To get through difficult moments in Hollywood, Neal McDonough turned to his faith.
In 2010, the actor claimed he was sacked from the ABC series “Scoundrels” three days into filming because he refused to agree to on-screen sex scenes. Despite the fact that the show only lasted one season, the 56-year-old claims to have been banned in the business.
“There was a time when I wasn’t working,” the 56-year-old McDonough told Fox News. “I couldn’t get a job because people thought I was this crazy religious guy. But that wasn’t the case. I love my wife, but I love my acting too. I was hopeful that, at some point, someone would give me a chance again.”
The clause regarding the faithful Catholic was not new. McDonough played Nicolette Sheridan’s spouse in the TV show “Desperate Housewives” from 2008 to 2009. Marc Cherry, the show’s creator, had to get creative with his writing because McDonough had a no-kissing policy. “I won’t kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman,” McDonough, who married his wife Ruvé in 2003, has remarked.
However, after being fired from “Scoundrels,” McDonough struggled to find work while adhering to his religious views.
“I remember falling to my knees and saying, ‘God, why have you forgotten about me? Why am I being punished so much?’ McDonough stated. “And as soon as those words came out of my mouth, I realized what self-absorbed questions those were. God has given me so much. We all experience challenges in our lives. I should be grateful – and thankful for all the blessings I’m given.”
Graham Yost, according to McDonough, called at that point. The performer and scriptwriter previously collaborated on the 2001 film ‘Band of Brothers.’
“I remember, a few minutes later, I was sitting there at the kitchen table with Ruvé,” he remembered. “Graham called and said, ‘Hey, you want to play the villain in the first episode or two of ‘Justified?’ I said, ‘Yes, yes I do.’ And after the first take, he came up to me and said, ‘You want to play the villain for the whole year?’ I joked, ‘Didn’t you know that was my game plan? That’s what I’m going to do.”
“And after ‘Justified,’ everything was kind of forgotten. I was determined to give a really great performance and I did. And, you know, I realized that perhaps I was taking some of my acting for granted. I was working all the time, but perhaps I wasn’t dialed in enough in terms of what I could really do as an actor.”
McDonough continued, “I came out of it on the other side. I’ve been working so much in the last several years, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I thank God every day for all the blessings I’m given, even during challenging times. Everyone always says, ‘Why do you work so much?’ My response is always, ‘They keep asking me, so I’m not going to stop.’”
Since the release of “Justified” in 2012, McDonough’s career has only grown. The joyful father of five expressed his gratitude for being granted another shot on his own terms.
“God gave me this gift of being an actor, and I’m not going to waste it,” McDonough said. “I’m now in a position to produce movies with my wife. I’m able to co-create projects. And I get to continue pursuing my craft. I couldn’t be in a better place in my career. Every step I’ve had along the way, every challenge I’ve faced, has built this moment. And this is a moment I’m really cherishing. I’m proud of my work and what I can accomplish.”
