Actor Neal McDonough says he lost a job because he refused to do a sex scene

[Doctor Amadeus]

There is a reason audiences don’t see actor Neal McDonough, who has appeared on shows including Arrow and Justified, in love scenes. It’s his wife of 15 years, model Ruvé Robertson.

In an interview with Closer, McDonough spoke about his stance on such scenes and how it’s affected his career.

“I won’t kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman,” McDonough said of his wife.

The magazine asked McDonough how he has managed to avoid doing love scenes, especially on the soapy Desperate Housewives, on which he appeared in 2008 and 2009.

“When [creator] Marc Cherry signed me, I said, ‘I’m sure you know, but I won’t kiss anybody,'” McDonough recalled. “He was like, ‘But this is Desperate Housewives!’ I said, ‘I know.’ He paused for about five seconds and said, ‘All right, I’m just going to have to write better.’ And we had a great time.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...230129301.html

What do you think, if you were an actor, would you refuse to do a Sex scene if you were married?
Me personally I would refuse if I am married unless I got the Ok from my Wife.

Also would you be ok with a spouse of someone you were in a long term relationship with doing a love scene if you were monogamist?

Nope, I would be livid if I wasn't told, and if I was told beforehand, I would be completely against it, fuck that 50 shades of gray bullshit with my wife

Finally, Do you think if you believe Neal McDonough claim which I don't per say is it a kind of sexual harassment or exploitation similar to the end of last year Eliza Dushku coming forward about harassment she endured on the set of Bull?

I think this is a double Standard if Neal's claim is true, I am not sure it totally is for sure, I think he likely didn't get rolls after for same Reason Eliza might not of, neither are great actors.

[stevenho]

[B]Finally, Do you think if you believe Neal McDonough claim which I don't per say is it a kind of sexual harassment or exploitation

Yes, of course.
If the script has a kiss scene, and the auditioning actor refuses to kiss, the script must be rewritten in order to accomodate his demands.
How is that even a question.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Yes, of course.
If the script has a kiss scene, and the auditioning actor refuses to kiss, the script must be rewritten in order to accomodate his demands.
How is that even a question.

It's a question because while I agree, some don't see it as so cut and dry. Some might suggest well it's just a job so what, and that the art calls for a kind of realism or tone to be set, but personally, I can say that almost always and every scene I have ever seen such bullshit, most if not all the time it has nothing to do with any of that.

That said, whether I agree or not, some things are and do come as part of a job so if the scene calls for kissing, then someone has an issue with it, Eliza Dushku's situation went on behind the Camera but she also played a love interest.

And personally I have a problem with both.

[Arakakao]

If he even refuses to do a kiss scene then he's a failure as an actor and should quit his acting career.

[Biomega]

Acting isn't real. You should be professional enough to handle the disconnect between role and life, and so should the people in your life.

That being said, it is, of course, a personal choice.

[Shadowferal]

He doesn't need to quit working when he's still in demand.
Dude has five kids...he's doing something right.
Or more so...she's doing something right.

[Craaazyyy]

well whoever is hiring him has the power to fire him as well.. they dont have to rewrite anything

just like he can obviously refuse to do such scenes, but if he gets replaced by someone else that would be on him..

[Shadowferal]

Hmm...“When [creator] Marc Cherry signed me, I said, ‘I’m sure you know, but I won’t kiss anybody,'” McDonough recalled. “He was like, ‘But this is Desperate Housewives!’ I said, ‘I know.’ He paused for about five seconds and said, ‘All right, I’m just going to have to write better.’ And we had a great time.”

[prwraith]

That's a shame I like that guy in movies :/

[Doctor Amadeus]

Acting isn't real. You should be professional enough to handle the disconnect between role and life, and so should the people in your life.

That being said, it is, of course, a personal choice.

Acting isn't real but the kiss very much is, I personally wouldn't want my wife to be kissing anybody other than me, our kids or very close family.

[Izalla]

Huh... now I want to rewatch the season of Desperate Housewives he was in and watch for how he never kisses Edie. Which would actually have made sense considering he was only with her to get into the neighbourhood for his mental health issue induced murder plan.

[tehdef]

Yes, of course.
If the script has a kiss scene, and the auditioning actor refuses to kiss, the script must be rewritten in order to accomodate his demands.
How is that even a question.

Where is the sarcasm tag?

Cuz, lol. If you can't lift more than 50 lbs, and the job requires it, I guess the company is discriminating, and should just hire people in wheelchairs who can't lift anything.

FFS.

- - - Updated - - -

Acting isn't real but the kiss very much is, I personally wouldn't want my wife to be kissing anybody other than me, our kids or very close family.

Good thing you or your wife are not actors, because you would be limiting your available projects. Grow up, dude.

[Shadowferal]

Where is the sarcasm tag?
Cuz, lol. If you can't lift more than 50 lbs, and the job requires it, I guess the company is discriminating, and should just hire people in wheelchairs who can't lift anything.
FFS.

Desperate Housewives creator did just that...

[ohiostate124]

If there is a kissing/sex scene in the script and an actor doesn’t want to do it, cool.

If they want to replace the actor, cool.

[Goldielocks]

lol he was blacklisted over something like this? Fucking hell

[Cruor]

Yes, of course.
If the script has a kiss scene, and the auditioning actor refuses to kiss, the script must be rewritten in order to accomodate his demands.
How is that even a question.

Yeah... ok.

If a scene calls for kissing the actor does it... if not, find another actor. As for the love seanes unless it is porn they aren't actually having sex... usually you just see the man or woman back and everything else is covered by a blanket. GOT they may both be naked but nothing is happening... if they refuse just get someone else for the role.

[Mistame]

What do you think, if you were an actor, would you refuse to do a Sex scene if you were married?

I wouldn't be married, especially to someone who's not mature enough to accept what I do for a living.

Also would you be ok with a spouse of someone you were in a long term relationship with doing a love scene if you were monogamist?

Of course. It's their job and life. If I have a problem with it, it's my problem, not theirs.

Finally, Do you think if you believe Neal McDonough claim which I don't per say is it a kind of sexual harassment or exploitation similar to the end of last year Eliza Dushku coming forward about harassment she endured on the set of Bull?

No, it's not. Being asked to do a "love" scene is a lot different that actually being sexually harassed.

Yes, of course.
If the script has a kiss scene, and the auditioning actor refuses to kiss, the script must be rewritten in order to accomodate his demands.
How is that even a question.

It depends on the situation. If the director decides the scene can be done using a body double, etc, and they agree to those accommodations, then sure. But they have no obligation whatsoever to cater to the actor/actresses preferences, especially if the actor/actress already agreed to the role know what it entailed. You don't get to decide what you will and won't do on the fly and expect to keep your job. That's not how any job works.

[Doctor Amadeus]

thing you or your wife are not actors, because you would be limiting your available projects. Grow up, dude.

Nothing grown up about another man kissing your wife dude. It's called boundaries and near as I can tell for most projects there is almost never a need for it, unless it is a love story or something.

[Izalla]

So he can pretend to murder people... but not pretend to kiss people?

Actors who have boundaries are actually retarded. Your entire job is to PLAY PRETEND.

To be fair, there's a reason there are always jokes about hookers not wanting to be kissed on the mouth =P Pretending to kill someone doesn't involve actually stabbing them but they don't die, pretending to kiss someone involves kissing them and just not putting any meaning into it for you emotionally. The physical act is the same though, so maybe it's just hard for him to take the meaning and emotion from it. Sucks for him that it means he can't take a lot of acting roles though, but it's his choice in the end to limit himself that way.

[Shadowferal]

Well...he's still working....so...