Cuba Gooding Jr.’s 3 Children: Meet Spencer, Mason, and Piper

Cuba Gooding Jr.'s 3 Children: Meet Spencer, Mason, and Piper

by Tasha Mayberry

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Cuba Gooding Jr. may be widely recognized for his iconic roles in Jerry Maguire and The People v. O.J. Simpson, but he wasn’t keen on his children — Spencer, Mason, and Piper — jumping into the limelight too soon. “Being an actor is an adult responsibility, it really is,” Cuba shared with The Press Association in 2007, revealing that he would have been “horrified” if his kids had pursued the industry at a young age. “They need to grow up, experience life, and understand what morals and life lessons are before all the praise, money, and responsibility.” Together with his then-wife, Sara Kapfer, Cuba started his family when Spencer was born in 1994. Mason arrived in 1996, followed by Piper in 2005. After 20 years of marriage, Cuba and Sara separated in 2014, with Cuba filing for divorce three years later.

Spencer Gooding, 30

Cuba and Sara’s first child, Spencer, was born in September 1994. Reflecting on Spencer’s childhood, Cuba once talked about how he enjoyed summer camp, though it came with emotional moments. “They’re so excited the night before … [but] then they call crying,” Cuba told MoviesOnline in 2007. “And when they come back, dirty and smelly because they forgot to shower for two weeks, they’re like, ‘Best time ever! Can’t wait till next year!’” After high school, Spencer went on to study American English literature at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Mason Gooding, 27

Cuba and Sara welcomed their second son, Mason, in November 1996. Much like his older brother, Mason’s early years were kept relatively private, although Cuba did share some insights. “My youngest boy is a Boy Scout,” he revealed to MoviesOnline. “I’ve been the chaperone on a few of those camping trips.” Despite Cuba’s initial concerns about his children entering the acting world, Mason eventually found his way into the industry. He landed a role on the HBO comedy Ballers after attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for a short time. “My youngest son Mason just had a role in Ballers with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson,” Cuba proudly shared with Now in 2018. “He’s also starring in an indie movie.

Piper Gooding, 18

The youngest of the Gooding family, Piper, was born in October 2005. Cuba’s rep shared the pregnancy news in July of that year, telling that they were “thrilled to be adding another member to the family.” Despite his hectic schedule, Cuba has always made time for Piper. “She’s so adorable,” he told MoviesOnline in 2007. “She’s got a dad who travels a lot, so when I’m home, she’s always on my shoulder.” By 2018, Cuba described Piper as “12 going on 30,” with a variety of talents. “She sings, dances, she does it all,” he said.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Files for Divorce from Sara Kapfer

Cuba filed for divorce from his wife Sara Kapfer after more than 20 years of marriage. This came nearly three years after Sara had filed for legal separation in April 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. In the original 2014 documents, Sara requested joint legal and physical custody of their two minor children at the time, along with spousal support. According to new documents obtained by, Cuba requested joint legal and physical custody of their daughter Piper, then 10, and expressed his willingness to pay spousal support. He also asked to retain all of his earnings since the time of Sara’s legal separation filing. Cuba, 49 at the time, and Sara were high school sweethearts, sharing three children — Spencer, Mason, and Piper — throughout their 20-plus-year relationship, having dated for seven years before marrying on March 13, 1994.

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