By Mallory Mattingly
Christian actor Neal McDonough is known throughout Hollywood for his no-kissing rule, but he broke it in THE LAST RODEO for a very special reason: his wife Ruvé costarred in the movie.
“I’ve been riding horses my whole life, so to jump into this saddle is different because I’ve never really been in this type of saddle before,” McDonough told Fox News Digital of getting to “kiss the girl” at the end of a movie. “I’ve not been the hero of the movie. I’ve never been in the position where I get to kiss the girl in the end because, as everyone knows, I won’t kiss another woman on screen.”
This commitment has resulted in losing roles and struggling to find a place in the industry. “I won’t kiss any other woman because these lips are meant for one woman,” McDonough stated previously.
However, McDonough revealed that he persuaded Ruvé to not only help produce THE LAST RODEO but also costar in it.
“I convinced my wife, Ruvé. I said, ‘Honey, you have to be in the film because I have to kiss the girl in the end.’ She’s like, ‘I don’t know how to act.’ I’m like, ‘Well, you do now,'” McDonough said.
“We did it, and that was one of my favorite moments I’ve ever had on a set. There I am, wearing the hero hat, being directed by my favorite director of all time, Jon Avnet, kissing my wife in a movie, finally doing it the way I’ve always wanted to do it. It’s the greatest feeling,” he added.
McDonough’s daughter London was on set that day, too.
The actor said: “Our daughter London was there, and she was like, ‘Dad, can you stop? Because I’m famous for one, maybe two takes — eight or nine takes through. I’m like, ‘Jon, I need one more. I didn’t get that right.’ And there we are, mackin’ again. And there’s London, ‘Oh dad, you’re grossing me out.’”
Related: Actor Neal McDonough Relied on Faith After Hollywood Blacklisted Him For Christian Ethics
McDonough took pride in that scene because it highlighted his fidelity to his wife and marriage.
“Watching me love the thing that I love more than anything on this planet…for me, it was the crowning achievement of everything I’ve done in my life,” he revealed. “Ups and downs, the hard times I went through because of choices I’ve made, now are all in the rearview mirror. And I couldn’t be happier because all of it was directed by one of my greatest friends, my mentor, my big brother, John Avnet, and I wouldn’t be here without you.”
Movieguide® rated THE LAST RODEO a +2. The review reads:
THE LAST RODEO is a powerful, exciting movie with wonderful acting and powerful reconciliations as well as many wonderful, heartfelt scenes of reconciliation and miraculous overcoming. Best of all, THE LAST RODEO has a strong Christian, biblical worldview. It has multiple references to God the Father, with characters talking about Him openly. There are also multiple instances of reading the Bible and accepting God’s grace. However, THE LAST RODEO has violent bull riding scenes, a fight in a bar, three very light obscenities. So, MOVIEGUIDE® commends THE LAST RODEO with a light caution.
THE LAST RODEO is now in theaters across the nation.
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