When it comes to his relationship with Hollywood, Neil McDonough is all about kissing and speaking.
In an interview on the “Nothing Leed Insaid” podcast on July 30, McDonough, known for his roles in series such as “Band of Brothers,” “Boomtown,” and “Desperate Housewives,” was opened up about his rocky experience in the entertainment industry due to his long-standing refusal to perform intimate scenes with his female co-stars.
“There are times when you need to be crucified in your life to understand what life really is,” said McDonough, 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 time.”
In a January 2019 interview with Closer Weekly, McDonough claimed he was fired from ABC Doramedi’s “Scoundrels” for refusing to kiss his co-stars and perform the sex scene. “These lips are aimed at one woman, so I don’t kiss other women,” said McDonough, who has been married to his wife, Rubet since 2003.
McDonough, cast opposite Virginia Madsen and Patrick Fluger in western Wolfgang, was reportedly fired three days later in production of “The Villain.” He was later replaced by David James Elliott, a graduate of “Jag.”
“I’m always on a contract and I won’t kiss another woman on screen,” McDonough said, “There’s nothing left.” “My wife had no problem with it. It had a problem with me, it was… When I couldn’t do it, they couldn’t figure it out, Hollywood turned me on completely. They didn’t let me become part of the show anymore.”
From 2010 to 2011, McDonough was not prominent in films and television, appearing mainly in voiceover roles and minor performances in “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” according to the actor’s IMDB page. In early 2012, McDonough made a comeback with showbiz playing a recurring role in the New Western series “Justification.”
“For two years I couldn’t get a job and lost everything I could imagine,” McDonough said. “Not only home and material things, but your sw walking, your cool, who you are, your identity – everything. My identity was an actor and was really good.
Neil McDonough reveals the role he made him break his non-kissing rule
McDonough struggled professionally and personally after alleged firing, including a match against alcoholism, but the “Last Rodeo” star said he didn’t regret taking a moral stance into his career. He believed his spouse Leve and his new faith to help him overcome his ordeal.
“When I stopped drinking, everything just changed. The clouds literally parted ways,” McDonough said. “Oh, I don’t need this crutch. Ah, people are calling me. Ah, I’m successful. Ah, I like myself again.
He added: “At 59, I have this clarity, I have a goal and a vision, so I am busier than ever.
McDonough also found a healthy middle ground to navigate intimate scenes on screen. The actor who retired rodeo star Joe Wainwright in “The Last Rodeo,” said his wife (not an actress) persuaded him to play a love interest in the film.
“She was so great in the film, and kissing my wife, my real life wife, was what I wrote and produced, and I kissed (God) in a film that glorified and glorified,” McDonough said. “When it comes to my career, I can’t imagine it really better than that when it comes to my career because it was finally one of the things I made it and I did it the way we did it.”
