American Actor Reveals How He Lost Everything For Refusing To Kiss Onscreen

American Actor, Neal McDonough, recognized for his performances in Suits, Desperate Housewives, and Yellowstone, recently shared how his firm moral principles almost ended his acting career.

On the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast, McDonough revealed that he consistently includes a no-kissing clause in his contracts — a choice that clashed with Hollywood’s expectations.

“My wife didn’t have any problem with it. It was me, really, who had a problem with it,” he said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to put you through it. I know we’re gonna start having kids,’ and I didn’t wanna put my kids through it.”

McDonough, 59, stressed that onscreen intimacy crosses a personal boundary for him. “When I wouldn’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,” he recalled.

Although he didn’t specify the project tied to his blacklisting, McDonough has previously noted he was dismissed from ABC’s Scoundrels in 2010 for declining to perform in sex scenes.

“It was a horrible situation for me,” he told Closer Weekly at the time. “After that, I couldn’t get a job because everybody thought I was this religious zealot. I am very religious. I put God and family first, and me second. That’s what I live by.”

Married to South African model Ruvé Robertson since 2003, McDonough is a father of five. He explained that the repercussions of his beliefs extended beyond his career, deeply affecting him personally.

“I couldn’t get a job and I lost everything you could possibly imagine,” he said. “Not just houses, material things, but your swagger, your cool, who you are, your identity, everything. My identity was an actor, and a really good one. Once you don’t have that identity, you’re kind of in a tailspin.”

McDonough acknowledged that the ordeal led to personal challenges, including increased drinking. “I never drank during work because I love my craft and take it seriously. But afterward, I still felt like I wasn’t doing the right things. Some things just weren’t clicking.”

A turning point came when producer Graham Yost cast McDonough as a villain in the FX series Justified. “I knew that was my shot back at the title,” he said.

Since then, McDonough has reclaimed his place in the industry with roles in Band of Brothers, Arrow, American Horror Story, Tulsa King, and most prominently, Yellowstone.

In one of his recent projects, The Last Rodeo, McDonough starred alongside his real-life wife — and even made an exception to his no-kissing rule to share a kiss with her onscreen.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli