After Losing Major Role for Refusing Sex Scenes, Actor Neal McDonough Finds New Successes

Life Site News ^ | HOLLYWOOD, California, August 17, 2010 | Peter J. Smith

[GonzoII]

Tuesday August 17, 2010

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After Losing Major Role for Refusing Sex Scenes, Actor Neal McDonough Finds New Successes

By Peter J. Smith

HOLLYWOOD, California, August 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Standing up for his religious and moral beliefs has paid off for Neal McDonough, Hollywood actor and family man, who was fired back in March from a television series for refusing to perform steamy sex scenes. Far from ending his career, the actor’s career is moving along with a role in a major Hollywood film and the lead in a new television series called “Vigilante Priest.”

Although the dominant attitude in Hollywood regarding sex scenes is that “everybody’s doing it,” Nikki Fink of Deadline.com reported that McDonough lost his role in ABC’s TV series “Scoundrels” by not caving into demands from ABC executives on Day 3 of shooting that he perform a sex scene with Virginia Madsen.

McDonough said “no,” saying that would violate his Catholic faith and his role as a husband and father, which he takes seriously. He is married with three children. For that stand, Fink said McDonough may have lost as much as $1 million in pay.

Besides playing Buck Compton in “Band of Brothers,” McDonough has performed in the series “Desperate Housewives” and “Boomtown” - but again, his characters stayed clear of sex scenes.

Fink reports that while McDonough has lost job opportunities for his stand, he is now producing the pilot for a one hour drama on the Starz channel about an ex-cop turned Catholic priest. McDonough plays the title role and his character, reportedly, takes an unconventional approach when it comes to cleaning up the crime ridden streets of Los Angeles “one sinner at a time.”

Starz is fast-tracking the project, which will have Walon Green from Law & Order as an executive producer and writer. Depending on the success of the pilot, it could turn into a new show for McDonough.

McDonough is also co-starring in Marvel Comic’s film production of “Captain America” as Dum Dum Dugan, an agent of the fictional international espionage and law enforcement agency SHIELD. Dugan is known in the Marvel comics universe for his trademark bowler and excellent marksmanship. The movie is currently being filmed in London, and is scheduled for theatrical release in July 2011.

McDonough has acted in several movies, including Star Trek: First Contact, Minority Report and The Hitcher.

For McDonough there is a bitter-sweet irony in the whole situation – while ABC execs may have forced him to walk off the set of “Scoundrels,” the life-expectancy of the show is looking very short, after just eight episodes. The summer television drama fizzled with last night’s finale brining in just 2.84 million viewers, which Broadcasting & Cable news reported as a 38 percent audience drop from its June premiere. It is not expected to run another season.

 See previous coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:

Actor Neal McDonough Sacked for Refusing Sex Scene
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/apr/10040607.html

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/aug/10081713.html

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[GonzoII]

Good for ya!

[knittnmom]

Awesome!

[stuartcr]

Cheers, good luck with the new show.

[christianhomeschoolmommaof3]

for later reading

[sinanju]

I loved him in “Band of Brothers”

He spent his early career playing a dumb blonde. Re: “Ravenous” and “A Midnight Clear” but I’m glad he’s finally getting to flex his acting chops.

I personally think he’d make a much better Captain America than the no-doubt generic pretty-boy they’ve got lined up.

[theDentist]

Good for you!!! Wonderful actor, and true to his heart.

[allmendream]

I find simulated sex scenes distasteful, but enjoy female nudity in movies just fine.

I didn't need to see Leonidas take his wife from behind in “300” to know that they loved each other.

[Williams]

Pet theory of mine that someday the “top” actors and actresses will be embarrassed by simulated sex scenes in their movies.

Except for the very rare explicit scene that is pivotal to a plot, having good actors pretend they are having sex is just atrocious.

[Darkwolf377]

I agree with David Mamet—when you see an actor and actress getting into it onscreen, you’re instantly taken out of the reality of the story, and start thinking about the ACTORS, actually simulating sex.

[smokingfrog]

Vigilante Priest?

Sounds like Monsignor Martinez from King of the Hill.

“Vaya Con Dios!”

[Bitsy]

We need more like him with principles and moral fiber. That’s what I’m talking about - he’s the man! My hero! The first time ever I would believe in cloning ;)

[timeflies]

There is too much gratuitous sex in movies.

[apocalypto]

One one wWeb site Neal McDonough was listed under “Winners” after he stood by his values.

[Maverick68]

Band of Brothers....awesome ....

[Retired Greyhound]

Agree about 300. The sex scene was so gratuitious.

But then again, so was the rest of the movie.

[Retired Greyhound]

Wait a sec.

A steamy sex scene on ABC? Network TV?

What am I missing here?

[allmendream]

Well gratuitous nudity and violence I expected (come on, it was 300!).

The simulated sex was just cheesy. I laughed when they went ‘doggy’, and it no doubt brought many viewers ‘out of the moment’, which tends to detract from the story.

Like the model shark in Jaws, most of the time ‘less is more’. Imagining a hot sex scene took place is probably going to be a better story than seeing two actors humping in-artfully at each other.

[LRoggy]

[I didn’t need to see Leonidas take his wife from behind in “300” to know that they loved each other.]

Sure you are not confusing this scene with the rape scene near the end when she is going to speak before the assembly? That wasn’t with Leonidas.

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As for the actor, now that he is on record like this he better not become the next Mark Foley or Larry Craig!!

[allmendream]

Nope, there was a big sex scene between Gerard Butler and Lena Headey in 300 before he went off to war. The simulated sex was unnecessary, but when they went to ‘doggy’ I laughed openly in the theater because it was so gratuitous.

[Alkhin]

He was the best part of "Tin Man" and I see him as one of the rare Real Men in Hollywood today.

GOOD ONYA Mr. McDonough!!

[knittnmom]

Absolutely!

[Melian]

May God bless all his endeavors.

[trisham]

Excellent!