For over two decades, Neal has refused to kiss women other than his wife, even for a role, and he believes this was a mark against him.
Speaking on "Nothing Left Unsaid", Neal, who played Malcolm Beck on six episodes of Yellowstone, opened up about a drought in his career.
"I'd always had in my contracts that I wouldn't kiss another woman on screen," the "Desperate Housewives" actor said, which he said was his decision, not a request made by his wife, Ruvé Robertson.
Neal and Ruvé, who share five children, met while filming in "Band of Brothers", and wed in 2003.
"My wife didn't have any problem with it - it was me, really, who had a problem with it," he continued.
Neal claims Hollywood producers didn't understand that he was serious about his demands, and when they realized he was, they stopped hiring him.
"When I wouldn't do it... they couldn't understand," he said. "Hollywood just completely turned on me, and they wouldn't let me be part of the show anymore.
"For two years, I couldn't get a job and I lost everything you could possibly imagine."
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Neal said that when his work dried up, it created a ripple effect in his life. He said: "Not just houses [and] material things, but your swagger, your cool, who you are, your identity - everything.
"My identity was an actor, and a really good one. Once you don't have that identity, you're kind of lost in a tailspin," he continued. "And I was in a big, ugly tailspin for a couple of years."
Neal's most recent role was as Joe Wainwright in "The Last Rodeo", and Ruvé played his on-screen wife Rose Wainwright. The couple did kiss on-screen, and we're sure sparks flew.
Check out the "Nothing Left Unsaid" episode here:
* This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.
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