TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
#1TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 7:39am
I had a similar thread a while back where an actress refused to play the part of a gay woman because it went against her moral values. I am baffled by these "actors" who will play drug dealers,murderers,and bad people but something like,in this case, a sex scene for a Television show goes against their standards and beliefs.
http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/no-sex-please-im-neal-mcdonough/
I wonder if would reconsider if they had him play an Arch Bishop! He better not do any roles where he has to use profanity either!
#2TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 7:58amBut, in this guys case, as someone in the comments section pointed out, when you play a murderer, no one really gets murdered. When you play a drug dealer, you aren't really dealing drugs. But when you play a sex scene, you really are kissing and rubbing up on someone who is not your wife. Good for him.
#2TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 8:42amI also thought - and I could be wrong - that the other incident you mention wasn't about playing "gay" but that the actress objected to the storyline overall and how it was to play out. Not specifically that it involved her character being gay.
#3TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 9:12am
Here is the story about the actress who got fired last year. Not as similar as I originally thought,although both claims it was there religious beliefs that lead to them being fired.Hollywood is too competitive.If they have issues with a part,fine. There is always someone else who will play the part.So,go to the press and play the victim and get some attention. You'll get some much needed attention from the Catholics and other religious groups so you can feel better about yourself.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/09/06/Soap_Star__%E2%80%98I_Was_Fired_for_Religious_Beliefs%E2%80%99/
So,kissing and rubbing against another actor or actress is going against someone's morals? Ronald Reagan and Charleton Heston and God knows how many actors since the birth of Hollywood are guilty of this.I would cut the guy some slack if this were a R rated film but it's television. Not cable or HBO but network TV.If you have trouble playing a love scene I am surprised he has continued to work in a town he must feel is so immoral.
In my opinion,I would NEVER hire someone like this. I don't find it admirable either.Where do you draw the line? I was serious when I said is profanity next?
#4TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 9:32am
Romantico - while I see where you're coming from. The dangerous thing is that you can't project your or someone else's morals/etc on anyone else. Just like you wouldn't want someone to project theirs on you. To counter your argument - where IS the line then in the above scenario. At what point do YOU allow someone to project their morals and values on you.
The cliche of "if everyone else jumped off the brooklyn bridge - would you too?" is valid. Just because some people - or even everyone else has no problem or has done it - that doesn't mean that you, or someone else HAS to be OK with it.
#5TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 9:45am
Craig, I understand what you are saying and if him kissing another woman who is not his wife makes him uncomfortable he has the right not to do the scene. However,he is an actor. Love scenes are pretty common nowadays in theater,Television,film,etc.He said he had it in his contract that he does not do love scenes. If that is true,than this more than likely could have been avoided.This is why if he feels that strong about it,he needs to talk to the director or producer and sort these details out before he commits to doing the part.
You have to admit,it is unusual these days for an actor to have such strict rules (or if you prefer,morals) No nudity clauses are one thing but I thought kissing was pretty harmless.Guess what I am saying is,as an actor I am surprised by his attitude.I am surprised he has lasted this long to be honest. Even Jim Caviezel will kiss and do some sort of love scenes in his movies,and this is who I thought of when I read this.
He is entitled to his views but in a town like Hollywood,it may cost him his acting jobs and he may get a reputation for it. Then again,maybe some will respect him for it. I do not.
#6TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 10:01am
You don't respect him for having values and sticking to them? Surprising to me.
And I believe from the article you linked that it was well known and was stated up front what he would and wouldn't do and he was hired ANYWAY.
If you want to not respect someone - perhaps you should not respect those that hired him thinking they would be able to push him to do something against his values. Or those that fired him for keeping to his values.
But to not respect him because he was up front and honest about where the line was and then was fired for it - I don't get that really.
#7TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 10:16am
I respect him for sticking by a set of his beliefs which do not impact anyone but him. If he choosing not to act in sex scenes, then that is his choice. It may cost him jobs, but if that is the life he wants to lead, good for him for standing up for his values.
#8TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 10:36amAs an actor, I refuse to play a straight person. It's offensive to me. It may cost me jobs, but hey hey ho ho I won't play a character unless he's a 'mo!
--Aristotle
#9TV Actor Fired For Refusing Sex Scenes
Posted: 4/1/10 at 10:37amKirk Cameron made that horrible movie Fireproof and while one woman played his wife through the entire film, at the end, his real wife comes in to do the kissing scene. I think he's nuttier than a granola bar, but it's the same concept. He sticks to his beliefs.
#10Hello!!! It's Called Acting!
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:16am
As I already stated in my post, IF it was in his contract and they hired him anyways it was the fault of the studio. This is why every detail needs to be ironed out before one commits.Hell, he may even be able to sue if it was understood before hand and yet they still asked him to do it.
However, I am hearing now that he knew it was in the script and he just assumed the studio/director would change it.
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/03/neal-mcdonough-signed-on-to-scoundrels-knowing-there-were-sex-scenes.html
I guess what is surprising to me is it is just kissing. Sticking to values? Yeah, I get it. Fine. However,if it is something like kissing where does he stand on profanity and subject matter? Is he OK with them as well? If he is so strict and it is all because of his religion,what else won't he do?
I keep hearing people applaud him and patting him on the back as if he was asked to do something terrible and he refused.Looking at his credits on IMDB he has played some pretty evil villains.In Minority Report he even KILLS a man! If he is using his religious morals as an excuse why play such evil men with no moral values?
I don't get it. Standing up for your morals and beliefs is one thing. I just think this is foolish. Will he work on Sundays? On religious holidays? Will he appear with his shirt off? These questions and details will need to be addressed when hiring this guy.
I saw this comment and agreed with it.Sums up my feelings perfect.
"I just lost some respect for McDonough, a favorite for his work on "Boomtown" and "Band of Brothers" among other things. Cause I mean really, we're not talking HBO here. This is an ABC show. That means there is no nudity or anything. It can't be too rough. At least nothing as bad as when he played an alcoholic cheating on his wife in "Boomtown". I don't remember any real sex scenes but she walked out in her bra once. And he made lots of innuendo. What's so different now Neal?
So he has no moral objections to violence or killing -- given that his character killed people on Desperate Housewives -- but he has "moral and religious" objections to having sex onscreen?
Man, talk about screwed up religious values. This is why America is laughed at by the rest of the world."
#11Hello!!! It's Called Acting!
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:30amI frankly don't give the smallest of sh!ts what his values are. If he refuses to ever play a love scene, he's simply in the wrong business.
#12just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:38amand reg knows from whence he speaks. he was fired for improving a gay love scene with john candy once.
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
#13just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:44amYou didn't see the looks he was giving me.
Ghandi722
Swing Joined: 8/6/06
#14just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:51am
I don't think it's so much about his morals as it is about his relationship with his wife. You can claim "Well, she should have known better than to marry an actor if she has issues with him 'acting' intimate with another person" but bottom line, that's probably just an agreement that the two of them have.
To compare it to being a murderer in another film is irrelevant. To 'fake' kill someone is just that, it doesn't actually hurt anyone. But, he would have to do the act of kissing another woman besides his wife. That's intimate, that's personal. And in any other business, it's completely wrong. So, if his wife said she'd marry him, love him and support him if and only if he never kissed another woman again (Which I personally think is fair to ask your SPOUSE) and he fully supported that by having it in his contract, I think it's praiseworthy.
#15just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 11:54am
I still think he should switch careers.
Become a gynecologist, maybe.
#16just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:00pmI agree. What married couples in Hollywood agree not to kiss anyone else? IT"S KISSING! ITS CALLED ACTING!
#17just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:10pmWhy the heck does this bother you so much?
Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch.
Puppies are babies in fur coats.
Tinfoil...The Terrorizing Terminator
#18just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:11pmThat's just our romantico: if something bothers him at all IT BOTHERS HIM A LOT!
#19just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:19pm
I think it's petty and I think his reasons are lame. Don't get me wrong, I can admire someone for standing by something they believe in but considering his profession, I find his 'reasons' questionable.
Now I am bothered that you think it bothers me which means I will have to know exactly what you mean when you ask why does it bother me.
Reginald summed it up easily so I may start having him be my spokesman.(LOL)
#20just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:29pmhe requires that you do full frontal nudity and "simulated" sex, rom.
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
#21just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:32pmWell, I have no morals so that's not a problem for me.
#22just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:34pm
Where does it say that this stuff was actually in his contract? I'm only seeing that it's a well-known fact in the business.
Saying he should get into a different line of work is silly, because he clearly has managed quite well for himself for a number of years. If he manages to keep working while still sticking to certain person rules, why does anyone really care? Every actor has limits on what they're willing to do.
Also, none of us have any idea how or why this line came about for him, so we can't say that his wife was the one to ask for it. It could be entirely personal on his part.
Basically, he has a line, he has his own reasons for having it, and he still manages to work regularly. Why do people even care?
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#23just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:39pm
I think romantico just wants to see him without a shirt on.
I know I do.
#24just put your mouth here 'n the camera will do the rest...well almost
Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:39pm
Why do you?
I don't care, really, of course. And I think it's fine to have limits. But I think kissing scenes are a pretty basic thing; it happens an awful lot in many, many plays and movies.
But if it works for him, it works for me. I still think my gynecologist line was funny.
Updated On: 4/1/10 at 12:39 PM
Videos