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Meet Forrie J. Smith, Yellowstone’s Lloyd Pierce: the real-life cowboy went from stuntman in Rambo III to fully fledged actor for Taylor Sheridan – but why are his political views polarising fans?

Meet Forrie J. Smith, the real-life cowboy behind Yellowstone’s Lloyd Pierce who was kicked off a plane and banned from the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Photos: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram
Meet Forrie J. Smith, the real-life cowboy behind Yellowstone’s Lloyd Pierce who was kicked off a plane and banned from the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Photos: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram

Born in Montana to generations of rodeo cowboys, the Better Call Saul actor is as authentic a ranch hand as they come. But why was he kicked off a plane and banned from the Screen Actors Guild Awards?

Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western masterpiece Yellowstone is charting its final course, with season 5B coming to a climactic end in mid-December. Amid discussions of a possible sixth season – which hasn’t been greenlit yet but which, according to Variety, could revolve around Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser as the lead actors – fans are dazed and confused as to how the epic saga will be brought to a conclusion.
Meanwhile, Yellowstone star Forrie J. Smith, who plays Dutton Ranch old hand Lloyd Pierce, is partying it up in Vegas. The 65-year-old stepped out to watch country music star Tanya Tucker perform at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas days ahead of the season finale, and celebrated the occasion with a carousel of photos from the night on his Instagram.
Yellowstone star Forrie J. Smith and country musician Tanya Tucker at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas this month. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram
Yellowstone star Forrie J. Smith and country musician Tanya Tucker at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas this month. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram
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“Got to hang with the Tucker tribe in Vegas. We hadn’t seen each other in 30 plus years and just like the true country gal she is, it felt like just yesterday. Thank you Tanya for the Larry Mahan tribute, love ya for it,” he wrote in the caption. The “What’s Your Mama’s Name” singer thanked the actor for coming to the show in a post of her own.

Smith has shot to fame in recent years thanks to Yellowstone, but he has courted his fair share of controversies as well. So just who is Forrie J. Smith in real life? Here’s what to know.

He’s a real-life cowboy

Forrie J. Smith grew up on a Montana ranch and has the rodeo business in his blood. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram
Forrie J. Smith grew up on a Montana ranch and has the rodeo business in his blood. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram

Smith grew up on a ranch in Helena, Montana. His grandfather was involved in the rodeo business, his father’s name is in the Canadian Cowboy Hall of Fame, while his mother was a barrel racer. Per Montana Sports, Smith himself competed in rodeo, representing Montana State University, where he was on a scholarship for the sport. He hoped to win the National Finals Rodeo, but Hollywood came calling.

Acting wasn’t his dream

Forrie J. Smith with child actress Zia Carlock, his co-star in Ride. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram
Forrie J. Smith with child actress Zia Carlock, his co-star in Ride. Photo: @forriejsmithcowboy/Instagram

In a June 2022 interview with Montana Sports, Smith revealed that his dream was to become a stuntman. “I can remember riding my little Shetland pony Bad Billy down there and fell off right in front of [my stepdad] and mom. They’re like, ‘What the heck are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m going to be a stuntman someday,’” he recalled.