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Neal McDonough Says ‘Hollywood Turned on Me’ After ‘I Wouldn’t Kiss Another Woman On-Screen’

Neal McDonough, the veteran character actor who has appeared in everything from “Band of Brothers” to “Desperate Housewives,” “Minority Report,” “American Horror Story,” “Suits” and more, revealed during an interview on the “Nothing Left Unsaid” podcast (exclusive shared by TMZ) that Hollywood shut him out when he refused to kiss other actors on screen. McDonough has been married to Ruvé Robertson since 2003. The couple has five children together.

“I’d always had in my contracts I wouldn’t kiss another woman on-screen,” McDonough said. “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.”

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by Anonymousreply 82July 31, 2025 5:46 PM

“For two years, I couldn’t get a job and I lost everything you could possibly imagine,” McDonough added. “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.”

McDonough has been acting since 1990 and just headlined the Angel Studios drama film “The Last Rodeo,” in which he played a former bull-riding world champion who returns to the rodeo later in life in order to win money for his grandson’s brain tumor surgery. The film opened in theaters in late May and grossed $15 million on a production budget in the $8 million range.

In recent years, McDonough has been more known for his television work. He appeared on six episodes of “Yellowstone” as Malcolm Beck and on seven episodes of “9-1-1: Lone Star” as Sergeant Ty O’Brien. He reunited with “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan for a series regular role opposite Sylvester Stallone on the second season of “Tulsa King,” which streams on Paramount+.

by Anonymousreply 1July 30, 2025 7:53 PM

He sounds like a ...

by Anonymousreply 2July 30, 2025 7:53 PM

On today's episode of "First World Problems"...

by Anonymousreply 3July 30, 2025 7:56 PM

No, they turned on you because you're a weirdo who is difficult to work with.

It's like a porn star who refuses to have sex.

by Anonymousreply 4July 30, 2025 8:02 PM

You don't have to kiss another actor on screen and they don't have to hire you. Simple.

by Anonymousreply 5July 30, 2025 8:11 PM

Maybe it's because he doesn't like kissing women

by Anonymousreply 6July 30, 2025 8:17 PM

Such a tragic story. How can the world be such a cruel place as to do such a thing to this man?

by Anonymousreply 7July 30, 2025 8:18 PM

He bitches about this almost every time he's interviewed, even though he still works steadily.

by Anonymousreply 8July 30, 2025 8:20 PM

Poor MAGAt. A straight, white man - the most persecuted group in Hollywood and, more widely, in America.

by Anonymousreply 9July 30, 2025 8:23 PM

R6- He's got gay lips. I don't care how many crotchfruit his FRAU wife has popped out.

I still think he's a FAG

by Anonymousreply 10July 30, 2025 8:25 PM

Is he really straight? Maybe he just wanted a family and a traditional life.

by Anonymousreply 11July 30, 2025 8:27 PM

Even major whack job/Jesus freak Jim Caviezel isn't such a pain in the ass to work with.

by Anonymousreply 12July 30, 2025 8:29 PM

These people who think if they kiss someone else they are commitnig a sin or leading to sin. How much lack of self control do you have that you cannot kiss a woman for your job. Or a man for that matter. Will Smith refused to kiss a man in six degrees of separation.

by Anonymousreply 13July 30, 2025 8:33 PM

How many movies would have called for that anyways?

by Anonymousreply 14July 30, 2025 8:38 PM

[quote]How much lack of self control do you have that you cannot kiss a woman for your job. Or a man for that matter. Will Smith refused to kiss a man in six degrees of separation.

I think we've all seen how little self-control Will Smith has.

Do that many roles aside from leading man involve kissing one's co-stars? Perhaps seeking out supporting character parts in tandem with the no-kissy-kissy rider would have been wise.

by Anonymousreply 15July 30, 2025 8:49 PM

[quote] A straight, albino man

Fixed that for you.

by Anonymousreply 16July 30, 2025 8:57 PM

How often would he ever even be considered for the romantic lead? He's a character actor, and usually cast as some kind of weirdo villain or repressed homosexual.

by Anonymousreply 17July 30, 2025 9:00 PM

This is such a wild swing of blame, I don't really know what to say. I doubt it was the lack of kissing that blacklisted him. *smirk*

by Anonymousreply 18July 30, 2025 9:09 PM

Who is this?? That bitchy barista from Friends? He should be grateful to find work at all!

by Anonymousreply 19July 30, 2025 9:15 PM

LOVE the Matt Damon troll. Never gets old! Please keep on - it’s so unexpected.

by Anonymousreply 20July 30, 2025 9:17 PM

Another weird right-winger who’s convinced he’s both a victim and a hero.

by Anonymousreply 21July 30, 2025 9:52 PM

If I'm being honest, I always thought he was gay.

He totally sets off my gaydar.

Maybe it's the platinum blond hair he loves so much.

by Anonymousreply 22July 30, 2025 9:57 PM

Loved him in BAND OF BROTHERS, but the lady doth protest too much.

by Anonymousreply 23July 30, 2025 10:16 PM

No sympathy for this weirdo fundie.

by Anonymousreply 24July 30, 2025 10:19 PM

My GOD the suffering this man has been through. I thought I’d seen it all, but this is hard to read. His COOLNESS??? His SWAGGER??? This world is so fucking cruel. I hate this world.

by Anonymousreply 25July 30, 2025 10:19 PM

He used to play baseball here locally. I called him the Albino Ray Liotta but not to his face. From what I hear he's likely gay. And a very nice guy.

by Anonymousreply 26July 30, 2025 10:20 PM

You’d think they were asking him to fuck an actress on camera.

You’re an actor; none of it is real. And when you were kissing a stranger with a large crew, all leaning in only feet from your face, there’s really no risk of getting swept off your feet and for forgetting where you are.

by Anonymousreply 27July 30, 2025 10:21 PM

I had a crush on him when I saw him in Ravenous. Too bad he turned out to be a fundie douche

by Anonymousreply 28July 30, 2025 10:22 PM

It’s the same argument of American versus European culture.

Americans can show violence but not sex and nudity. Neal can kill someone in a movie but not kiss them.

by Anonymousreply 29July 30, 2025 10:23 PM

I hear from a former teammate he wears eyeliner to play softball. (I was mistaken when I said baseball)

by Anonymousreply 30July 30, 2025 10:23 PM

Is he Catholic?

by Anonymousreply 31July 30, 2025 10:32 PM

He was on Desperate Housewives

by Anonymousreply 32July 30, 2025 10:32 PM

Idiot.

by Anonymousreply 33July 30, 2025 10:35 PM

It always surprises me when actors kiss on screen, and then immediately wipe their lips afterwards.

It takes me right out of the scene. No believability at all.

Jensen Ackles is very guilty of this, on Supernatural.

He was always supposed to be a man whore, but then always wiped his lips after a kissing scene.

It looked really dumb.

by Anonymousreply 34July 30, 2025 10:41 PM

I’m so tired of these MAGA snowflakes always bitching and moaning.

by Anonymousreply 35July 30, 2025 10:42 PM

Kirk Cameron also has this rule, so they simply substituted his real-life wife in for the actress when it came to the kissing scene! Perhaps Neal can get in touch with Kirkles for a job

by Anonymousreply 36July 30, 2025 10:43 PM

When ya'd kiss me, I always used to wipe my mouth! Wipe my mouth!

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by Anonymousreply 37July 30, 2025 10:43 PM

What a tool. Amazing that some of these overly sensitive, personal boundary actor-types don't get that unless your name is one, two or three on the call list, no one gives a shit about your issues. No one quietly gives a shit. It's simpler just to hire one of dozens more who don't come with the bullshit who can do the job just as well. Yet it's always "the man's" fault.

by Anonymousreply 38July 30, 2025 10:44 PM

Wiping your lips after kissing someone, does absolutely nothing to remove germs.

It's completely pointless

by Anonymousreply 39July 30, 2025 10:45 PM

This guy works A LOT. What in the hell is he bitching about?

by Anonymousreply 40July 30, 2025 10:48 PM

He was on Band of Brothers

by Anonymousreply 41July 30, 2025 10:48 PM

And Desperate Housewives

by Anonymousreply 42July 30, 2025 10:53 PM

R41/R42, why are you repeating what’s already been posted?

by Anonymousreply 43July 30, 2025 10:54 PM

He’s unable to do the work. Hollywood doesn’t owe him a job. Cry me a river. Let him make his own boring productions.

by Anonymousreply 44July 30, 2025 10:55 PM

Dear Neal - Hollywood turned on you because you are extremely fug. But seriously - no one "turned on you," dumbass.

by Anonymousreply 45July 30, 2025 10:58 PM

Nice body, but looks like a little kid

by Anonymousreply 46July 30, 2025 11:01 PM

When one focuses too much on the frame it brings the art into question.

by Anonymousreply 47July 30, 2025 11:06 PM

R2 He could play Matt Damon's older brother

by Anonymousreply 48July 30, 2025 11:08 PM

Imagine hiring someone for a job and they refuse to do one of the requirements.

This is a stupid hill to die on - particularly because his wife doesn't care. (Or he SAYS his wife doesn't care and there's more to the story)

Nudity is one thing - but relationships and kissing are human nature.

Weirdo.

by Anonymousreply 49July 30, 2025 11:11 PM

It’s like a stripper who won’t show her titties. You don’t have to show them and we don’t have to hire you.

by Anonymousreply 50July 30, 2025 11:15 PM

I wonder how his wife enjoyed losing her security because her husband, an actor, was too concerned about the nothing of actorly kisses in performance that she didn't give a fundie crap about.

by Anonymousreply 51July 30, 2025 11:15 PM

Hmm - looks like Neal doesn't know the internet exists to back-up his tall tale.

Here's his Wiki - listing all his film and TV credits. He has worked in multiple films and series EVERY.FUCKING.YEAR.

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by Anonymousreply 52July 30, 2025 11:26 PM

You're an actor. Your character may do things you wouldn't - that's kind of a central theme. Also, if you are with someone who doesn't understand that, maybe you need to get another job.

by Anonymousreply 53July 30, 2025 11:30 PM

No worries: In a year or two AI will be ready for at-home viewers to create scenes of him getting spitroasted by Michael B Jordan and Rock Hudson.

by Anonymousreply 54July 30, 2025 11:35 PM

did he happen to mention anything about kissing another man on screen?

by Anonymousreply 55July 30, 2025 11:38 PM

I'll suck off men but kissing a female? That's disgusting!

by Anonymousreply 56July 30, 2025 11:44 PM

He's crazy.

Why on EARTH would you even mention this in the press? It does nothing than make you look starved for attention and difficult to work with.

I presume this was years ago.

I always thought he looked and acted strange anyway. He has 5 kids and turned down work because he didn't want to kiss another woman?

Stupid ass.

by Anonymousreply 57July 30, 2025 11:45 PM

He played the second best villain on Justified after Margo Martindale.

by Anonymousreply 58July 30, 2025 11:51 PM

[quote]Is he Catholic?

There was an interview some time back where he mentioned being part of some ultra-conservative Catholic sect.

I took it to mean he goes to one of those renegade churches that still says Mass in Latin.

by Anonymousreply 59July 30, 2025 11:54 PM

He's not Roman Catholic, he's Mel Gibson Catholic.

by Anonymousreply 60July 30, 2025 11:59 PM

Wife looks MTF

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by Anonymousreply 61July 30, 2025 11:59 PM

Maybe he's never offered any roles that might require kissing because he's simply too creepy-looking to be a believable romantic interest or even a suburban dad who smooches his wife. Or acts unconvincingly in such roles during auditions. So this is his post hoc explanation for their absence on his resume. A well-rounded actor would want diversity in his filmography.

And, yes. This is not the first time he's complained. I looked at the OP's date because I could swear we had a thread about this before.

by Anonymousreply 62July 31, 2025 12:13 AM

Lol R56!

by Anonymousreply 63July 31, 2025 12:13 AM

[quote] He could play Matt Damon's older brother

What the fuck???

I'm not a....

by Anonymousreply 64July 31, 2025 12:14 AM

Smiles like the front end of a 1950 Buick

by Anonymousreply 65July 31, 2025 12:17 AM

His face is repulsive. You couldn't pay me to kiss him, either. I'm sure the feeling is mutual with actresses all over hollywood.

by Anonymousreply 66July 31, 2025 12:19 AM

He's very conservative which in Hollywood is not a good card of introduction. I think his difficulty getting work may also be because of this.

by Anonymousreply 67July 31, 2025 12:19 AM

R61, you just know that that big, butch thing pegs delicate flower Neal.

I'll bet their both "ex-gays".

by Anonymousreply 68July 31, 2025 12:27 AM

It's called acting.

I can understand if an actor or actress won't do nudity.

But this?

by Anonymousreply 69July 31, 2025 12:53 AM

He should be a commercial pitchman then, or a gameshow host. Or limit himself to specific, sexless roles. He could do voice work. If you have a strict "no kissing" rule then acting is probably not for you. As someone else said, kissing isn't like doing nude scenes. I'm sure it's awkward and comes with challenges, but it shouldn't be a huge reach for a professional. "My religious beliefs forbid it" is not a valid excuse. It's part of the job. Don't take the job if it goes against your beliefs.

by Anonymousreply 70July 31, 2025 1:37 AM

Oh, honey, none of those female actors are bemoaning your decision, be rest assured!

by Anonymousreply 71July 31, 2025 1:42 AM

Follow up question:

So Neal, is it true you cheated on your wife several times with co-stars before she found out?

What were the terms of her agreeing to stay and not divorce you and separate you from your kids, while you pay alimony and child support?

Was this around the same time in question you decided to put these terms in your contract?

by Anonymousreply 72July 31, 2025 1:54 AM

This is as stupid as the pharmacists who won't dispense certain types of medications. Find another line of work.

by Anonymousreply 73July 31, 2025 1:55 AM

He may be a fundie and he may be a freak,but goddamn is he a good actor. His character on Justified gave me chills ! Not to mention the fact his kink on Justified was hiring and beating up hustlers . Hes one of the few out there I will watch on something I might not have been as interested in.

by Anonymousreply 74July 31, 2025 2:07 AM

He seems to get plenty of work so can only be bemoaning the lack of romantic leads to which he feels entitled

by Anonymousreply 75July 31, 2025 2:24 AM

LOL - most leading men roles require you to kiss the leading lady.

Of course, you're not going to be hired if it's known you won't do something required in the script. It's not being blacklisted, it's being unable to perform a necessary part of the job.

He's simply not big enough to make anyone rewrite a script, and he seems too exhausting to have made good friends with people willing to do so.

He was gorgeous in Star Trek: First Contact, at least until he was assimilated and, of course, got himself ejected into space.

by Anonymousreply 76July 31, 2025 2:30 AM

I’ve got bad news about your ‘swagger’ buddy…

by Anonymousreply 77July 31, 2025 3:03 AM

Damn, R72.

Spill the dirt!

by Anonymousreply 78July 31, 2025 4:06 AM

Looking at his IMDb page, I don’t see any two year period where he would have been blackballed. If there was two years where he didn’t work, it was likely due to Covid and the strikes and not this nonsense.

Also, if you read the Deadline story on these comments, someone mentions him showing up on set and then refusing to film a sex scene despite it literally being on the first page of the script. The project in question was the short lived TV show Scoundrels where he was replaced by (the much sexier) David James Elliot. It’s one thing to not want to kiss someone else on camera but it’s another to accept a role where that’s clearly in the script and then refuse to film it. McDonough also told this story in 2019 and in his telling he’s, of course, the victim. Typical Christian faux persecution complex.

by Anonymousreply 79July 31, 2025 4:26 AM
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by Anonymousreply 80July 31, 2025 1:00 PM

Hasn’t he also whined about not getting parts due to being politically conservative? Pick an oppression, mister!

by Anonymousreply 81July 31, 2025 1:49 PM

[quote] got himself ejected into space.

What gave them the authority to get him ejected into space?

by Anonymousreply 82July 31, 2025 5:46 PM
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