Neal McDonough has revealed that he refuses to engage in any intimate scenes on-screen, even going as far as to say he won’t kiss anyone other than his wife.
The 58-year-old actor, best known for his roles in Band of Brothers and Desperate Housewives, has opened up about his unwavering commitment to his wife, Ruve Robertson – who is also the mother of his five kids.
For most actors, romantic scenes – including on-screen kisses – are just part of the job, but for McDonough, his lips belong to one woman only.
In an interview with Closer Weekly, the actor made his stance clear, sharing: “I won’t kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman.”
Neal McDonough is married to Ruve McDonough. Credit: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty
The Homestead star’s personal rules have led him to turn down roles that require romantic scenes, and it hasn’t always been easy as he’s lost major opportunities because of it.
According to Page Six, the dad-of-five recalled a specific incident in 2010 when he lost an estimated $1 million gig on the set of ABC TV’s Scoundrels due to his refusal to participate in intimate scenes with actress Virginia Madsen.
He recounted the fallout, describing it as “horrible,” and adding: “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. It was hard for a few years.”
“But I was not going to lose the fight. And it worked. My career has been phenomenal,” he said.
But, despite the challenges, McDonough’s career has thrived, and he has taken on various roles that align with his values.
When he was cast as the husband of Nicollette Sheridan’s character on Desperate Housewives, he had a direct conversation with the show’s creator, Marc Cherry.
“I’m sure you know, but I won’t kiss anybody,” he told Cherry. Rather than pushing back, Cherry embraced the challenge: “All right, I’m just going to have to write better,” and the two went on to have a successful working relationship.
Neal and Ruve with their five children. Credit: Paul Archuleta / Getty
Beyond Hollywood, McDonough’s devotion to his wife is just as strong. He’s been married to Robertson – a former bikini model from South Africa – since 2003.
Their love story began on St. Patrick’s Day in 2001 when they quite literally bumped into each other on a London street.
“We literally bumped into each other on the street, locked eyes, and that was it,” McDonough recalled.”The next morning, I called the woman I was dating at the time and said, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not going to work out with us anymore—I just met the woman I’m going to marry.’”
Elsewhere in the interview, McDonough revealed that there was a time he nearly walked away from Hollywood altogether.
The Boomtown actor shared that before landing Band of Brothers, he was ready to quit acting and work at his parent’s motel – until one unexpected call changed everything.
“I was about to quit Hollywood when I got a call from Steven Spielberg. He wanted to see me for Band of Brothers, and it was off to the races,” he revealed.
Since then, McDonough has built a successful career on his own terms.
