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Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
The conservative-friendly studio beating Hollywood at its own game
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up The movie is one of the latest from Angel Studios, which is devoted to TV shows and movies that 'amplify light.' It successfully caters to a growing market of Americans who want values-driven entertainment and are dismayed with what they consider Hollywood's nihilism and tired storytelling. Advertisement As the lights dimmed for the screening of 'The Last Rodeo,' McDonough told a whooping crowd of family, friends, and fans that they'd see him kissing Ruvé in his portrayal of Joe Wainwright, a retired rodeo legend who has to return to bull riding in hopes of winning enough money for his ailing grandson's cancer treatment. Advertisement Neal and Ruvé McDonough were coproducers on the film, giving them the creative freedom to shape the casting. But McDonough told me that it can be a gamble for major studios to sign off on such maneuvers. He believes his project only made it to the big screen because he worked with a studio that shares his values. 'They said, 'Who do you want to play your wife in the film?' And I said, 'There's only one person's gonna play it; it's my wife, Ruvé,'' McDonough told me. 'And [Angel] said, 'Well, that makes sense.'' The differences between Angel Studios and Hollywood were apparent at the Texas premiere of 'The Last Rodeo,' starting with the suggested dress code on the invitation: boots and bowties. A Stetson-sporting McDonough beamed with his gaggle of five children while Ruvé stunned in a floor-length gown of denim patchwork. The stars, producers, and director of "The Last Rodeo" posed with family members at the film's Texas premiere. Carine Hajjar/Globe Staff But the overall vibe was decidedly less about couture than culture. Speaking to a mix of press, country influencers, and Southwestern personalities lining the red carpet, people involved with the film were open about how 'The Last Rodeo' deals with themes that aren't popular in the Hollywood circles they know well. The movie's director, Jon Avnett, who directed 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and produced 'Black Swan,' told me about the film's emphasis on 'the power of family.' Mykelti Williamson, who portrayed Private Benjamin Buford 'Bubba' Blue in 'Forrest Gump' and plays Wainwright's old friend in 'The Last Rodeo,' said the movie tells a story of an America that's 'actually a good place, with a lot of good people in it.' He added: 'She's not perfect, but she's worth it.' Advertisement Instead of a glitzy afterparty, Angel put on a barbecue for fans and benefactors and their families. Parents holding hot dogs looked on with half terror, half amusement as little boys fought for the next turn on an electric bull. Rodeo queens in fringed red leather and rhinestone cowgirl hats took selfies, while toddlers took wobbly steps around the various field games. If you wanted to wash it down with a beer from the drink stand, you'd have to settle for a Coke. It was unlike Hollywood in every way. And that's been the key to Angel's success. Mykelti Williamson in 'The Last Rodeo.' Angel Studios Avoiding cringe and outrage The American mainstream is in turmoil — and it's not just the 'liberal media' or lefty universities. It's many of the cultural institutions that have been swallowed up by the progressive crazes of the last decade. From Actors have always had a knack for publicly fawning over progressive causes and shaking their fists at Republicans. But those progressive sensibilities have spilled over to the way films are made, too. Now it seems as if every movie that portrays a white or male protagonist needs a remake. (I'm looking at you, 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.') It's safe to assume that Americans who are sick of having progressive politics shoved down their throats might also feel as if it's being stuffed into their popcorn buckets. That creates an opportunity for a studio like Angel to make entertainment for a market underserved by the mainstream. Advertisement Starting with families. Angel's cofounder Jeff Harmon says the studio began as the answer to a Harmon family problem. For him and his three brothers, Neal, Daniel, and Jordan, that problem was the erosion of values portrayed by Hollywood. 'I think for all of us as fathers, we were looking with our families at how quickly the entertainment was accelerating toward nihilism,' Jordan told me, sitting next to Jeff. Naming examples like 'House of Cards' and 'Game of Thrones,' he bemoaned the fact that 'you watch a great movie, the whole thing's great. And at the very end, the whole moral of the story is, 'Everybody's bad.'' The brothers figured that addressing this problem could make for a good business. Jordan, Neal, and Jeffery Harmon at Angel Studios in Provo, Utah, on March 31. RUSSEL DANIELS/NYT At the Fort Worth barbecue, I met Brittany Graves, a 36-year-old mother of four and member of the Angel Guild, whose roughly 1.2 million members pay a monthly fee for access to Angel's content. She told me that 'it's a lot more refreshing to watch [Angel's] movies than kind of the predictable Hollywood norm.' She describes herself as a Christian and homesteader, saying that she agrees more with 'the values that are portrayed in [Angel's] movies' than 'just being hit with cussing and soft-core and sometimes even hardcore porn' that you get from Hollywood. Nearby, Shandelyn Spadke told me that she and her husband, Trae, invest in Angel because they are 'very firm believers in conservative ideas.' As she bounced a baby on her knee, the mother of five said, 'Most of the time we have to censor and preview what they watch. But she doesn't have that problem with 'Tuttle Twins,' a children's show that Advertisement The Harmons say that Angel is essentially replacing the traditional tastemakers who turn up their noses at values-infused entertainment. 'Filmmakers have no issue making great family content; they don't have an issue making faith content, as long as it resonates and it's good storytelling, and it's done with craftsmanship,' Jeff Harmon says. What's missing are studio executives who want this kind of entertainment. 'You replace those gatekeepers — these executives that are out of touch, generally don't have normal families, don't look like Middle America; they don't look like the rest of the world — and you replace those people with the people who are the rest of the world.' Shandelyn Spadke and her baby at the Fort Worth barbecue hosted by Angel Studios. Carine Hajjar/Globe Staff That's where the idea for the Angel Guild came from. The members pay $12 and up per month for access to the programming at home — and the ability to shape it. Angel only produces films that the guild members want to see. First they vote on a 'torch,' or a proof of concept from filmmakers, like a short clip or a pilot episode. If the torch passes the guild, filmmakers can go on to produce their projects. But members also get to vote on final cuts and even provide feedback. Jordan Harmon says Angel Studios filmmakers have gotten more than 100,000 comments from guild members over the last 18 months. The Harmons believe that this is the key to Angel's high audience ratings. Angel Advertisement Wookyung Kim, Kristin Chenoweth, Seong-ho 'Jay' Jang, and Leia Jang attended the premiere of Angel Studios' "The King Of Kings" in Franklin, Tenn., on March Angel Studios Some of Angel's films deal with conservative themes or religious subjects, but it would be a mistake to lump them in with overtly conservative entertainment projects — like those produced by the entertainment studio that the Daily Wire, a conservative news outlet, announced in 2021. If titles like 'Am I a Racist?' and 'What Is a Woman?' don't give it away, many Daily Wire productions are an attempt to make entertainment out of owning the libs. Other conservative productions can be driven overtly by religion and are less concerned with production values and storytelling. Angel avoids earnest cringe and political outrage. That's because its projects aren't ever just characterized by a political or religious message. Even the New York Times The deference to storytelling over pontificating hasn't stopped critics from trying to label Angel conservative ideologues. 'Sound of Freedom,' for example, was The Harmons, who belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints, call Angel a 'faith-friendly' studio and don't allow their productions to take the Lord's name in vain. But the themes and stories they help produce are determined by the Angel Guild, and will evolve as it grows. And since it is serving an underserved market, an initial rightward tilt is to be expected. What's surprising is just how large that market seems to be. 'Our hypothesis is that we're actually going for the biggest segment of the entire entertainment world,' Jordan told me. In collaboration with the Faith and Media Initiative, Harris X Neal McDonough starred in Angel Studios' "Homestead," which had its premiere on Dec. 10, 2024, in Los Angel Studios Like the film 'Cabrini,' which tells the story of Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini's life and ministry to poor immigrants, especially orphaned Italian children in New York City. On the surface this is a story about a Catholic saint. But it deals with themes like standing up to the male-dominated church leadership and overcoming racism through her work for the poor and scorned migrants in America. The film earned a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 98 percent and Some Angel productions aren't religious at all. Tony Hale, known for his role as Buster Bluth in the hit show 'Arrested Development,' is Even though the Harmons have kept to the sidelines of the raging culture wars, they have clearly benefited from conservative victories. Like Donald Trump's which depicts an animated Charles Dickens sharing the story of Jesus' life with his son. But Angel isn't interested in sticking it to the mainstream — its intention is to become the mainstream. 'Stories are upstream from culture,' Jordan Harmon says. And Angel intends to produce 'some of the most timeless stories throughout history.' Carine Hajjar is a Globe Opinion writer. She can be reached at
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Neal McDonough breaks his no-kissing rule for 'The Last Rodeo' scene
Neal McDonough has famously upheld a personal rule against on-screen kissing, but the actor has broken that boundary for his latest project. The actor had a special, milestone kiss with the love of his life, Ruvé, in the movie "The Last Rodeo." McDonough spoke to Fox News Digital about how it felt to get back in the saddle after starring in Western projects, including "Yellowstone," as well as finally being able to "kiss the girl in the end." "I've been riding horses my whole life, so to jump into this saddle is different because I've never really been in this type of saddle before," McDonough said. "I've not been the hero of the movie. I've never been in the position where I get to kiss the girl in the end because, as everyone knows, I won't kiss another woman on screen." "I've never been in the position where I get to kiss the girl in the end because, as everyone knows, I won't kiss another woman on screen." McDonough added it took a bit of persuasion to have Ruvé, who helped produce "The Last Rodeo" and starred as his on-screen wife, on board, especially during their romantic scenes. WATCH: NEAL MCDONOUGH FINALLY GETS HIS ON-SCREEN KISS IN 'THE LAST RODEO' "I convinced my wife, Ruvé. I said, 'Honey, you have to be in the film because I have to kiss the girl in the end.' She's like, 'I don't know how to act.' I'm like, 'Well, you do now.'" Directed by his longtime friend and filmmaker Jon Avnet, the moment wasn't just a cinematic kiss to McDonough, he explained, but the culmination of years of faith and dedication toward his marriage that has withstood the pressures of Hollywood. "We did it, and that was one of my favorite moments I've ever had on a set. There I am, wearing the hero hat, being directed by my favorite director of all time, Jon Avnet, kissing my wife in a movie, finally doing it the way I've always wanted to do it. It's the greatest feeling," McDonough said. Neal and wife Ruvé have been married more than two decades. When Fox News Digital asked what it was like having the spotlight on their romance scenes, he jokingly replied, "Oh, we got it on that day. It was awesome." However, filming the kissing scene took a humorous turn when their daughter, London, was on set during her parents' take. WATCH: NEAL MCDONOUGH SHARES HOW SYLVESTER STALLONE SUPPORTED HIS FILM 'THE LAST RODEO' "Our daughter London was there, and she was like, 'Dad, can you stop? Because I'm famous for one, maybe two takes — eight or nine takes through. I'm like, 'Jon, I need one more. I didn't get that right.' And there we are, mackin' again. And there's London, 'Oh dad, you're grossing me out.'" McDonough explained that he got to show "my love for my wife," knowing the moment was going to be showcased on an 80-foot screen. "Watching me love the thing that I love more than anything on this planet … for me, it was the crowning achievement of everything I've done in my life. "Ups and downs, the hard times I went through because of choices I've made, now are all in the rearview mirror. And I couldn't be happier because all of it was directed by one of my greatest friends, my mentor, my big brother, John Avnet, and I wouldn't be here without you." While "The Last Rodeo" focused on themes of faith, family and redemption in the high-adrenaline world of bull riding, director Avnet shared with Fox News Digital how he tied all the subjects together in his latest project and what it was like working alongside his longtime friend, McDonough. WATCH: 'THE LAST RODEO' DIRECTOR COMPARES NEAL MCDONOUGH TO CLINT EASTWOOD "I really believed in Neil as an actor, and I believed he was a leading man in the model of Clint Eastwood, you know, or John Wayne or Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart," Avnet said. "He has an ability to express so much by doing seemingly so little, but, in this case, he was emotionally there. … Here's Neil, no longer a kid. And I think, 'Wow, he's got it. He's got that Western star appeal.'" Fox News Digital additionally spoke with McDonough and his wife at a Professional Bull Riders event in Arlington, Texas, where "The Last Rodeo" star shared what his intense training consisted of. He acknowledged being injured while bull riding. WATCH: 'THE LAST RODEO' STAR NEAL MCDONOUGH SAYS HE WAS INJURED WHILE BULL RIDING "There was a lot of work. … For me, it was mostly mechanical bulls for months and months and months. And that beats the snot out of you. And it was hard, but I just didn't want anything to not look 100% authentic." In "The Last Rodeo," McDonough portrays a retired rodeo legend who risked it all to save his sick grandson. As he faced his own painful past and the fears of his family, McDonough's character entered a high-stakes bull riding competition as the oldest contestant ever. Along the way, he reconciles old wounds with his estranged daughter and proves that true courage is found in the fight for family. "The Last Rodeo" will be released in theaters May 23.
