“We don’t want to say Hollywood turned” - Neal McDonough’s wife clarifies husband’s claim he lost everything over refusing onscreen kiss

Neal McDonough is revisiting a tough chapter in his Hollywood story — but this time, his wife wants to clear the air. Days after the Desperate Housewives and Suits actor claimed in a podcast that Hollywood “turned” on him for sticking to his rule against kissing scenes, Ruvé McDonough stepped in to share a different perspective on how it all really unfolded.

Speaking in a joint interview with TMZ, the couple stressed that while Neal McDonough did face career setbacks for refusing to kiss other women on screen, they don’t hold any grudges against the industry.

“We want to say thank you, Hollywood,” Ruvé said. “We don’t want to say Hollywood turned — [it] guided us to where we are is what Hollywood did.”

McDonough, 59, who has built a steady career in hits like Band of Brothers, Yellowstone, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has always stood firm on his personal promise to avoid intimate scenes out of respect for his wife and his faith. He first revealed years ago that he lost a role on ABC’s Scoundrels in 2010 for refusing to film sex scenes — a decision he says cost him more than just a paycheck.

Neal McDonough is seeing challenges as stepping stones

On the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast last week, Neal McDonough opened up about what happened after he held his ground.

“For two years, I couldn’t get a job and I lost everything you could possibly imagine,” he said, recalling how his identity as a working actor crumbled when roles dried up.

But now, the McDonoughs see that rocky period differently.

“Everything that’s going on, talking about how Hollywood dissed Neal… no, everything that has happened has brought us closer to where we are now,” Ruvé said. She called each setback a “stepping stone” that ultimately strengthened their marriage and family. Neal agreed, telling TMZ, “Those are stepping stones. If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be here.”

With five kids and over two decades of marriage, Neal McDonough says his faith and family remain his true priorities. And despite the early career hurdles, he’s proof that standing by personal beliefs doesn’t have to end a career in Hollywood — it can shape it into something stronger.

Staying true to his principles

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Neal McDonough has never shied away from discussing how his faith shapes his career. Back in 2019, he told Closer Weekly that his religious beliefs and devotion to his family come before any role. “I am very religious. I put God and family first, and myself second. That’s what I live by,” he said at the time, explaining why intimate scenes have always been off-limits.

While the decision once cost him roles — and temporarily his Hollywood momentum — McDonough credits that same conviction for the loyal fan base and second chances that came his way. “If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be here,” he said, looking back on how sticking to his principles made him stronger both as an actor and as a husband and father.

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