Neal McDonough is no stranger to the spotlight — but it’s his boundaries off-screen that have left the biggest mark on his career.
The Yellowstone and Band of Brothers actor recently opened up about a career slump he faced not because of his talent, but because of his refusal to do something very common in Hollywood: kiss someone who isn’t his wife.
A Principle That Came With a Price
On a recent episode of the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast, the 59-year-old actor spoke candidly about how his personal values clashed with Hollywood’s expectations.
For McDonough, staying true to his marriage vows meant setting a firm line in every contract — he wouldn’t kiss another woman onscreen.
That rule, he said, was his own, not something his wife, Ruvé, ever demanded.
“I had the issue, not her,” he shared.
The couple, who married in 2003, share five children and have worked together on screen — including in his latest film The Last Rodeo.
Hollywood Just Didn’t Get It
McDonough said that many producers were baffled by his stance, and once they realized he wouldn’t budge, the calls stopped coming.
“Hollywood just completely turned on me,” he said.
“They wouldn’t let me be part of the show anymore.”
The fallout was brutal. For two years, he couldn’t find work.
He lost not just income, but also the things that defined him — his identity, his confidence, even his sense of self-worth.
A Career Stalled, But Not Silenced
Despite appearances in hits like Desperate Housewives, Tulsa King, Suits, and movies such as Star Trek: First Contact and Red 2, McDonough said that being blacklisted left him spinning.
“Once you don’t have that identity, you’re kind of lost in a tailspin,” he admitted.
He described the time as a painful stretch when both material things and his inner strength slipped away.
Making a Comeback on His Own Terms
But McDonough didn’t disappear. In May, he starred in The Last Rodeo, a film he also wrote.
His wife Ruvé played his onscreen partner — and yes, they did kiss in the film, since she was the only woman he was ever willing to share that moment with onscreen.
Ruvé, originally from South Africa, has a background in fashion modeling and film production, and the couple’s collaboration was a deeply personal one.
The movie also featured stars like Mykelti Williamson and Christopher McDonald.
