‘God First, Me Second’: ‘Yellowstone’ Star Neal McDonough Talks Faith And Navigating A Career In Hollywood

“Yellowstone” star Neal McDonough talked about faith and navigating a career in Hollywood as he explained that, through “a hard few years” not finding work, he always believed God had a plan for him.

The 56-year-old actor said before screenwriter Graham Yost offered him a role in the hit drama “Justified,” he was blacklisted in Hollywood after allegedly being fired for refusing to do on-screen sex scenes in ABC’s “Scoundrels,” Fox News reported.

“I think I was blessed at a very young age to have a strong relationship with God,” McDonough shared. “And it’s been paramount in my life as everyone kind of knows. Look, we all make mistakes. We’re all flawed, we’re all human. And that’s kind of what makes us beautiful at the same time.”

“And you know, especially in the films that [my wife] Ruvé [Robertson] and I have been doing and … producing in the last couple of years, they talk about these things,” he added. “[They] talk about what it’s like to have your faith challenged or how you can overcome certain difficulties in life knowing that God has your back. And it’s shows like ‘Oh Holy Night’ that kind of reinforce that family is the most important thing on the planet. There’s nothing like family.”

‘Yellowstone’ actor Neal McDonough reflects on bonding with Kevin Costner, his devotion to faith: ‘God first’ https://t.co/uu1MhKyCMf

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The devout Catholic said that when you have a “core to lean back on” and believe in “God first, me second,” you aren’t as tempted to do “stupid things.”

“There are a few times when I get to talk about things that are really, really important to me in my life, and that’s my relationship with God and family,” McDonough explained. “For me, it’s family first, me second. God first, me second. And when you’re run by those rules, things are a lot easier. You’re not as tempted to do stupid things. … We all make mistakes every single day.”

“…We get caught up in so many things, especially during the holiday season … it can be a very emotional time,” he added. “But when you have a core to lean back on, whether it’s immediate family or our heavenly father, that’s how you get through things in life. And for me, it’s vitally important … it’s about family and it’s about love.”

The “Band Of Brothers” star previously talked about feeling blessed in his life and said “that’s why I go to church every day and say thank you to God for everything he’s given me,” Catholic News World reported.

McDonough and Ruve tied the knot in 2003 and share five children.

Related: ‘The Chosen’ Actress, Once Skeptical About God, Says Role Has Been Life-Changing

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