Neal McDonough Stands Firm on His No-Kissing Rule: ‘My Lips Belong to One Woman’

Neal McDonough won’t kiss any co-stars in movies or TV shows because ‘his lips are meant for one woman’

Neal McDonough has never wavered from his convictions, and he has never participated in any scenes that involve a close personal relationship on TV. He has been open about his everlasting dedication to his wife, Ruve Robertson, who is also the mother of his five children.

The actor, who is 58 years old and is widely famous for his appearances in Band of Brothers and Desperate Housewives, has been vocal about his commitment to his wife.

Due to the fact that McDonough has a strong personal rule, he has declined a number of projects that needed amorous moments, which has occasionally resulted in significant professional penalties.

The decision that he made has even resulted in his missing out on significant acting opportunities during the course of his career. In 2010, he was reportedly sacked from the ABC series Scoundrels for refusing to perform love scenes with actress Virginia Madsen.

This is one of the most famous cases that occurred during his career. An estimated one million dollars was lost as a result of the loss of the role, which was a significant setback.

When McDonough reflected on that challenging time period, he referred to the event as “horrible.” Many people in the industry immediately labeled him a religious fanatic, which was the immediate repercussions of the situation. Immediately following that, I was unable to find employment since everyone believed that I was a religious fanatic.

I am an extremely devout person.” Before I placed myself first, I put God and my family first.

I try to live my life by that. He went on to explain that it was challenging for a few years. McDonough never wavered in his ideas, opting to remain true to his principles rather than making concessions in order to further his career. This was the case despite the difficulties he faced.

McDonough maintained his resilience and eventually found success in situations that were congruent with his ideals, despite the fact that the time period after his departure from Scoundrels was a challenging one.

When he was cast in the role of the husband of Nicollette Sheridan’s character on Desperate Housewives, he made it abundantly clear to Marc Cherry, the creator of the program, that he would not be taking part in any kissing sequences.

Cherry demonstrated her respect for McDonough’s decision by choosing to write around it rather than attempting to overturn it. Cherry demonstrated that it was possible to construct fascinating fiction without relying on physical intimacy by saying, “All right, I’m just going to have to write better to make it happen.

McDonough was able to continue his work without having to compromise his views as a result of the modification, which proved to be effective.

In addition to the decisions he makes in his work life, McDonough is also steadfast in his dedication to his wife. He has been married to Ruve Robertson, a former bikini model from South Africa, from the year 2003. Their love story is nothing short of miraculous, beginning with a chance meeting on St. Patrick’s Day in 2001.

This was the beginning of their adventure together. A moment that changed McDonough’s life was when they actually ran into each other on a street in London and locked eyes. McDonough claimed that this was the moment that changed his life.

“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,'” he explained to reporters. Since that time, the couple has been doing everything together, including establishing a solid marriage and bringing up their children together.

Additionally, McDonough’s career has developed in other ways, despite the challenges he had while working in Hollywood. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yellowstone, and Justified are just a few of the films and television shows in which he has appeared. He has also played a wide range of roles elsewhere in the entertainment industry.

The respect that he has garnered from his peers and fans alike is a direct result of his unwavering commitment to his profession and values.

At one point in time, McDonough even entertained the idea of leaving the entertainment industry entirely. Before he was cast in the role of Band of Brothers, he was prepared to give up acting and join his parents at the motel where they owned and operated. Instead, fate had other ideas for him when he received an unexpected phone call that would completely alter the course of his experience.

When I was on the verge of saying goodbye to Hollywood, I received a phone call from Steven Spielberg.

As soon as he found out that he wanted to see me for Band of Brothers, things got off to a flying start,” he revealed.

The story of McDonough is a powerful illustration of the power that can be achieved by steadfast values and tenacity. Although he has lost parts as a result of his refusal to do personal scenes, the fact that he has chosen to be true to himself has finally resulted in the development of a career that he can be proud of.

Through the use of his family and his faith as the basis for his achievement, he continues to achieve success on his own terms.