In 2002, Cuba Gooding Jr. brought his family, including his late father, Cuba Gooding Sr., to the premiere of his film Snow Dogs, and the actor shared his appreciation and praise for his loved ones.
"They're very supportive. Very supportive," Gooding Jr. told ET at the premiere. "When we had moved away from Hollywood, my mom made the decision to move us back just so that I could pursue an acting career and I owe her everything. I love her for that."
"They've always been um very supportive of the films I make, even though they might not have liked every film, they've always been there at the premieres and showing their support," he added. "It's been awesome."
The Oscar winner said at the time that, while his family has always stood by him, that doesn't keep them from sharing constructive, forthright criticism.
"[They're] very honest," he joked. "I smoked in a movie, [and] my mom's like, 'You don't smoke. You don't look believable smoking.' It's like, 'All right. Thanks Mom.'"
The actor's father, who died on Thursday at the age of 72, spoke with ET at the Snow Dogs premiere as well, and said he and his wife, Shirley, were "very proud" of their son and his younger brother, actor Omar Gooding, for their Hollywood successes.
And, while the Jerry Maguire star's mom might be blunt with her feedback on her sons' performances, Gooding Sr. said he just tries to make his son happy, admitting with a smile, "I lie to him and tell him it was great, no matter what he does."
Gooding Sr., who was a celebrated soul singer with a career spanning over four decades, was found unresponsive in his car in Woodland Hills, California on Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene and an investigation into his cause of death is ongoing, pending an autopsy, Los Angeles Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told reporters.
