Neal McDonough – known for his roles in Band of Brothers and Desperate Housewives – has opened up about his unwavering commitment to his wife, Ruve Robertson.
Despite romantic kissing scenes being part of the day-to-day life of many actors, 58-year-old McDonough says he refuses to have his lips go near another woman – even if it means losing out on roles and substantial paychecks.
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.” This strong commitment to his wife has led him to turn down romantic scenes that involve kissing other actresses.
McDonough’s dedication to his principles has come at a cost, including lost job opportunities.
Per Page Six, the actor recalled a specific incident in 2010 when he lost an estimated $1 million gig on the set of ABC TV’s Scoundrels due to his refusal to participate in intimate scenes with actress Virginia Madsen.He described the situation as “horrible”, and explained: “After that, I couldn’t get a job because everybody thought I was this religious zealot. 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.
“But I was not going to lose the fight. And it worked. My career has been phenomenal.”
Despite the challenges, McDonough’s career has thrived, and he has taken on various roles that align with his values.
He played the husband of Nicollette Sheridan’s character on Desperate Housewives and shared an interesting conversation he had with the show’s creator, Marc Cherry.
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,” and the two went on to have a successful working relationship.And McDonough’s commitment to his faith and family extends beyond his career choices. He has been married to Ruve Robertson – a former bikini model from South Africa – since 2003.
The couple’s love story began on St. Patrick’s Day in 2001 when they serendipitously bumped into each other on a London street.
McDonough recounted: “We literally bumped into each other on the street, locked eyes, and that was it.”
He knew right away that he had met the woman he would marry. “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.'”
Elsewhere in the interview, McDonough revealed that he was actually about to quit Hollywood and go and work at his parents’ motel before receiving a call from Steven Speilberg. “He wanted to see me for Band of Brothers, and it was off to the races,” he said.