Actor Neal McDonough has always been candid about his faith, his moral parameters when it comes to filming, and the acting drought he believes he faced in 2010 as a result of his religious views.
But McDonough, 56, recently told Fox News how his faith guided him through those struggles and helped him land on the other side.
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“There was a time when I wasn’t working. I couldn’t get a job because people thought I was this crazy religious guy,” he said. “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.”
McDonough, who is Catholic, famously alleged he was fired in 2010 from the show “Scoundrels” for his refusal to do sex scenes. But his filming parameters weren’t a new policy, as the actor also doesn’t kiss others on screen and had reportedly long been open about that fact.
Still, “The Band of Brothers” star believes his unwillingness to do these scenes eventually had a negative impact on his career, and he told Fox News he found himself frustrated and pleading with God.
“I remember falling to my knees and saying, ‘God, why have you forgotten about me? Why am I being punished so much?” McDonough said. “And as soon as those words came out of my mouth, I realized what self-absorbed questions those were.”
The actor realized God had given him a lot in life and that he should have, instead, been overtaken by gratitude.
“We all experience challenges in our lives,” he told Fox News. I should be grateful — and thankful — for all the blessings I’m given.”
He said he received a phone call a few minutes after that prayer and was offered a role on “Justified.” From there, the jobs came back, and “everything was kind of forgotten,” McDonough said.
The actor said he’s grateful to God for all he has in his life and career. Read more of his comments here.
As Faithwire previously reported, this isn’t the first time McDonough has addressed these issues. He told Closer Weekly about the “Scoundrels” issue a few years back, describing his apparent Hollywood drought that followed as “hard.”
“It was a horrible situation for me. After that, I couldn’t get a job because everybody thought I was this religious zealot,” he said. “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.”
Despite the difficulties McDonough faced, he should be commended for standing strong in his convictions in an industry that typically doesn’t reward such behavior.
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