Lloyd Pierce from Yellowstone is one of the most loyal cowboys at the Dutton Ranch, where he has worked for many years. Actor Forrie J. Smith’s portrayal of Lloyd is authentic because he has been leading the lifestyle of a rodeo cowboy and rancher since childhood.

Key takeaways

• Lloyd Pierce had a minor role in Yellowstone’s first two seasonsbefore his storyline was expanded in seasons 3, 4, and 5.
• Forrie J. Smith, who plays Lloyd Pierce, is a real-life rodeo cowboy and animal wrangler, which has earned him roles in several Western-themed projects.
• Lloyd makes a major life decision in the Yellowstone series finaleafter the death of the Dutton family patriarch, John Dutton, and the sale of the ranch.

Forrie J. Smith’s profile

Understanding Lloyd Pierce’s character arc in Yellowstone

Lloyd Pierce is the cowboy with the most advanced age on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, where he has worked for over 40 years. The bunkhouse crew celebrated the character’s 58th birthday in season 5, episode 3.

Pierce is one of the loyal branded men who protects the Duttons’ secrets and acts as a mentor to younger ranch hands. He is depicted as someone with a deep respect for the cowboy culture.

Lloyd was introduced in the first season of the Paramount Network series. He makes his first appearance in episode 7, ‘Daybreak,’ and his final appearance is in the season 5 finale episode, ‘Life is a Promise.’ His initial role in the show was limited, but he had a remarkable character development from season 3.

Pierce’s bitter rivalry with fellow ranch hand Walker and his friendship with Rip (Cole Hauser) made a major part of his storyline. He also acts as a father figure to Jimmy Hurdstrom, a young ranch hand at Yellowstone. The characters’ special bond led to theories suggesting Lloyd might be Jimmy’s real dad, but he is just a mentor.

What happens to Lloyd Pierce in Yellowstone?

Yellowstone ended after season 5, but fans can still keep up with their favourite characters in the series sequels, ‘Y: Marshals’ and The Madison. The death of family patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) in the series finale brings an end to the Dutton empire, but Lloyd Pierce is not killed off.

The Duttons and their employees leave the land for good after Kacey sells the Dutton Ranch to reservation leader Thomas Rainwater. The sale ensures the land returns to its rightful owners, the Native American people.

After decades of serving the Duttons and Yellowstone, Lloyd Pierce decides to move on to another venture. He even turns down Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton’s offer to work for them as a cowboy at their new ranch.

Since Lloyd escapes death in Yellowstone, the character may appear in the spinoff series, although it has not been confirmed. He gave fans hope in a January 2025 Instagram video where he said:

Hey Yellowstone addicts, I would stay together — One, out of honour to Codey Ring, and two — Taylor Sheridan, he ain’t say it’s over.

How Forrie J. Smith brought Lloyd Pierce to life

Playing Lloyd Pierce was easy for Forrie J. Smith because he is a real-life rodeo cowboy. He was raised on his grandparents’ ranch in Helena, Montana, which is about 190 miles from where Yellowstone was filmed in Darby, Montana.

The actor’s late father was a devoted cowboy, which earned him a place in the Canadian Cowboy Hall of Fame. His mother was a barrel racer. Forrie J. Smith’s younger years were all about horses.

The actor started to compete at rodeos at age 8 and was riding by age 11. He told Good Housekeeping that he has already lived through what is depicted in the Yellowstone series.

I have lived the experiences that this show is based on, like when Jimmy won his first belt buckle earlier in season 2. Even though I fall back on my own stories, I still have to act. I still have to hit my mark.

Forrie J. Smith’s love for rodeo landed him in show business

The Montana native has been in the entertainment industry since the 1970s. He had a smooth transition to show business as a stuntman in rodeo-related projects. He began his career with stuntman roles in Western projects like the 1986 remake of Stagecoach, Desperado (1987), and Rambo III (1988).

The actor portrayed cowboy roles in The Sacketts, The Fall Guy, McGyver, and The Young Riders. He was also an animal wrangler in projects like 2 Guns, Los Locos, Hell or High Water, and The Kid. Lloyd Pierce on Yellowstone is Forrie J. Smith’s biggest role to date.

Forrie J. Smith is a ranch owner

The Yellowstone actor lives in San Acacia, New Mexico. He keeps several horses and cattle at his massive ranch, which he regularly posts on social media. Forrie J. Smith has been spending time with the animals after wrapping up filming the hit Paramount series.

Smith is not the only Yellowstone star leading a ranch lifestyle. Academy winner Kevin Costner owns the 160-acre Dunbar ranch in Aspen, Colorado, and has other properties in Carpinteria, California. Jake Ream (Jake), Ryan Bingham (Walker), Ethan Lee (Ethan), and Taylor Sheridan (Travis) are also real-life cowboys.

Forrie J. Smith’s son plays a younger Lloyd Pierce inYellowstone

Forrie J.’s son, Forrest Wilder Smith, is following in his footsteps as an actor and cowboy. Forrest was cast in Yellowstone to play a younger version of Smith’s character, Lloyd Pierce, in flashbacks. An excited Smith was happy for the wholesome father-son casting and even wrote on Instagram:

Pretty cool working with my son on set!

Lloyd Pierce from Yellowstone remains one of the most authentic characters in the Paramount Network series. Forrie J. Smith did a great job bringing the character to life, owing to his decades of real-life experience in rodeo and ranching.

READ ALSO: Timothy Reynolds (Yellowstone): Who he was and how he passed away

Briefly.co.za highlighted Timothy Reynolds’ life and death. He was a cherished member of the Yellowstone production team, where he worked as a lighting electrician.

Reynolds passed away in 2022 at age 66 after working in show business for over two decades. Yellowstone paid tribute to him in season 5 Part 1 at the end of the 5th episode, Watch ‘Em Ride Away.

Source: Briefly News