Neal McDonough has made a name for himself playing bad guys, from “Justified,” “Van Helsing,” and “Tulsa King” to the Arrowverse. On “Yellowstone,” he portrayed Malcolm Beck, one of the notorious Beck brothers who plagued the Duttons in Season 2. But despite starring in the popular Paramount Network drama, McDonough has never watched a single episode.
Speaking with Raymond Arroyo on the “Arroyo Grande” podcast, McDonough explained that he avoids watching any of his own performances. “You know, I don’t watch any of my stuff,” he said. “It’s too painful. It’s too hard.” The actor immerses himself so completely in his roles that he finds it difficult to revisit them. Even at film premieres, he and his wife, Ruvé McDonough, arrive for the red carpet, leave during the screening, and return for the afterparty.
Asked why he wouldn’t want to see the final product, McDonough made it clear that his reluctance doesn’t reflect a lack of confidence in his work. “I was there on the day,” he explained. “I know I did a great job because God gave me a talent. I’m terrible at pounding nails. I’m not very good at telling jokes. But as Ruvé said, ‘Man, you can act.'” McDonough may never watch his own portrayal of Malcolm Beck, but the character still ranks among the best villains on “Yellowstone.”
Neal McDonough isn’t convinced Malcolm Beck died on Yellowstone
Malcolm Beck was one of the most memorable characters on “Yellowstone,” with Neal McDonough playing a villain viewers loved to hate. Appearing in six episodes of the neo-Western, Beck made things personal when he had John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) grandson Tate (Brecken Merrill) kidnapped. The abduction prompted an all-out assault on the Beck brothers, culminating in Malcolm’s apparent death. But McDonough has questioned whether Malcolm really died.
“Did I die? Did I? I’m not so sure about that,” McDonough told TV Insider in 2022. “We have talked about the fact we didn’t actually see Malcolm Beck’s eyes close. There is always that possibility.” Regardless of Malcolm’s fate, McDonough still looks back fondly on his time on “Yellowstone.”
“[Taylor Sheridan] let me have the keys to the villain’s kingdom,” the actor told TV Insider. “I loved my time on that show.” McDonough currently plays Cal Thresher on “Tulsa King,” another Sheridan-created series starring Sylvester Stallone, which has been renewed for a fifth season.