Cancel culture seems to be a latter-day invention by the left to silence actors, comedians, musicians, and regular people who dare to run afoul of the approved narrative. While much of that is true, cancel culture has been around for some time.
In Hollywood, it was called being blackballed. Studios didn’t openly blackball actors, but jobs dried up, the phone stopped ringing, and suddenly, some actors were left without work. It wasn’t strictly political, however.
One Hollywood actor is back in the spotlight after a video was rereleased of him talking about how his faith saved his life after the roles dried up in 2010. Neal McDonough may not be a household name, but chances are good that most people know his face. If not for his faith, we might not.
McDonough was a rising star in the 2000s, starring as the bad guy alongside The Rock in the remake of the classic “Walking Tall.” He was also in 2001’s “Band of Brothers” and had a recurring role in the nighttime soap opera “Desperate Housewives.”
It was a decision he made in 2003 that ultimately almost cost him his career. McDonough is a devout Catholic, and when he married his wife in 2003, he vowed never to kiss another woman, participate in any sex scenes, or take the Lord’s name in vain.
All was well until 2010 when the “Justified” star was fired after three days from the ABC series “Scoundrels.” The reason given was his reluctance to do on-screen sex scenes. It was then that roles and auditions suddenly dried up.
McDonough said in an interview: “I remember falling to my knees and saying, ‘God, why have you forgotten about me? Why am I being punished so much?’ And as soon as those words came out of my mouth, I realized what self-absorbed questions those were. God has given me so much. We all experience challenges in our lives. I should be grateful – and thankful – for all the blessings I’m given.”
The 56-year-old father of five leaned into his faith to get him through the hard times. What happened next jump-started his career like he never dreamed. A friend contacted McDonough and offered him a role on the hit FX series “Justified,” and he was so good things took off after that.
What initially was meant to be a two-episode role turned into a 13-episode engagement and arguably the most compelling season of the storied series run. Hollywood took notice, and his career restarted with a bang.
The “Boon” star continued: “I’ve been working so much in the last several years, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I thank God every day for all the blessings I’m given, even during challenging times. God gave me this gift of being an actor, and I’m not going to waste it.”
Most recently, McDonough once again played the bad-guy role in the hugely popular “Yellowstone.” While his character might have met a violent end, his career is thriving and likely to continue. Even if it doesn’t, Neal McDonough has his faith and his family to guide him through whatever life throws at him.
"*" indicates required fields