No Sex on Screen for Him

In the sex-drenched world of entertainment, few actors in Hollywood seem brave enough to base career decisions about film and TV shows on their personal moral standards.

Neal McDonough, a staunchly Catholic actor, has carved out a steady career in Hollywood, with nonstop work in television — including a regular role on the CW network’s hit superhero show “Arrow” as villain Damien Dahrk.

“I take my fair share of villain roles because very rarely are villains required to do love scenes.”

Married and a father of five, he’s currently a star of the new faith-driven movie “Greater,” in which he plays the real-life character of Marty Burlsworth, who instilled a passionate faith and unquenchable spirit in his younger brother Brandon.

Brandon Burlsworth went on to be the greatest walk-on player in the history of college football, becoming a beloved player for the Arkansas Razorbacks despite being considered too short and too fat to play. He set an inspiring example for all when he made it all the way to the NFL — only to be killed in a car crash 11 days after being drafted.

Perhaps the most remarkable moment of McDonough’s career came in 2010, when his strong rule against performing sex scenes inspired him to walk away from a $1 million payday for the ABC series “Scoundrels.”

His abrupt departure when producers tried to spring a sex scene on him during the filming of the third episode drew attention and admiration for his principles from those in show business, as well as far beyond.

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“My Catholic faith is central to who I am as a human being — not just as an actor. So it informs every decision I make, whether it’s deciding on a project or deciding on how to treat the guy who cuts me off in traffic,” McDonough told LifeZette in an exclusive interview.

“And, for the record, I don’t get it right in either case every time. It’s true that I don’t like to do — I won’t do — those kinds of scenes because of my desire to honor Ruve [his wife since 2003]. One reason I take my fair share of villain roles is because very rarely are villains required to do love scenes. I’m just more comfortable as a man and a husband when that’s not part of the job.”

Impressively, McDonough’s attitude toward screen sex is shared by a few other leading men as well.

Though they got involved after shooting steamy scenes together in the 2005 blockbuster “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have a longstanding rule not to shoot sex scenes with anyone else, or even kiss anyone else on screen.

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After years of cohabitation, the two stars got married in 2014 when their giant brood of children started asking them to. It’s partly their desire to set a good example for their children that drives their decision about on-screen sex, according to a 2013 article in Hollywood Life.

Jim Caviezel, who played Christ in “The Passion of the Christ” before becoming the star of the hit CBS series “Person of Interest,” is another member of the “no on-screen sex” club.

He insisted his female co-star not be completely topless during a scene in his first starring role, in “The Count of Monte Cristo,” according to a 2002 story. If people on set “think you’re a wimp, that you’re an embarrassment … well, I’d rather be embarrassed before the whole country than before God. I think men need to take the lead on these things.”

Caviezel look the lead on the matter again in the 2002 film “Angel Eyes.” He told ABC News he established some ground rules with sexy co-star Jennifer Lopez, insisting she keep her top and shorts on. And he pointed out angles for the director that could still imply nudity rather than show it.

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“‘I told her, ‘Look, I’m going to keep the Calvins on, and you can figure out what you want to do, but there’s certain things I’ll do and certain things I won’t do.'”

Added Caviezel, joking about the scene, which takes place in a park: “If you watch real closely, you’ll see my wife in the background.”