When Neal McDonough first laid eyes on Ruvé Robertson in London, he didn’t lead with a smooth pick-up line. He didn’t talk about his burgeoning acting career or the fact that he was in town filming Band of Brothers. Instead, he looked up—literally—and blurted out, "You’re tall."
It’s a funny story, mostly because it’s so honest. Most people searching for neal mcdonough wife height are usually trying to figure out if their eyes are playing tricks on them when they see the couple on a red carpet. Stand them next to each other, and you’ll notice something immediately: they are remarkably well-matched in the height department, which is a bit of a rarity in a town where leading men often lean on hidden platforms to maintain a specific "stature."
How Tall is Ruvé Robertson, Really?
Let’s get the numbers out of the way. Ruvé Robertson stands at 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm).
If that sounds exceptionally tall, that’s because it is. To put it in perspective, the average height for a woman in the United States is about 5 feet 4 inches. Ruvé doesn’t just "stand tall"; she commands a room. Her height was actually a major asset in her early career as a swimsuit model in South Africa.
Neal himself isn't exactly short. He stands at a solid 6 feet (183 cm). But in the world of high-profile couples, it’s still somewhat "against the grain" for the wife to be three inches taller than her husband. Honestly, they don’t seem to care one bit. In fact, Neal has spent the better part of two decades publicly adoring her, often joking about that first meeting where her height was the first thing his brain could process.
The "Tall" South African Who Changed Everything
They met on St. Patrick’s Day in 2000. Neal was a rising star, and Ruvé was a model. That first comment about her height could have been a disaster, but it worked.
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Neal has famously recounted that he was actually in a relationship with someone else at the time. After meeting Ruvé, he reportedly called his girlfriend that same night and ended things, telling her he had just met the woman he was going to marry. Talk about a "lightning bolt" moment.
They tied the knot in 2003. Since then, they've become one of the most stable—and physically striking—couples in the industry.
Why the Height Gap Doesn't Matter (But Makes for Great Photos)
In Hollywood, there’s often this weird pressure for male actors to appear significantly taller than their female co-stars or partners. We’ve all seen the tricks: the "Tom Cruise" boxes, the camera angles, the strategic positioning.
Neal and Ruvé have never played that game.
When you see them at a premiere for Yellowstone or Suits, Ruvé is often in heels, which puts her at nearly 6’6”. She embraces it. Neal stands beside her looking like the proudest guy in the room. This confidence is part of why they’ve built such a strong brand as a power couple. They aren't trying to fit into a mold.
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Faith, Family, and Five Kids
You can't talk about Ruvé's height or her marriage without mentioning the backbone of their lives: their Catholic faith. This isn't just a "Sunday morning" thing for them. It has dictated Neal’s entire career.
Most people know the story by now: Neal McDonough famously refuses to do on-screen kissing or sex scenes.
He was actually fired from the ABC show Scoundrels in 2010 because he wouldn't film a bedroom scene. It cost him a massive paycheck—roughly $1 million—and he was basically blacklisted in Hollywood for a few years because people thought he was "difficult."
During that time, it was Ruvé who kept things together. Neal often credits her for being his "rock" when the phone stopped ringing.
- They have five children together: Morgan, Catherine, London, Clover, and James.
- They’ve raised their family away from the typical Hollywood chaos.
- Ruvé eventually transitioned from modeling to producing, working alongside Neal on projects like the film Boon.
The Logistics of Being a Tall Couple
Being 6'3" and 6'0" means the McDonough household is built on a different scale. When you see photos of their kids, it’s pretty obvious they’ve inherited those "tall genes."
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Interestingly, Ruvé’s height has probably helped her navigate the producing side of the business. Neal has often said in interviews that "no one says no to Ruvé." There’s a natural authority that comes with her presence, and she’s used it to help secure financing and pull together talent for their independent production ventures.
What We Can Learn from the McDonoughs
While the neal mcdonough wife height might be the "hook" that gets people searching, the actual story is about a relationship that ignores standard social "rules."
Most guys might feel insecure standing next to a woman who towers over them in 4-inch stilettos. Neal leans into it. He treats her height as just another part of her beauty, not something to be managed or hidden.
If you’re looking for a takeaway from their 20+ years of marriage, it’s probably this: stop worrying about how things "look" to the outside world. Whether it’s a height difference, a career-altering moral stance, or moving away from the "cool" parts of town to raise five kids, the McDonoughs do what works for them.
Moving Forward: Real Insight
If you're fascinated by this duo, don't just look at the red carpet photos. Look at how they’ve built a production company together. If you want to support their work, check out The Last Rodeo, where Neal actually got to play the hero and—for the first time on screen—kiss the "leading lady" (because the leading lady was his actual wife).
Next time you see them on a screen or a carpet, remember that the height is just the surface. The real "stature" of this couple comes from the fact that they’ve survived the Hollywood machine by putting their marriage and their values ahead of their PR image.
Practical Next Steps:
To see Ruvé's work behind the camera, look up the credits for the film Boon or The Last Rodeo. You'll see her listed as a producer, proving she's much more than just a "tall former model"—she's effectively the engine that keeps the McDonough career moving.