Cuba Gooding Jr met Wednesday with New Orleans police and was issued a court summons after a Bourbon Street bartender told authorities that the actor pushed her.
On Tuesday, police issued an arrest warrant on a misdemeanour charge of municipal battery for Gooding. Police say the unidentified bartender told them that Gooding became upset after patrons started asking him to pose for photos with them at about 3 that morning.
The bartender told investigators that Gooding pushed her after she asked him to calm down and again after she told him he should leave and that police had been called.
Gooding left the bar before police arrived, officers said.
“Mr Gooding, his representative and the New Orleans authorities met this morning (Wednesday) and are moving swiftly to resolve this misunderstanding,” Nancy Kane, Gooding’s publicist said.
Calls to Gooding’s attorney were not immediately returned.
New Orleans police spokeswoman Remi Braden said the arrest warrant was lifted after the summons was issued. The date for Gooding’s next court appearance was not immediately available.
The actor is in New Orleans filming The Butler, a movie about a White House butler who serves eight American presidents. The film has a star-studded cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Liam Neeson, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams, Alex Pettyfer and Minka Kelly.
The Butler director is Lee Daniels (Precious and Monster’s Ball).
— AP
