Daniel Otera
Veteran American actor Neal McDonough has revealed that he was blacklisted in Hollywood for refusing to kiss any woman other than his wife in films or television dramas.
McDonough, best known for his roles in Band of Brothers, Yellowstone, and Desperate Housewives, made the claim during an appearance on the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast, where he reflected on the career backlash he faced for standing by his personal values.
“I always had in my contracts that I wouldn’t kiss another woman on screen,” McDonough explained. “My wife didn’t have a problem with it. It was me. I didn’t want to put her or our children through that.”
According to the 58-year-old actor, producers found his position difficult to accept. In one instance, he said he was removed from a project after refusing to shoot a simulated sex scene — even with a modesty garment.
“They said, ‘Unless you do it, we’ll have to replace you.’ I said, ‘Then replace me.’ And they fired me.”
McDonough described the aftermath as devastating, revealing that the industry effectively turned its back on him.
“Hollywood just completely turned on me,” he recalled. “I lost everything, not just material things, but my identity, my confidence, everything.”
He recounted flying home after being fired and thinking, “I’d have a better chance surviving in that desert than surviving back in Hollywood.”
Despite the toll, McDonough said he never questioned his stance.
“I knew I did the right thing for my marriage. I knew I did the right thing for God. And I knew I did the right thing for me.”
His fortunes later changed when he was cast in the hit series Justified. Since then, McDonough has taken greater control of his career, including writing, directing, and starring in his upcoming film The Last Rodeo.
Remarkably, he cast his real-life wife, Ruvé McDonough, to play his on-screen partner.
“I told her, ‘I’m not doing this film unless you play my wife.’ She said, ‘But I’m not an actor.’ I said, ‘Well, you are now.’”
He added with a smile, “My wife is really hot. Everything else pales next to her.”