‘Yellowstone’ Actor Reveals How Getting Sober Allowed Him To “Fall In Love With Himself” Again

The power of choice.

Neal McDonough, who Yellowstone fans probably know better as the character Malcom Beck, has made a lifestyle change that’s changed his life for the better. The talented 59-year-old actor recently told Fox News Digital about the moment that he took back the reigns of his life, and it all had to do with abstaining from drinking alcohol:

“Years ago, I had a problem with alcohol. I had to stop drinking alcohol to actually fall in love with Neal McDonough again. Because once you stop drinking, and all that time of sitting in a bar, or all the time going to the store, all that…

I just get tired of thinking about it, all that energy now is geared towards, Okay, ‘I’m all by myself right now.’ I’m not leaning on the crutch that I usually do. This is a lot of extra time with me. I may not like me very much right now, but at some point, I’m gonna figure out how to fall in love with myself again.”

It’s an interesting way of describing the sacrifice that he’s making, but if you think about it, taking care of your own body is probably the most loving thing you can do for yourself.

Another important aspect that McDonough spoke about when making a change like he did is the mental side of things. Sure, physically stopping yourself from drinking is one thing, and physically not going to the bar or liquor store is important. However, the mental fortitude it takes to give something up that used to control your life is the nearly impossible part.

The former Yellowstone actor says that a big part of that challenging step is a little thing called forgiveness:

“Whatever you do in life, it’s your mental state. What do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be for Him? What kind of person do you want to be for your wife, for your kids? So I always kind of pride myself on trying to be the best version, but you can’t.

We’re all idiots at times, we’re all sinners. We all do stupid stuff. But it’s forgiving yourself. Once you start to forgive yourself for your flaws, you say, ‘Okay, I’ve got some flaws.'”

That part is easier said than done… but Neal McDonough is right.

And he was happy to share that because of the changes he’s made in his life, McDonough has started to become a fan of himself again. According to him, it’s also helped in appreciation his role as an actor as well:

“And that’s what I did when I gave up drinking, I started to actually like me again. And I forgot how blessed I am and all the gifts that God has given me. I’m a great actor. I can’t pound a nail. I can’t tell a joke, but I’m a great actor. That’s a gift from God. That doesn’t make me special. That’s just a gift that I figured out early on.

So I’m going to keep running with that and do the best that I can and entertain as many people as possible. It’s our job to make you feel a little bit better about your life or test you a little bit and think, okay, how can I be a little better myself?”

He was certainly entertaining as Malcom Beck in the second season of Yellowstone. If you have seen the show, you might enjoy taking a trip down memory lane with this scene where he and John Dutton squared off. If you haven’t seen the show – and don’t want any spoilers – then the story ends right here.

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