"My lips belong to my wife"
Actor Neal McDonough was blacklisted by Hollywood for refusing to do scenes kissing a woman. He was fired from him, but he stood firm in his Christian convictions.
McDonough relied on his faith to get her through tough times in Hollywood. Three days after filming the series "Scoundrels" in 2010, he was fired for disagreeing with the kissing and caressing scenes.
The series only lasted one season on American television, but it was enough for the 56-year-old actor to be placed on the "black list" of the film industry.
"There was a time when I didn't work," the actor told Fox News. “I couldn't get a job because people thought he was a religious fanatic. But it was not the case. I love my wife, but I also love acting. I was hoping that at some point, someone would give me a chance again."
Turning down compromising scenes was nothing new for the actor. From 2008 to 2009, McDonough starred in "Desperate Housewives," where he played the husband of Nicollette Sheridan. Due to McDonough's rule about not kissing another woman, the show's creator, Marc Cherry, had to get creative with his script.
At the time, McDonough said: "I'm not going to kiss any other woman because those lips are made for only one woman." He has been married to former South African model Ruve Robertson since 2003 and together they have five children.
After his brief stint at "Scoundrels," McDonough experienced "a difficult few years" trying to find work, while he remained faithful to his Christian beliefs.
"I remember falling to my knees and saying, 'God, why have you forgotten me? Why am I being punished so much?'” he recalled. “And as soon as those words were out of my mouth, I realized I was asking self-centered questions. God gave me so much! We all go through challenges in our lives. I should be thankful for all the blessings that have been given to me,” he said.
I give thanks to God
Following his heartfelt prayer, the actor was surprised by a call from screenwriter Graham Yost, with whom he had previously worked on the 2001 miniseries "Brothers in War."
“I remember that, a few minutes later, he was sitting at the kitchen table with Ruve. Graham called and said, 'Hey, do you want to play the villain in the first or second episode of 'Justified'? I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah!' And after the first take, he came up to me and said, 'You want to villain all year?' I joked, 'Didn't you know that was my game tactic? ? That's what I'll do!'".
McDonough said his career only blossomed again after his performance on the series Justified in 2012. “I've been working really hard for the last few years and I couldn't be more grateful. I thank God every day for all the blessings I have received, even in difficult times. Everyone always says, 'Why do you work so hard?' My answer is always: 'They keep calling me, so I don't stop.'
Since then he has recognized that the new opportunities have been given to him by God. That's why McDonough says: "God gave me this gift of being an actor and I'm not going to waste it."
McDonough stars in the action movie "Boon," a sequel to "Red Stone." And this time, he played a good guy, as opposed to the villains he's often known for.
“I couldn't be happier,” he said. “I put a lot of myself into the character. He explores faith in a unique way. And on set we also create a family atmosphere. We made this film with great pride. That was the goal."
Non-negotiable principles
In 2020, McDonough had revealed the few things he refused to do in Hollywood.
“I will not mention the name of the Lord in vain and I will not kiss another woman,” McDonough said at the time. “S- scenes are not for me. And I think, oh my gosh, there are enough S- scenes out there, and being 50 years old, I'm not sure anyone wants to see me doing these things."
He went on to say that he is not comfortable with these kinds of scenes. “I think that's probably why I play so many evil characters, because I love acting and I'm very good at it. It's a God-given talent, so to have a career, I have to figure out creatively, smartly, and knew how I can keep doing what I do."
