The actors who play Lloyd Pierce (Forrie J. Smith) and his younger self in Yellowstone are connected, making their casting even more ideal for the show. We know from the rancher’s comments throughout the series that Lloyd is one of John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) most loyal ranch hands. Lloyd is a staple among the Yellowstone Ranch cowboys. Yellowstone flashbacks confirm Lloyd has been with the ranch for decades, as a younger iteration of the character appears alongside more youthful versions of John (Josh Lucas) and Rip (Kyle Red Silverstein).
The younger version of Lloyd has always been one of my favorite details of Taylor Sheridan’s original Yellowstone series because his resemblance to Forrie J. Smith is uncanny. However, I never thought much of this other than appreciating the detail. Several Dutton family members resemble their younger selves, which is just one of the many elements I enjoy about the casting. I was shocked to learn that the similarities between Lloyd and his younger self weren’t coincidental, explaining young Lloyd’s perfect horseshoe mustache.
A Father & Son Play Lloyd And Young Lloyd In Yellowstone
Forrie J. Smith and Forrest Smith Play Lloyd And Young Lloyd
As it turns out, young Lloyd in Yellowstone, played by Forrest Smith, is the original Lloyd actor’s son in real life. I was first tipped off because their names were so similar, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was a more profound connection between Lloyd and young Lloyd. Forrie J. Smith has played Lloyd Pierce since Yellowstone season 1, and he was a staple of the original bunkhouse crew along with Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White), Colby Mayfield (Denim Richards), Ryan (Ian Bohen), and the ranch foreman, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).
Forrest Smith appears as a younger version of his father’s character in flashbacks that explain how Rip was established as a Yellowstone cowboy.
When Lloyd is introduced, we get the sense that he is an installment on the ranch, having lived there for decades and considering the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch a permanent home. Then, in Yellowstone flashbacks, Taylor Sheridan confirms how long Lloyd has been at the Dutton Ranch. Forrest Smith appears as a younger version of his father’s character in flashbacks that explain how Rip was established as a Yellowstone cowboy. Immediately, Lloyd’s younger square face, mustache, and overall demeanor resemble the original character.
The father confirmed the casting connection in an Instagram post of Smith with his son on set that captures a moment with the actors decked out in their best gear. The father rests an arm on his son’s shoulder, each wearing a gritty smile. The younger Smith’s outfit has leather chaps, a gold belt buckle, and a neckerchief. In flashbacks, young Lloyd eventually accompanies John and Rip on the latter’s first journey to the train station. He also witnesses Beth (Kylie Rogers) and Rip’s date in Yellowstone season 5, episode 1, telling Rip that nothing good happens in town.
How Taylor Sheridan’s Casting Enhances Yellowstone
Yellowstone’s Casting Enhances Its Authenticity
As mentioned, this isn’t the first casting detail in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone series that endeared the story to me. One of my favorite casting choices in the original series is Josh Lucas playing a younger version of John Dutton, which he does satisfyingly well. Lucas’ performance seamlessly blends John’s younger and older selves. The attention to detail in the casting allows the viewer to subscribe entirely to the idea that they are watching a younger John Dutton III on the small screen. While not entirely necessary, these finer-tuned elements of Sheridan’s stories are some of my favorite details.
Another perfect casting choice for the original series was Kyle Red Silverstein as young Rip. The younger version of Cole Hasuer’s Rip Wheeler perfectly represents how Rip could look when rewinding the clock. The attention to detail allows complete suspension of disbelief that we are watching two separate people on screen, encouraging us to embrace Hauser and Silverstein as separate yet cohesive pieces of the same character. Young Lloyd’s casting contributed to this trend, and discovering a father/son connection between Lloyd and his younger self’s uncanny appearances made it even better.
Taylor Sheridan Has Continued The Trend In 1883 & 1923
1883 Features Unconventional Casting
Taylor Sheridan’s prequels to John Dutton’s story, 1883 and 1923, also made some very interesting casting choices. 1883 witnesses the earliest-known Dutton family members on a Northwest variant of the Oregon Trail from Texas to Montana. The story follows parents James and Margaret Dutton as they raise and guide their children along the journey, and real-life married partners and A-list country musicians Tim McGraw and Faith Hill play the Dutton power couple. I adored this casting, which also carries an element of reality like Smith’s young Lloyd.
While McGraw and Hill play a fictional couple, I think some of their genuine ways of addressing one another as partners and parents come across in their acting. It adds an element of authentic human experience to the story, and I love to see that in television and film. Still, Sheridan casting a real-life couple for the Yellowstone franchise isn’t a commonplace decision on TV. 1923 also has some examples of inspired choices. For instance, James Badge Dale’s older version of John I from 1883 sometimes perfectly resembles McGraw’s James Dutton, John I’s father, in speech and demeanor.