The actor who plays Lloyd says “it’s a dream come true.”
When creator Taylor Sheridan set out to make Yellowstone, his goal was to depict “modern day ranching” in the most authentic way possible. The true litmus test was to see what Forrie J. Smith thinks.
Smith, who plays Lloyd on the popular Paramount Network show, was raised on his grandparents’ ranch in Helena, Montana, just a four hour drive from where Yellowstone is filmed. Although the ranch was much smaller in scale than John Dutton’s (His grandparents’ ranch had 135 cows compared to Dutton’s 800.), there are many striking similarities. “I have lived the experiences that this show is based on, like when Jimmy won his first belt buckle earlier in season 2,” he tells GoodHousekeeping.com.”Even though I fall back on my own stories, I still have to act. I still have to hit my mark.”
Along with personal connection to the show comes the pressure to deliver — and no, not just his lines. He’s representing a culture — his own heritage, really — on the show. “Just last week, I got a call from a rodeo cowboy in New Mexico. He told me, ‘You’re doing a great job representing us. Thank you,'” he shares.
His intention, like Sheridan’s, is for the show to educate viewers about the importance of ranching. At a young age, Smith’s grandfather taught him that it has a greater purpose than turning a profit: Along with taking care of local communities, he insists that “ranchers help feed our country.” On Yellowstone, the Dutton family does this by shipping 800 calves a year.
While some Yellowstone viewers may think the Duttons way of life is gruesome, Smith knows that it’s necessary. “When you grow up on a ranch, you grow up with life and death,” he reflects. “Anything detrimental to the ranch or our way of life is an enemy and needs to be taken care of one way or another.”
In fact, his humble beginnings make his experience on Yellowstone that much sweeter. “I’m just a country kid from Montana on screen with an Academy Award winner,” he gushes. “This is a dream come true for me, or actually, any actor.”