Did you see the news? Suddenly Neal McDonough is my favorite actor

[sbell111]

It's acting! Just because two actors kiss on screen doesn't mean that there is any physical or emotional connection.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I haven't 'just kissed' anybody since I took my vows in 1993, and I wouldn't be cool with it if my DH 'just kissed' anyone else either. To each their own. No-one has to agree with my but my DH, still it doesn't mean it's ok to blow it off like it's nothing or make it sound like people who feel this way are somehow unsophisticated. I wish I had a dime for every guy who tried to convince me I was being immature when I drew a line in the sand and said - DO NOT CROSS.

 

[GoodFairies]

He can pretend he's killing someone because he's NOT really killing them. With a sex scene...you are dangerously close.

It's not HBO, it's ABC, how "dangerously close" can they get?

 

[Imzadi]

He sounds like the actor version of Donny Osmond. Donny turned down a slew of songs that could have propelled his career to the next level, (as they did for the person who did end up singing them,) when he was younger, with the innocent teen idol personae. But, he didn't want to be a sexy, adult star if it meant singing sexual lyrics, like, "Let's get it on."

Marie Osmond was offered the role of Sandy in the movie Grease, before it was then offered to Olivia Newton-John. Marie said the way it was written when it was offered to her, the ending was way more sexually explicit than Sandy just dressing up so sexy at the end.

Plus, Marie didn't like how the movie did end up. She said she wouldn't want to teach her daughters that you have to change into someone sexy just to get & keep a boy.


Sarah Jessica Parker has it in writing in all her film & TV contracts that she will not do nudity. Period.

I loved him in Minority Report, never forgot those eyes...

Sorry, but why would you become an actor when you know this is usually PART of the deal? I understand not wanting to but it's not that he just found out this is what actors do. He's be acting for Ever.

Not everyone is offered or forced to do those kinds of roles. Danny De Vito isn't offered those kinds of parts. Neal is, because of those gorgeous eyes and he's smoking hot.

 

[Missy1961]

There is a cynical part of me that says he's doing this so he can get some press. I've got to admit--I've never heard of him before, and I don't recognize him at all.

I understand why an actor wouldn't want to do nudity on camera. I can even understand why Marie Osmond wouldn't play Sandy in Grease--she had a great point about what the ending was saying to girls. But c'mon, he doesn't want to do a love scene with someone? It's not like the director is asking him to actually do anything real. We've all heard the stories of great scene couples that couldn't stand each other. But they were actors---you couldn't tell. Most actors are going to have to do that at one point in their career. If I'm a director or producer & this actor doesn't want to do a love scene--even if it doesn't involve nudity--well, I'm probably not going to cast him.

 

[shortbun]

He gives me the heebie jeebies. Those translucent blue eyes are just too creepy. I think he should go for a job in a Bond film. He has those odd looks they like.

 

[wdwiala]

Frankly, I love anyone who was in Band of Brothers. I enjoyed him in Boomtown as well. I remember being dissapointed that the show didn't take off. Good for him. I wish him well. Has to be some roles out there that don't require you to compromise your principles.

 

[Imzadi]

We've all heard the stories of great scene couples that couldn't stand each other. But they were actors---you couldn't tell.

Most actors are going to have to do that at one point in their career. If I'm a director or producer & this actor doesn't want to do a love scene--even if it doesn't involve nudity--well, I'm probably not going to cast him.

The actors where you couldn't tell they hated each other in real life are usually well trained, great actors.

For all we know, Neal may be a closet gay, and he knows he will simply have no chemistry with a woman. He was in Minority Report with Tom Cruise. Maybe after seeing Tom's couch jumping incident where Tom professes his love for Katie, maybe Neal realised, "I won't be able to pull off a phony love scene either."

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

I get that he doesn't want to do that kind of work and applaude him for standing up for his believes when he turns down rolls because of it. BUT, it sounds like in this case, he actually excepted the roll and then decided he couldn't do it because of the scene(s). That is unprofessional IMHO. Unless actors no longer get to read the script before taking the job, he should have stood up for his believes before signing on the dotted line. Sounds like he wanted to make some waves and get some publicity.

 

[MiniGirl]

I get that he doesn't want to do that kind of work and applaude him for standing up for his believes when he turns down rolls because of it. BUT, it sounds like in this case, he actually excepted the roll and then decided he couldn't do it because of the scene(s). That is unprofessional IMHO. Unless actors no longer get to read the script before taking the job, he should have stood up for his believes before signing on the dotted line. Sounds like he wanted to make some waves and get some publicity.

See, that is not how I read the story in the OP's post at all. In that post, it says that the network knew he would not do that type of scene. It seems like he probably thought they had an agreement to rewrite any questionable scenes, and obviously, they did not. Of course, I do not know for sure, but that was just the way I read it. Who knows? His manager could have told him they would "take care of it," and then didn't get the changes approved. There could've been many ways he accepted the role thinking this was not an issue.

Good for him though for sticking with his values. Actors who do this do so knowing it will cost them jobs and opportunities, but that is their choice to make.

 

[cats mom]

I get that he doesn't want to do that kind of work and applaude him for standing up for his believes when he turns down rolls because of it. BUT, it sounds like in this case, he actually excepted the roll and then decided he couldn't do it because of the scene(s). That is unprofessional IMHO. Unless actors no longer get to read the script before taking the job, he should have stood up for his believes before signing on the dotted line. Sounds like he wanted to make some waves and get some publicity.

Of course none of us know all the details, but according to the quote the OP posted:

"He's a family man and a Catholic, and he's always made it clear that he won't do sex scenes. And ABC knew that."

My guess... they hired him not planning for the role to take a sexual turn, but some writer, director, et al decided it was integral to the story and pushed the issue after the fact.

My inclination is to fault ABC far more than Neal McDonough.

 

[MelanieC]

I thought to myself, "Self?...this thread is useless without pictures!", so here ya' go ...

agnes!

OMG Agnes, This cracked me up

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not all roles are sexual in nature and good for him to be unwilling to do something that he said he would never do.

I have only acted for fun, but i do have my limitations on what I am willing to do.

What "you" might be willing to do, doesn't make it wrong that i don't want to do it. Sure it limits my roles when I did stuff, but I can only do what i am comfortable with.

If an actor can make a living at acting and succeed--then great for them. But we need to stop pretending that this is the end of his career. It hasn't hurt him thus far. While he was fired for his unwillingness, if ABC knew of this--then shame no them. They probably figured they could sway him once on board.

 

[VillageMama]

~sigh~ He's so dreamy!

Too bad he is a married man with principles and I'm a married woman with principles.

Otherwise, I totally know we'd hook up!

 

[Had2stopLurking]

he knew what the role involved. Total choad behavior/grandstanding to do what he did (in my opinion). I'll never watch/rent another movie with him again.

 

[Robinrs]

I also think this is a PR ploy. He read the scripts weeks before.

Actors should wait until they're superstars before making such demands. Otherwise he should get BEHIND the camera, which is a viable option.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

He gives me the heebie jeebies. Those translucent blue eyes are just too creepy. .

Me too. I can't remember what movie he was in where he scared me so much, but he must have been good. I can't look at him in a good way since.