based on The Tuskegee Airmen. The effects look great but I’m not sold and I think the reason is because Terrence Howard looks like he’s hamming it up. Check it out and tell me I’m not right.

Synopsis: 1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world. courtesy of trailers.apple.com

Director: Anthony Hemingway

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Kevin Phillips, Nate Parker, Daniela Ruah, Michael B. Jordan, Tristan Wilds, Cliff Smith, Rick Otto

In Theaters: January 20th, 2012
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Terrence Howard & Cuba Gooding, Jr. Praise George Lucas and Lament the Current State of African-American Cinema

Red Tails isn’t just a vanity project for producer George Lucas — the story of the World War II Tuskeegee Airmen is something Lucas has wanted to tackle for years — but a film that fills a void that is all-too-often ignored: a drama with a predominantly African-American cast. 

They’re a rarity in Hollywood, and Think Progress caught up with two of the film’s stars, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr., to discuss with them the current state of African-Americans in Hollywood.  Their thoughts?  It’s difficult to break through.

Howard maintains that Hollywood is unwilling to invest in films with African-American casts because of the perceived low earning potential.  He explains, “Now, Hollywood, for a number of years has maintained the status quo by saying black films do not have an international value. Therefore we’re able to pay black actors less, we can give them less money to make their films…If this film, if George Lucas, who is basically the Parrish of the film industry, as Col. Noel Parrish did for the Tuskeegee Airbase, he put his entire career on the line and stood behind these black pilots, these American pilots. What George Lucas did, he put his entire career on the line…when they wouldn’t distribute it, he put $30 million into distribution. If this film is not successful, it will become a stumbling block for all time where they can say that black films do not have value or merit. It’s important that this film is supported…if George Lucas does not profit from this, then the rest of the industry will see no profit in black people.”   Read more

2 Trailers: ‘Red Tails’ starring Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard

Red Tails: 1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world. from trailers.apple.com

Director: Anthony Hemingway
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Kevin Phillips, Nate Parker, Daniela Ruah, Michael B. Jordan, Tristan Wilds, Cliff Smith, Rick Otto

In Theaters: January 20, 2012

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