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Key Points

Neal McDonough opened up about Hollywood sidelining him for refusing on-screen kisses. The veteran actor faced a two-year drought, losing both work and self-worth. He’s since rebounded with roles in Yellowstone and Tulsa King. McDonough’s story highlights industry pressures around personal boundaries. His latest film, The Last Rodeo, proved a box office success.

Key Points: Neal McDonough Says Hollywood Blacklisted Him Over No-Kiss Clause

  • McDonough lost roles for refusing intimate scenes per personal contract
  • Actor faced 2-year unemployment and identity crisis
  • Recently starred in The Last Rodeo after career slump
  • Now appears in Yellowstone and Tulsa King with Taylor Sheridan
2 min read

Hollywood just completely turned on me: Actor Neal McDonough reveals his loss of roles after he refused to kiss on-screen

Band of Brothers star Neal McDonough reveals career struggles after refusing on-screen kisses, losing roles and identity in Hollywood.

"Hollywood just completely turned on me. They wouldn’t let me be part of the show anymore. – Neal McDonough"

Washington DC, July 31

Actor Neal McDonough, the veteran character actor who has appeared in projects like 'Band of Brothers,' 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Minority Report,' 'American Horror Story,' 'Suits,' and more, revealed that Hollywood turned on him after he refused to kiss other actors on the screens, reported Variety.

McDonough has been married to Ruve Robertson since 2003. The couple has five children together.

During an interview on the 'Nothing Left Unsaid' podcast, as quoted by Variety, Neal opened up about the scarcity of roles in his career after he refused to perform intimate scenes in the films or series.

"I'd always had in my contracts I wouldn't kiss another woman on-screen. 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," said Neal, as quoted by Variety.

The actor admitted that due to this, he "lost everything," including his "identity" as the actor.

"For two years, I couldn't get a job, and I lost everything you could possibly imagine," said Minority Report fame actor Neal McDonough, as quoted by Variety.

"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," added Neal.

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 tumour surgery.

The film opened in theatres in late May and grossed 15 million USD on a production budget in the 8 million USD range.

Recently, 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.

The actor also reunited with 'Yellowstone' creator Taylor Sheridan for a series regular role opposite Sylvester Stallone on the second season of 'Tulsa King,' which is currently streaming on Paramount+.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Interesting how different industries operate. In Bollywood, we've seen actors refuse intimate scenes but still get work. Maybe because we have more family-oriented content? But kudos to Neal for his conviction!
A
Arjun K
While I admire his commitment to his marriage, isn't acting about portraying different characters? If he can't perform certain scenes, maybe he should stick to specific genres. Just my two paise.
S
Shreya B
This reminds me of how Indian actors like Aamir Khan also have clauses in contracts. But Hollywood seems more rigid. Good to see he's making a comeback with meaningful projects like 'The Last Rodeo'! 🙌
V
Vikram M
Shows the double standards in Hollywood - they preach about personal freedom but punish someone for exercising theirs. In India, we at least respect personal choices in such matters.
N
Nisha Z
His struggle is real! As someone who works in media, I know how difficult it is to maintain personal ethics in entertainment industry. More power to him for standing firm! 💪

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