Mason Gooding is promoting several projects. This includes Netflix’s “72 Hours,” in which he stars with Kevin Hart, and his latest movie, “I Want Your Sex.” Recently, the 29-year-old heartthrob opened up about growing up with his famous dad and how he feels the “Radio” star used what he called “speed parenting” because of his busy schedule.
Mason appeared on the “Wildmen” podcast in July 2026, discussing a wealth of topics from his burgeoning career to his life growing up with Cuba as a father. He said of his childhood, “My father was an actor and grandfather [Cuba Gooding Sr.] was a singer.”
He explained, saying, “I have probably a stronger relationship and understanding based on who they were publicly than who they were privately. It wasn’t until I was older that they could — not my grandfather, God rest his soul — but like my dad would have been able to articulate like a lot of the lessons I learned as a kid.”
Regarding Mason’s grandfather, he passed away in 2017 at the age of 72. After that, he spoke specifically about his father’s parenting style, saying, “Cause when you’re a parent who’s an actor, and you’re gone for so long, then you come back, you try to … the word would be speed-parent … cause you come in for a week, and you’re like, ‘Why is that broken? Why are you failing school? Why are you fighting?’”
Mason Says Cuba Gooding Jr. Was A Different Person Away From Cameras
Mason continued reflecting on his upbringing with Cuba by stating that he was unsure about how to approach their relationship because the man he saw in interviews failed to align with what he witnessed when his dad was home.
According to the young actor, “At the time, I didn’t really understand that relationship ’cause I was like, ‘You’re so positive and charismatic in these interviews, and then you come home, and it’s a different guy,’ and I didn’t get that correlation or lack thereof.”
In reflecting, he stated, “It’s just understanding that that dissonance between who I get at home and who you are on camera will actually be a factor in how I parse out our relationship moving forward.”
Mason Previously Shared Fond Memories Of His Dad
Mason seemingly has a complicated relationship with his dad, Cuba. However, he still has fond memories of him, including his sharing sage acting advice. The “Scream 7” star spoke to BET in 2019, first joking that he had a hand in his father’s Oscar win.
He said at the time, “Even though technically he won the Oscar in ’97, I like to think I had some hand in that. Regarding being a good luck charm for his dad, Mason recalled, “He always said that before he got Jerry Maguire [that he] related to the character so much because he had a baby on the way, which was me, and it led up to the perfect time and atmosphere to get the role. All the stars lined up, making it what it was. Here’s hoping that same good luck rubs off on me.”
Regarding the advice Cuba shared, Mason said, “It’s not about blowing it [on camera emotion] out of proportion all the time. He said it’s about holding it down and keeping it down until the perfect moment comes and let it explode from you, and that’s what moves audiences.”
Cuba Previously Spoke About Mason’s Career
Mason’s first big role came in 2018 when he was cast in the HBO series “Ballers,” appearing in three episodes. After that, was cast in Olivia Wilde‘s 2019 film “Booksmart.” Cuba dished about his son and his early success in a 2018 PEOPLE interview.
He said at the time, “My youngest son Mason just did a stint on Ballers with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as one of the characters in that.” After that, he teased “Booksmart,” saying, “He’s got a new indie movie that he’s starring in.”
Mason’s continued to expand his career with episodic appearances on shows such as “Star Trek: Picard” and “How I Met Your Father” before scoring a role on “Love Victor,” which started in 2020.
Mason Is Involved In Multiple 2026 Projects
Mason’s latest movie, “72 Hours,” was released on Netflix in July 2026. The movie, which also stars Hart, Marcello Hernandez, Teyana Taylor, and Andy Garcia, debuted at number one on the streamer’s top chart. Additionally, his other film, “I Want Your Sex,” is arriving in movie theaters on July 31. His previous movie, a thriller called “The Gates,” was released in March 2026.
According to Deadline, he’s also been tapped to star in an action film, “Last Resort,” which is scheduled to be released in 2028.
