Actor Neal McDonough Gets Fired For Refusing To Do Sex Scenes

In a world where celebrities like Tiger Woods and Jesse James (Sandra Bullock's philandering husband) hop in and out of bed with women as frequently as they change their underwear, and men and women in films shed their clothes just as easily, it's refreshing to see someone with the morals and integrity to stand his ground in an often immoral world. There are a few actresses who have refused to do nude scenes in films, and there are actually some actors and actresses who have enough clout to include a 'no-nudity' clause in their contracts, opting for a body double, but for the most part not many care too much about exposing their flesh or going at it in a sex scene. So it's quite amazing when you hear about an actor who is willing to be fired for refusing to participate in sex scenes with his leading lady.

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Neal McDonough is well known for his parts in "Desperate Housewives" and the HBO series "Band Of Brothers" and was set to co-star with Virginia Madsen in a TV series entitled "Scoundrels". Based on a television series out of New Zealand called "Outrageous Fortune", it follows the exploits of a criminal family (headed by Madsen) that decides to leave their criminal past behind after the patriarch (McDonough) is imprisoned for a very long time.

McDonough was fired three days into the film shoot because he's a devout Catholic and refused to do any loves scenes with Madsen. Apparently he has always stipulated he will not do sex scenes in any of the projects he gets involved with. In fact, he claims ABC (the network airing "Scoundrels") was well aware of the fact, since he also refused to go at it with Nicolette Sheridan during his "Desperate Housewives" days. There was also no sexual intimacy in his roles in NBC's "Boomtown" or "Medical Investigation".

Nikki Finke, Deadline Hollywood's editor says that one source told her that "It has cost him jobs, but the man is sticking to his principles."

He is set to lose a ton of money, but you have to give him beaucoup kudos for forgoing money for his principles, although many critics have criticized him for starring as a murderer in the trashy horror film "I Know Who Killed Me" and yet refusing to do love scenes. However there is a major difference, from a moral standpoint: as a killer in a movie he doesn't actually kill anyone, he is merely playing a character that happens to kill, whereas in a love scene, although the sex is simulated, there are still naked bodies, and flesh on flesh. He will still get some work, because he is an excellent actor and not all films feel the need to include the often gratuitous sex scene, but I'm sure he will be limited in what he gets cast in.

But he's definitely doing the right thing, and I'm sure his wife and family are grateful. It's also an indication that he won't go down the same path that Tiger and Jesse have trotted along, and good for him.

He was replaced by James Elliott.