Neal McDonough Says God Guides His Hollywood Career: 'I Have One Boss'

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Neal McDonough has appeared in box-office hits and fan favorites, but he says that at this stage of his career, he has a different measure of success: making projects that glorify God.

McDonough stars in the new western "Angel and the Badman," which tells the story of a wounded outlaw on the run who finds mercy at a local ranch —and eventually must decide which path in life he will follow. It’s an Angel Studios film and a remake of a 1947 movie starring John Wayne.

McDonough is known for his roles in such projects as "Band of Brothers" (2001) and "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011), but in the last few years has found a home in inspirational and faith-adjacent content, including "The Shift"and "The Last Rodeo."

“I have one boss, and that's God,” McDonough told Crosswalk Headlines. “So, what can I do to make my Boss happy? What can I do to spread His word through entertainment?”

McDonough is “always trying to come up with new ideas” that reflect the values found in his Christian faith, he added. His wife, Ruve McDonough, is an executive producer on the film.

“It’s important to me — and it's important to my wife, Ruve, that we make sure we give glory to Him in our projects.”

Zachary Levi (Shazam!, Sarah’s Oil) plays Quirt Evans, the outlaw on the run, while McDonough portrays Laredo, an outlaw from Quirt’s violent past. The movie also stars the Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones.

It was shot in New Mexico.

“I love westerns,” McDonough said. “... This outlaw gets shot up, and he lands at this rancher's house, and they bring him in, and they bandage him up, and he starts to realize: Wait a minute, there's so much more to life than being an outlaw and shooting people. There's also family and love and all these other things — and he finally has something to stand up for, something to protect in his life for the first time.”

McDonough’s character, Laredo, also finds himself at a crossroads, forced to choose between right and wrong.

The film is McDonough’s latest project with Angel, following "The Shift," "Homestead" and "The Last Rodeo." Their films, he said, “amplify light” without being “preachy.”

“There's subliminal messages going on about ‘through God everything is possible’ —you can do the right thing if you have faith,” he said. “Instead of hammering the audience, they let the audience kind of find these things themselves, and by doing so, it allows the characters to really find themselves and find true redemption.”

"Angel and the Badman" opens in theaters Oct. 9. It’s rated PG-13 for violence/bloody images, suggestive material and language.

Photo Credit: ©AngelStudios

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.