Neal McDonough recalls Hollywood backlash after refusing to kiss his costars onscreen

USA Today

4 days ago

When it comes to his relationship with Hollywood, Neal McDonough is all for kissing and telling.
During a July 30 interview on the "Nothing Left Unsaid" podcast, McDonough, known for his roles on series such as "Band of Brothers," "Boomtown" and "Desperate Housewives," opened up about his rocky experience in the entertainment industry due to his longstanding refusal to perform intimate scenes with his female costars.
"Sometimes you need to be crucified in life to realize what life is really about," said McDonough, who is a devout Catholic. "It's about family. It's about God. It's about what you can do to make the world a better place while you're here for that finite amount of time."
In a January 2019 interview with Closer Weekly, McDonough claimed he was fired from the ABC dramedy "Scoundrels" for refusing to kiss his costar and perform sex scenes. "I won't kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman," said McDonough, who has been married to wife Ruvé since 2003.
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McDonough, who was cast as Wolfgang West opposite Virginia Madsen and Patrick Flueger, was reportedly fired three days into production on "Scoundrels." He was later replaced by "JAG" alum David James Elliott.
"I'd always had in my contracts that I wouldn't kiss another woman onscreen," McDonough said on "Nothing Left Unsaid." "My wife didn't have any problem with it. It was me, really, who had a problem with it. ... When I couldn't do it, and they couldn't understand it, Hollywood just completely turned on me. They wouldn't let me be part of the show anymore."
From 2010 to 2011, McDonough had a low profile in film and TV, largely appearing in voiceover roles and minor performances in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Captain America: The First Avenger," according to the actor's IMDb page. In early 2012, McDonough made a showbiz comeback with a recurring role on the neo-Western series "Justified."
"For two years, I couldn't get a job, and I lost everything you could possibly imagine," McDonough said. "Not just houses and material things, but your swagger, your cool, who you are, your identity — everything. My identity was an actor, and a really good one. And once you don't have that identity, you're kind of lost in a tailspin."
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Although McDonough struggled professionally and personally after the firing, including a bout with alcoholism, "The Last Rodeo" star said he doesn't regret taking a moral stance in his career. He credited his spouse Ruvé and his renewed faith with helping him overcome the ordeal.
"When I stopped drinking, everything just kind of changed. Literally, the clouds parted," McDonough said. "I was like, 'Oh, I don't need this crutch. Oh, people are calling me. Oh, I am successful. Oh, I do like myself again. OK, I am God's child, and I have a job to do. Stop wallowing in self-pity. Dust yourself off and go hit it hard."
He added: "At 59 years old, I'm more busy than I've ever been in my whole because I have this clarity, I have a goal and I have a vision. I have one boss, and it's God, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make my boss happy."
McDonough has also found a healthy middle ground for navigating intimate scenes onscreen. The actor, who plays retired rodeo star Joe Wainwright in "The Last Rodeo," said he convinced his wife — who is not an actress — to play his love interest in the film.
"She was so great in the movie, and to kiss my wife, my real-life wife, in a movie that I wrote and produced and gave glory to (God) in," McDonough said. "I can't imagine anything really better than that in my life when it comes to my career because it's finally one of those things where I made it, and I did it our way."