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PDF versionCatholic Actor Takes A Stand
by Joe Ferullo on Aug. 13, 2010
You may not know the name Neal McDonough -- but he's one of those Hollywood faces you'll instantly recognize. He's a compelling actor, who's played good guys and bad, most recently on the ABC series "Desperate Housewives" and HBO's "Band of Brothers."
But last season, McDonough reportedly walked away from a starring role on another ABC show called "Scoundrels," when producers wanted him to do sex scenes. McDonough is married with a family, is a strong Catholic -- and reportedly has always made it clear that he would not do heated love scenes. (On the steamy "Housewives" primetime soap, his character was creepy and disturbing, sometimes shirtless -- but not part of the sexual game-playing that often drives the show.)
When McDonough's stand was reported earlier this year on the entertainment industry news site "Deadline Hollywood," reader reaction was swift and overwhelmingly positive -- but many commentators worried McDonough would become a Hollywood outcast.
But today "Deadline Hollywood" reports McDonough has landed a new project -- he will write, produce and star in a series called "Vigilante Priest" for the cable channel Starz. He'll play an ex-cop turned priest who cleans up the streets of Los Angeles "one sinner at a time."
Sounds like it could be fun. As for "Scoundrels," the other series McDonough walked away from -- well, it lasted less than one season.
This is, indeed, "good news".
This is, indeed, "good news". Thanks.
He'll play an ex-cop turned
He'll play an ex-cop turned priest who cleans up the streets of Los Angeles "one sinner at a time."
sounds like it could be an absolute, horrible disaster . . .
apparently this ex-cop is armed, and checks papers first?
hey, but you know, as long as no sex is seen, you know what I´m saying?
Let's hope it's better than
Let's hope it's better than the ghastly "Hell Town" in the 1980s, which starred Robert Blake.... And let's hope they get someone knowledgeable as their technnical advisor. Most series about priests, nuns, etc., tend to be either awful or short-lived, or both.
Great article, "Bravo" for
Great article, "Bravo" for Mr. McDonough for refusing to do the sex scene. I would hope that more actors and actreses would behave like this young actor and refuse to do scenes which are sinful. God Bless Mr. McDonough and his family and all other actors who standup to the producers of depraved behavior in our films and TV shows.
Thanks Joey ! This is a
Thanks Joey ! This is a really good idea. I have mourned the loss of the Father Dowling Mysteries with the irrepressible Sister Stephanie for too long.
I have also toyed with other ideas for introducing dynamic clerics into the public realm of story telling. Sean Connery was inspiring in the feature film ' The Name of the Rose '. Joe Mantegna played a sensible and human cop in the series , ' Joan of Arcadia '. One of the most striking contemporary literary encounters of my youth occurred when a good friend introduced me to the work of Isaac Asimov. It would not be a far reach to use his protagonist from the 'Foundation' series , Hari Seldon , as a model for an intergalactic pastoral figure. Andrew Greeley's unpresupposing Bishop Blackie Ryan would add great credibility to such a character. She/ He may even be a relational progeny. The church dare not underestimate the power of its story telling tradition.
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