Neal McDonough has estimated he lost $1 million after turning down a role due to his unusual approach to kissing co-stars.
McDonough - known for his roles in Yellowstone, Band of Brothers and Desperate Housewives - has opened up about his unique take on kissing co-stars as an actor.
Despite romantic and steamy scenes between actors being a regular occurrence on film sets, even when both parties have a partner at home, the 58-year-old has a strict rule he has set for himself.
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And his own limitations have meant he could have cashed in during his career a lot more than he has.
Neal has said that his lips will never go near anyone other than his wife of over 20 years, Ruve Robertson - a former bikini model from South Africa.
His unwavering commitment to his wife has meant that he has lost the opportunity to play roles in Hollywood that require co-stars to get hot and steamy.
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In an interview with Closer Weekly, McDonough shared his perspective on this unique aspect of his career.
He stated: “I won’t kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman.”
According to Page Six, the actor recalled a job opportunity in 2010 when he lost $1 million, due to his refusal to be involved in intimate scenes with actress Virginia Madsen.
He said: “After that, I couldn’t get a job because everybody thought I was this religious zealot.
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“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.
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“But I was not going to lose the fight, and it worked.
“My career has been phenomenal.”
Social media users praised the actor for standing his ground when it comes to locking lips for work.
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One wrote: "He has his own moral and standards. Better than one's that will do anything for money."
Another said: "He is a great actor and I appreciate his personal conviction for the sanctity of marriage. Loved him in Band of Brothers!"
Despite these difficult challenges, he has managed to land roles that align with his beliefs.
He was even able to play the husband of Nicollette Sheridan’s character on Desperate Housewives, after the creator adapted the role for him.
McDonough recalled telling Cherry: "I’m sure you know, but I won’t kiss anybody.”
Cherry's response was supportive, saying: “All right, I’m just going to have to write better.”
Telling the story of how he met his wife, he said: “We literally bumped into each other on the street, locked eyes, and that was it.
"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'.”
Ouch, that’s got to hurt.
Topics: TV And Film, Celebrity, Sex and Relationships
Mia Williams