Neal McDonough Says He Avoids Watching Himself on 'Yellowstone' for Painful Reasons

Neal McDonough, known for his role as the ruthless businessman Malcolm Beck in the hit series "Yellowstone," has stated that he has never watched the show. McDonough, 60, explained his decision stems from his approach to method acting, which he says makes revisiting past performances a "traumatic and painful" experience.

"I've never seen it. You know, I don't watch any of my stuff," McDonough said on the "Arroyo Grande" podcast. He elaborated that when he watches his past work, he recalls the specific thoughts and emotions he had during filming. "So going back to me sometimes can be really kind of traumatic and painful," he shared.

Even attending premieres for his projects doesn't lead him to watch the finished product. "I'll go to premieres of our films, and I'll do the red carpet. [His wife] Ruvé and I will walk in, out the exit, grab a nice dinner someplace, go to the party after. ‘How'd you like the movie?' 'It was great. It was awesome. I loved it.' I just don't like to watch myself," he said.

McDonough believes his performance is sufficient if he was present and committed on the day of filming. "I was there on the day. I know I did a great job because God gave me a talent," he stated. "And so I don't need to look to see if it was good or not. They keep on hiring me, right? If they keep on hiring, I must be doing something right."

This stance comes after a period in McDonough's life when he felt his career was stalled. He previously stated that he was fired from the ABC series "Scoundrels" in 2010 after refusing to perform intimate scenes with a co-star. McDonough has described this as a point where Hollywood "blackballed" him, leading to financial and personal struggles, and a worsening battle with alcohol. He eventually found sobriety with the support of his wife, Ruvé, to whom he has been married for nearly 23 years. The couple shares five children and has also collaborated professionally on several film projects.