Neal McDonough Refused to Kiss Anyone But His Wife On-Screen—So He Cast Her!
Actor Neal McDonough stayed true to his faith—and finally kissed his wife on screen
The saying “With great love comes great sacrifice” couldn’t be truer for actor Neal McDonough, who made headlines for staying true to his faith and marriage in Hollywood.
Throughout his entire acting career, he made the deliberate choice to honor his faith and his wife by not kissing another woman on screen. His decision came with push back from producers and directors, but he never once backed down from his choice — which often led to some heartache and loss of jobs.
Now, in his latest faith-based Western The Last Rodeo (available on Angel Studios and Amazon Prime), Neal McDonough stars alongside his real-life wife, Ruvé — marking the first time he’s shared an on-screen kiss with anyone, and it’s with the woman he loves.
“I’ve been riding horses my whole life, but to jump into this saddle is different because I’ve never really been in this type of saddle before,” he says. “I’ve never been the hero of the movie. I’ve never been in the position where I get to kiss the girl in the end. Because, as everyone knows, I won’t kiss another woman on screen.
“So in this I convinced my wife, Ruvé, who helped produce this with us and financed the film. I said, ‘Honey, you have to be in the film because I have to kiss the girl in the end.’
“And we did it, and that was one of my favorite moments I’ve ever had on a set where there I am wearing the hero hat being directed by my favorite director of all time, Jon Avnet, kissing my wife in a movie. I’ve always wanted to do it. It was awesome.
“Our daughter, London was there, and she’s like, ‘Dad, can you stop?’ But I got to show my love for my wife. I knew it was going to be on an 80-foot screen of watching me love the thing that I love more than anything on this planet. So for me, it was the crowning achievement of everything I’ve done in my life, ups and downs, the hard times I went through because of choices I’ve made now are all in the rear view mirror. I couldn’t be happier because all of it was directed by one of my greatest friends, my mentor, my big brother, Jon Avnet.”
Neal McDonough’s Hollywood career
Acting has always been McDonough’s passion. In fact, he was offered a scholarship to play baseball in college but decided to pursue an acting career instead. His first role was in Darkman in 1990. After that, he scored roles in many other TV shows and movies like Boomtown, Star Trek: First Contact, Minority Report, Walking Tall, and The Hitcher.
Before McDonough met his wife, he was on the verge of giving up acting career. But everything changed when Steven Spielberg gave him a call to ask if he would audition for a show called Band of Brothers. It was on the set in 2000 where Neal met Ruvé.
He’s previously stated that he fell in love with her at first sight, and the duo were married on December 1, 2003 — beginning the love story that would make a mark on Hollywood.
Neal McDonough’s sacrifices for love
Despite going on to secure roles in TV shows and movies like Yellowstone, Suits, Agent Carter and Captain America, McDonough was almost blacklisted from Hollywood.
Three days into filming for the ABC series Scoundrels in 2010, he was fired because he refused to film on-screen sex scenes. But rumor spread in the industry, and he began receiving less job offers.
“There was a time when I wasn’t working,” he told Fox News Digital. “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.”
“I remember falling to my knees and saying, ‘God, why have you forgotten about me? Why am I being punished so much?’ McDonough recalls thinking at the time. “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.”
Before long, Graham Yost — who he previously worked with on Band of Brothers — called to offer him a role as the villain in the first few episodes of Justified.
“After the first take, [Graham] 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.”
Neal and Ruvé McDonough’s love story for the ages
Now, McDonough feels proud of the trajectory of his career. Having never backed down from the standard he set for himself. Neal and Ruvé recently celebrated 22 years of marriage, and Neal’s dreams of an onscreen kiss have finally come true when Ruvé played the role of his wife in The Last Rodeo!
He wrote in an Instagram caption: “We are so extremely proud, after 25 years together, to have finally written our own film, produce it, cast it, star in it together, and cameos for all 5 of our kids, with the best cast and crew. Those smiles on our faces are permanent, we just feel so truly blessed to have made this passion project and see it being so well received.”
The McDonoughs are still happily living with their 2 boys and 3 girls — Morgan, Catherine, London, Clover and Jammer.
Watch The Last Rodeo — starring Neal and Ruvé McDonough — now streaming on Angel Studios or Amazon Prime. A touching, faith-filled Western about love, sacrifice, and second chances.
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