All Cowboy All the Time - Forrie J Smith (Lloyd) and Bobby Roberts

Summary

The Yellowstone Official Podcast: Episode Summary

Episode Title: All Cowboy All the Time - Forrie J Smith (Lloyd) and Bobby Roberts
Release Date: December 23, 2021
Hosts: Jefferson White ("Jimmy") and Jen Landon ("Teeter")
Guests:

• Forrie J. Smith as Lloyd
• Bobby Roberts as Jimmy's stunt double

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Introduction

In this episode of The Yellowstone Official Podcast, host Jefferson White welcomes listeners to a deep dive into the authentic cowboy life portrayed in Season 5 of Yellowstone. Presented by iHeartPodcasts and Paramount Network, the episode features insightful conversations with co-stars Forrie J. Smith and Bobby Roberts, both integral to bringing the rugged life of the Dutton Ranch to the screen.

Jefferson White begins by expressing gratitude to the Yellowstone community:

“I think of this whole podcast as a bit of a love letter to the Yellowstone community.” (00:07)
He sets the stage for an episode rich in authentic rodeo discussions, highlighting the backgrounds of his guests and their contributions to the show’s realism.

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Interview with Forrie J. Smith (Lloyd)

Background and Rodeo Experience

Forrie J. Smith shares his profound connection to rodeo and ranching, detailing his upbringing on his grandparents' ranch. He recounts early experiences that shaped his lifelong bond with horses and rodeo culture:

“I was raised on my grandpa and grandma's ranch... I was already training horses by the time I was 7 years old.” (02:02)
He emphasizes the intelligence of horses and his philosophy that "they’re going to teach you as much as you're going to teach them," reflecting a deep mutual respect (04:56).

Authenticity in Yellowstone

Forrie discusses how his real-life rodeo experience enriches his portrayal of Lloyd, enhancing the show's authenticity:

“It's part of why people respond to Yellowstone is there's this incredible feeling of authenticity... you can't fake it.” (04:56)
He praises the show's writing and direction, crediting Taylor Sheridan for trusting experienced rodeo cowboys to infuse authenticity into their performances:

“Taylor's a genius when it comes to writing... it's in a million details that aren't in the script.” (08:25)
Forrie highlights the importance of subtle gestures and lifelong habits that actors like Jefferson and himself bring to their characters, making scenes feel genuine and lived-in.

Character Relationships and Development

The conversation shifts to the evolving dynamics between Lloyd, Jimmy, and Rip. Forrie reflects on the complexities of these relationships and how real-life friendships influence their on-screen interactions:

“You have differences, and it's not that big a deal. And I think there was one line where I told him, I said you would do the same thing.” (14:53)
He underscores Lloyd’s role as a father figure to Jimmy, offering mentorship and support that contrasts with Rip’s more contentious relationship:

“Lloyd appreciates that. And I think that's one of the things that drew Lloyd to Jimmy was that Jimmy's determination.” (17:46)
Forrie elaborates on the subtle expressions of trust and respect that define Lloyd’s interactions, contributing to the show's emotional depth.

Lessons from Rodeo Applied to Acting

Drawing parallels between rodeo and acting, Forrie explains how the discipline and resilience from rodeo life enhance his performance:

“If you don't think you can ride that animal, you're not gonna... And when you step out the acting, you're gonna go mess up where you step out.” (09:58)
He credits rodeo for teaching him to stay positive and focus on what went right, applying these lessons to his craft as an actor.

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Interview with Bobby Roberts (Jimmy's Stunt Double)

Background and Path to Yellowstone

Bobby Roberts introduces himself as a seasoned rodeo cowboy and stunt performer from California. He shares his transition from rodeo to stunt work, highlighting his deep roots in the cowboy lifestyle:

“I was a rodeo cowboy before I pursued my stunt career... here four years later, I've made a great group of friends.” (28:30)
Bobby recounts his first interaction with Taylor Sheridan, which solidified his commitment to the show’s authentic portrayal of rodeo life:

“Taylor came to me in the script... he said, 'This is the beautiful shot I ever shot.'” (25:14)

Authenticity and Safety on Set

Bobby emphasizes the meticulous attention to detail required to accurately depict rodeo scenes, ensuring both realism and safety:

“Jason Rodriguez has been to rodeos... the show is definitely spot on as far as the rodeo atmosphere goes.” (40:17)
He appreciates the collaborative efforts of the stunt team to maintain authenticity, contributing to the immersive experience for both actors and audiences.

Rodeo Lifestyle and Transitioning Careers

Discussing the adrenaline-fueled life of rodeo, Bobby delves into the challenges faced when retiring from such a high-intensity career:

“You better been good at it and had something else planned along the way to do when you're done.” (35:03)
He shares personal anecdotes about injuries and the physical toll of rodeo, underscoring the necessity of preparation for life beyond the arena.

Ranching and Rodeo Synergy

Bobby explores the symbiotic relationship between ranching and rodeo, noting how many rodeo cowboys manage ranches alongside their performances:

“A lot of them, you know, on the rodeo circuit, they have ranches and they work ranches themselves.” (36:57)
He highlights the supportive community within rodeo, where camaraderie and mutual assistance are paramount:

“The rodeo world is a huge family... we all know everybody.” (38:05)
Bobby appreciates how Yellowstone mirrors this tight-knit culture, enhancing the show’s authenticity.

Realism in Filming Rodeo Scenes

Bobby provides insights into the filming process, ensuring that rodeo sequences in Yellowstone faithfully represent real rodeo events:

“The show is definitely spot on as far as the rodeo atmosphere goes and the ranching, too.” (40:17)
He praises the collaborative environment on set, where experienced rodeo professionals guide actors to achieve realistic performances.

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Concluding Remarks

Jefferson wraps up the episode by expressing gratitude for the insights shared by Forrie and Bobby, acknowledging their vital roles in maintaining the show's authenticity. He teases the next episode’s focus on the music of Yellowstone, encouraging listeners to subscribe and stay tuned.

“I feel so lucky to get to hang out with my friends and hear these incredible stories.” (46:43)
Jefferson signs off, reinforcing the podcast's commitment to bringing fans closer to the Yellowstone universe through candid conversations with its stars.

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Key Takeaways:

• Authenticity is Paramount: Both guests emphasize the importance of genuine experiences and knowledge from the rodeo and ranching worlds to portray their characters convincingly.
• Community and Camaraderie: The tight-knit relationships among cast and crew mirror real-life ranching communities, enhancing the show's realism.
• Life Lessons from Rodeo: Discipline, resilience, and a positive mindset from rodeo life translate into powerful performances on screen.
• Commitment to Realism: Meticulous attention to detail in filming ensures that rodeo scenes resonate with authenticity, appealing to both insiders and general audiences.

This episode offers a comprehensive look into the dedication and expertise that Forrie J. Smith and Bobby Roberts bring to Yellowstone, enriching the storytelling with their profound understanding of cowboy life.

Transcript

[Jefferson White]

Hey, everybody, it's Jefferson White here, back with another episode of the official Yellowstone podcast, presented by Wynn Las Vegas Recording again at their incredible studio. And, man, I am excited for this next episode. Before I get in, I wanted to thank all of you so, so much for listening. The Yellowstone community, the sort of family that has sprung up around Yellowstone over the last four years, has embraced this podcast, and I'm so, so grateful for that, in part because it means we get to keep making it. You know, I think of this whole podcast as a bit of a love letter to the Yellowstone community. It's an opportunity for me to have some conversations with the cast and crew of Yellowstone that I see our fans having in the comment section on social media. So I'm just so, so grateful for you listening to this right now because it means that we get to keep going, and as a fan of the show, I get to keep digging a little deeper. So than this episode particularly is near and dear to my heart, we're going to get into some real authentic rodeo talk. And who better to kick that off than my dear, dear friend, Forrie Smith? Forrie plays Lloyd on the show. We're going to talk to him about his life before Yellowstone as a rodeo cowboy and how those experiences contributed to his role as Lloyd. And then we're going to get Bobby Roberts, my stunt double on Yellowstone. He's an incredible rodeo cowboy who's been a part of the rodeo world for years and years, and he's been playing Jimmy as long as I have. We're going to get into that in one minute after this quick break.

[Forrie J. Smith]

So I am incredibly lucky to be joined today by Forry J. Smith. You know, Forrie as Lloyd in Yellowstone, one of the toughest, most brilliant horsemen I've ever known, who's taught me an incredible amount and taken care of me for going on four years now. So we're very lucky to have him, and I'm incredibly grateful that you could join us today. Forrie, thank you so much.

Thank you. I'm honored to be here with you, Jefferson. You and me have done some great stuff in the past, and this is really cool that we get to be here doing this today.

Yeah, man, it's such a joy. We've been on a long journey from being basically face down in the dirt in Montana to here we are at the beautiful Wynn Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. It's been. It's been a hell of a ride.

It has. It's been. Been a great ride. Just very blessed with what it's brought Me and what I can do for the world. And then, you know, the monetary part of it's really cool, too.

Yeah, that helps. So tell me a little bit. Obviously we know a little bit about Lloyd's backstory. Will you tell me about for's backstory? Will you just tell me about your life in the rodeo? Will you tell me about your history of riding, your history growing up in the American west and everything that happened kind of before Yellowstone.

I was raised on my grandpa and grandma's ranch. My mom lived there. My stepdad died when I was seven years old, and he had bought me some ponies. I better go back a little. He bought me a dog and brought the dog home. And me and Joe were good friends, and we were feeding cows one night and I dropped a hay string out of the back of the truck. And you can't leave them strings out for the animals to get. So I jumped out of the truck to grab that hay string. And Joe, my dog, he jumped out with me. Well, he didn't make it back. Some cows smashed him and had to put him down. So my stepdad felt really bad. So he come home a couple weeks later with two ponies and apples. And Trixie and I trained them ponies and sold them to the Moronic girls. And Elaine Moronic, the oldest girl, became Miss Rodeo Montana. And at the national level, she won the horsemanship contest in the. In the Queen contest. And she learned to ride on one of my ponies. And my stepdad died, like I said, when I was seven. And so I was already training horses by the time I was 7 years old. One of the things people don't understand about horses is they're really smart. And I think I was about 14 years old when he told me one day, he says, you think you're smarter than horses? I said, well, yeah. He said, well, who's cleaning up after who and who's feeding who? I didn't see him in there making you breakfast or making your bed. And so I've had that perspective about horses all my life. And that's they're going to teach you as much as you're going to teach them. Becoming a horseman and a cowboy or lifetime endeavors.

And that's something that I think that Yellowstone. Part of why people respond to Yellowstone is there's this incredible feeling of authenticity and something like, you know, as you just said, being a horseman, you can't fake it necessarily. It's a lifelong endeavor. It's something that's been in your bones from when you were a boy from when you were seven years old.

Generations.

Generations, right. And so having actors like you on the show really lends it this air of authenticity. And it comes out in so many little details. I see you all the time making adjustments to your costume, making adjustments to the set decoration. We're surrounded by experts, but some of that stuff you can only know if you've been doing it for a lifetime. So will you talk a little bit about how you bring that authenticity, how you bring your real life to the fictional world of Yellowstone?

I think one of the first things is season one. I talked with Cole and Kevin and about was when I played basketball in high school, that varsity practiced right after school. So then us underclassmen, we'd have time after school and then have to come back for basketball practice. So I would go to the ranch and feed cows and take care of the cows and stuff and then go back to basketball practice. My granddad had broke his hip and he was getting healed up and I used to take and put a two by four against the gas pedal in the seat of the truck and the truck could bounce over the frozen cow turds and I'd throw hay out. Well, well, granddad said, I think I can drive the truck. I said, come on. Helped me out a lot. And we got done. He says, you got time for me to look at my cows? Yes, sir. So we're driving around looking at his cows was an old 54 step side Chevy pickup. We got out of the butte mine, one windshield wiper going, it's snowing out and the cow turds are froze. We're back bounce around and he's like, you know, it's terrible all the cost of hay and this and that. And he's whining basically. He said, you know, we're not gonna, I'm not gonna make any money on these cows. I'm gonna be doing good to break even. And I said, well grandpa, why are we doing it? And he gave me a dummy look like what? We're feeding our country, son, we're helping feed America. And that's, that's the feeling it, that all these rural Americans have. And I think that kind of helped Kevin and Cole and everybody put it into a perspective that it's not just about get making money or being rich or whatever. It's. You're, you're supporting your country, you're feeding.

Your fellow Americans and you're keeping a great tradition alive. A way of life that goes back generations, like you said, and rodeos the same way. Because you also competed for a long time as a rodeo cowboy. Lloyd's bunk in the bunk house is covered in pictures of you, trophies you've won. You've got a bunch of belt buckles you've won. So will you talk a little bit about bringing that same authenticity to our rodeo sequences and how it relates to those scenes we shoot together?

Taylor. I gotta give Taylor credit there. He. He did a really good job. He asked me some questions. The dialogue was kind of. A lot of it was mine, other words, we would use behind the shoots. And. But Taylor's a genius when it comes to writing. And there wasn't that much that I really had to add to it to bring that authenticity besides myself and what you and I talked about. And yeah, it's you. I gotta give Taylor a lot of the credit there, and I feel like.

A lot of the credit that Taylor deserves too, is to put trust in you, is to say, let's put. For in there. Let's put Lloyd in there and trust that he'll take care of this. Because over and over again, when I. When I'm worried, when I have a question which, you know, happens just as much to Jeff as it does to Jimmy, every scene we're in, I've got 10 questions. You know, me. And I always trust that I can turn to you. And so part of Taylor's great gift is taking people like you, like Jake Ream, like Ethan Lee, Mo Brinks, Pliny, guys who have lived this life and letting them sort of steer the ship sometimes. Because in those rodeo sequences, it's in the script, but it's also in a million details that aren't in the script. It's a million sort of different little rituals and important safety sort of steps and customs. Yeah. So will you talk about your career as a bronc rider real quick?

Well, I just grew up in it. You know, people. How'd you get in? Well, my granddad rode Bronx. My. My real dad was a Canadian Chase in the Canadian Cowboy hall of Fame. Like all my friends, my granddad had a practice arena and there was people coming around riding, practicing all the time. And I just raised around it. I didn't really know anything different. And we didn't really know that I was going to try and make a career out of it until I was nine years old. I had a cow jerk me down that I was trying to ride, and she stepped on my jaw. Broke my jaw in two places. And it took me a year and a half to get back on another one. And after I did that all the old cowboys were like, he's hooked. He's a cow. He's going to rodeo. Now. If he hadn't come, if I hadn't came back or, you know, as one of the biggest hurdles I ever overcame, I think, because I was. When I got on that first one, I was scared. I mean, I. But I wanted to. And the guys told me that. He's like, you don't have to do this. You don't have to get on. But I want to. I want to. I'm just scared. Like, okay. And I got on. And rodeo has helped me every day in life. And as a. As a movie, working in the movie business, I took the time that I would spend entering rodeos and setting up rides and finding out about what the horse that I had drawn or the bulls that I had drawn. I took that time and started hustling movies, hustling stunt coordinators, hustling acting jobs. So. And like, one of the things you learn is a rodeo cowboys, think of what you did wrong and forget it. Think about what you did right and remember it and build on it. And I use that in the acting and staying positive. If you don't think you can ride that animal, you're not gonna. And when you step out the acting, your dressing room door, if you don't think you got it in your mind and you don't, you're gonna go mess up where you step out. Yeah. Come on, let's do it, Jefferson. You know, and that's all things I learned from rodeo and riding bucking horses. And I miss it to this day. I miss the traveling. I miss the people, I miss the adrenaline, the bright lights. And. Yeah, just. It was a great part of my life. And as rodeo cowboys and rodeo people, that got me in the movie business. What a lot of people don't realize, back in the 50s, when they were making all the B westerns and stuff, they would hire rodeo cowboys because they knew they weren't scared to hit the ground. They've been in fist fights in the bars and stuff, so they weren't. They were good to do a bar scene, bar fight, whatever hit the ground. The ones that didn't want to do that were good to wrangle, so they would wrangle the livestock. And on my first Teamsters application to join the Teamsters Union, Tucson, Arizona, had five signatures on it, and four of them were rodeo cowboys, and three of them were from Montana, where I was born and raised. So it's been a great ride.

And one of the things you said that you take some of those lessons from rodeo and apply them to your work as an actor. You know, getting yourself psyched up, getting yourself ready. That mentality, the mindset. This season, Lloyd, we get more of Lloyd than ever before. This is an amazing season to watch. Especially. Lloyd is really thrust into difficult circumstances this season. He's thrust into very difficult decisions. And over and over again, you basically have to get into the arena with Cole, with Rip. And Rip is not so different from a bull. You know, crossing Rip is not so different from bull riding. Right. So going into those scenes with Cole, you and Rip, you guys have been in lockstep for three years. For three seasons, you guys have agreed about everything. You're sort of a unit. You're working together. And then in season four, all of a sudden, you guys are at odds. You're disagreeing, you're in conflict. What's that like for you? What's it like to sort of have this abrupt change in a relationship that you've been developing with Cole, with an actor who you sort of work with so much?

Well, it's kind of different for me because my best friends that I grew up with, we fought. Yeah. Okay. You don't like this? I don't like this. Bam, bam, bam. You go to it, and then you're done. It's over. You go on. So. And that's kind of. That's Montana. You know, a couple of my best friends, we started out in a fist fight. So you have differences, and it's not that big a deal. And I think there was one line where I told. I told him, I said you would do the same thing. You know, he was. He's just put into a different spot now, and I don't understand where it's go. I don't know where it's going, but I think Lloyd might come out in the end here being right in the whole deal. I don't know. Yeah, Taylor unit, with Taylor writing, you know how it goes. But I definitely. Lloyd definitely had some perceptions, and he's gonna stand by those. And whether it's John or Rip or who it is, Lloyd's gonna stand up. And that's. That's his. His perception and his beliefs, and he's gonna stand up to him no matter who it is.

Another relationship that just for me, has been incredibly informative and instructional and, like, nourishing is the relationship between Lloyd and Jimmy. Because from day one, I, Jeff, have been looking to you fori. For leadership, for mastery. I've been asking you questions. You've been teaching me how to ride, how to live in Montana, how to survive in the bunkhouse. All of this. I've been learning lessons. I, Jeff, have been learning lessons from you since day one of Yellowstone. And Jimmy has also been learning lessons from Lloyd since day one of Yellowstone. You know, Lloyd has really been, in a lot of ways, a sort of father figure to Jimmy. He's been someone who showed him the affection and, like, care and like, sort of belief that Rip doesn't. That John Dutton doesn't. That really no one else does. So will you talk a little bit about Lloyd's relationship to Jimmy and sort of what that means for Lloyd, specifically what it means to have that. That person looking up to him, you know?

You know, I think everybody kind of needs that. And Lloyd is evidently. It'll come out in season four, though, people. I was that way with Rip, and you're kind of the next Rip. And I see the heart and the determination in you. You know, you could have not showed up, but you did. You showed up, and Jimmy showed up, and he put up with Rip harassing him and. And still sticks right in there. And Lloyd. Lloyd appreciates that. And I think that's one of the things that drew Lloyd to Jimmy was that Jimmy's determination and he was going to do this. And another thing that people don't realize is a lot of the men that I was raised around in Montana and in Texas, and they don't show affection. The only affection they get is like, what Rip? You know, if Rip didn't care about you, he wouldn't harass you. You know, it's like working for Taylor Sheridan. If he's not telling you to do anything, well, you must be doing it right. And that's kind of the way I always raise is if you're not getting chewed out or cussed, you're doing things right. Nobody was ever going around patting you on the back, saying, good job. Thank you. You know, that didn't happen. It's just when you. When you weren't getting yelled at or something, you knew you were doing things right. And that. That's kind of the way I looked at Jimmy. And Rip's deal was Rip kind of has feelings for him or he wouldn't harass him like he does and wouldn't spend the time that he does with him. And that's where Lloyd's coming from.

Obviously, you're an incredible actor, and part of what informs everything you do. Lloyd from season one, we've seen more and more of him over time. But even in season one, you convey so much just with your presence, even when you're not speaking, even when you're sort of going through, you know, even when you're, you know, handing John his horse or taking the reins from Rip, sort of small actions that are so informed by your lifetime of living in this world. That's the kind of thing you can't fake. You know, it's so funny. I'll ask, you know, one of our horse trainers, one of our brilliant horse trainers or stunt riders, hey, how did you tie that knot? And the truth is really, like, well, you tie it by learning how to tie it 28 years ago. You know, a lot of times there's little stuff. There's little gestures, there's little sort of customs and procedures that you can't really fake. So a lot of us, those of us that didn't grow up in this world, I am constantly looking to you for little stuff, stuff you can't teach. You know, where your hands go after you tie a knot, where your sort of hand rests on your belt buckle as you're, like, getting off the horse. The million little intricacies that you can't really teach, that don't really. Can't really go on paper that are just from a sort of lifetime of living in this world.

Yeah, I didn't. I became aware of all that stuff back. I used to do horsemanship clinics for the 4H kids. And the night before my first clinic, I had to sit down and figure out how to explain a lot of the things and realize a lot of the things that I do that I didn't even know I do that. You know, I just grew up doing that and stuff. And a lot of it, you can't really teach. It's just you've got the other person like you, Jefferson, you watching and taking it all in. And as a kid growing up, that's what kids were to be seen and not heard. You know, you just watched. You watched everybody and pick those things up. And that's one of the great things about Yellowstone and about the actors on it is like you watching those little things and picking those little things up. Cole, everybody on the show is that way. Besides being real, sharing and giving actors with each other, but you all being observative and watching those things. You know, I've been on I don't know how many movies, and a lot of actors, they come in there right here, you know, and all that stuff just blows by them and they lose that authenticity. So a lot of that I Want to give the credit to you for watching and being, observing and picking up on those things. And that's why you're a good actor. And that's why Yellowstone's what it is is because pretty much all the actors are that way.

And we're very lucky that, you know, it's sort of everybody behind the camera, too, pays so much attention to this stuff. And over time, you get a longer relationship to it and you start to. You have to pick it up over years. So we're also lucky that it's been four years. We're four years closer. I know it's a rare gift as an actor. It's a rare gift to get to spend that much time in a world. You know, a good job for an actor is often two months. You know, it's six weeks sometimes, and that can be a great job.

Three days.

Yeah, exactly. Most of. Some of my best parts, some of the best that, you know, the jobs I've had the most fun doing were two days long. So it's such a gift to get to come back to this year after year. And that's really the only chance we have of continuing to sort of deepen that authenticity, because it takes years. And I also just want to say, like, the amount of work that you do that Jake Ream does, you know, that so many of our, you know, Ethan Lee Mo brings plenty. There are so many things you do sort of in front of and behind the camera, because I also see you guys all the time taking care of the horses, caring for the animals. You guys have such an intuitive sense of what horses need. You guys take such good care of them. And you're also sort of constantly, graciously, patiently helping those of us who don't have a background in this get it right. And that bleeds into every step of the show. Every frame of the show is the result of the work of a lot of people who have lived in this world their whole lives, you know?

Yeah, like Taylor Sheridan.

Exactly.

[Bobby Roberts]

Yeah.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Like the boss himself, right?

Yeah. You know, and I did an interview years ago, and I guess it was the first season about how cool it was for me. I don't been on one show before with a guy that team roped a little bit, but he was coming to work and tailoring his cowboy hat and boots and spurs. Like, yeah, we're on a mo. We're on a western, guys.

Yeah.

So it's. It's really cool. But you need just. All the actors need to take credit for being observative and watching that and researching and, you know, it's just Taylor put together a great ensemble. I'm proud to be part of it, man.

Thank you, Corey, so much for being here.

You're very welcome. One of the things I want to talk about was when you lost your hat, remember?

Yeah.

And I had to go catch your horse. Well, they. Taylor came to me in the script. It was, I roped the horse and Taylor said, man, he says, you know, I know you picked up Bronx at rodeos and stuff. He said, if you can just go grab the rain and take him taking the horse. He says, I don't know how we're going to set that up and everything. And then the second time, second take, the horse wouldn't have any part of it and was going to run off. And I run him up out of the brush and reached and roped him. I thought I was going to get in trouble for roping him. And Taylor was like, oh, was the cameraman's name. He come out from behind. The camera was like, this is the beautiful shot I ever shot. I got the rope, I got the horse. Oh, and Jefferson's in the back. Oh, he's just the greatest. And that showed me right there that day that this was going to be a great movie and that there was more powers behind it than we could see. And I'm just so happy that Taylor's written this movie and that it's number one. It's doing so great. It's bringing my culture and my heritage back to the forefront of the, of our nation. And I think there's a. There's an honor and a discipline that comes from ranch people and cowboys that this country needs right now. And I think it's perfect timing for Yellowstone.

Amazing, man.

[Jefferson White]

It is always amazing. Speaking to my good friend for E J Smith, we're going to take a breath here and when we come back, the other Jimmy, my stunt double, Bobby Roberts is going to be calling in. So please don't go anywhere.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Today we are talking to Bobby Roberts. Bobby is a stunt performer and rodeo cowboy who has been playing Jimmy as long as I have. My very first day on Yellowstone season one, Bobby was there too. So Bobby's been playing Jimmy just as long as I have. He does all the bucking bronco sequences. He does pretty much everything that I'm too scared to do. So it's an honor to have Bobby here today. Bobby, just real quick, you and I have known each other for four years now. Will you just talk for a little bit, introduce the folks that don't know you yet to your background, how you wound up on Yellowstone, what you were doing before the show and just who you are. So who are you?

[Bobby Roberts]

I'm just a branch race cowboy from out here and California. It's funny, a lot of people think that when they, when they tell, when I tell them I'm from California, they, they say, oh, you live in the city. They know cowboys in the city. I said, no, actually I live in a really nice part of the state. We got a lot of, a lot of steep hills, a lot of cattle, a lot of good down to earth people. I was a rodeo cowboy before I pursued my stunt career. Really rode bulls. Bronx team roped and I got the call. I kind of quit riding bulls in about 2015. And then Jason Rodriguez called and asked if I would ride a bucking horse for Yellowstone. I kind of just thought it was going to be one one deal and done. And here four years later, I've made a great group of friends and great group of people. I've been there just waiting for the next call.

[Forrie J. Smith]

That's. Every time Jimmy falls off the horse. You and me both wonder if we still have a job. So far we're doing okay, but every time you go off that horse, we're both worried.

[Bobby Roberts]

When we're, when we were down in Texas, I asked Taylor, I went out with Taylor one day and we went driving around and stuff around the ranch and we're hunting. And he goes, I said, hey, could I ask what happens in this? What happens? Like did we make it? And he goes, you ever read the script? And I said, no. He goes, I said, I actually don't get a script. And he goes, well, you'll just have to watch, find out.

[Forrie J. Smith]

That's basically what he tells me. Bobby, anytime I try and get a little comfort from Taylor Sheridan, it's hard to find. No, no, no. He's a very compassionate, kind, generous boss. So talk to me about the world of rodeo. I've been learning about this from you for years. So Jimmy, Jimmy is basically clueless, which is convenient because I, Jeff, am clueless. So starting around season two, Jimmy starts bucking horses. Basically he figures out that he's got a talent for it. He starts learning about the world of rodeo. And I've done a lot of learning alongside Jimmy, particularly from you. So will you talk to me about how you got started bucking, sort of what those early experiences were like for you?

[Bobby Roberts]

Yeah. So like as far as we, you know, in the lifestyle that we live, we raise horses from babies and we get Them gentle and halter broke. And then when they're two years old, we, we start saddling them and start going through all the driving and all the process to get them used to the saddle on their back. And then once that happens, we step up on them. And most time it's the rodeo. A lot of them kind of want to buck and, and it's a different feel, you know, I mean, a horse, horse only sees from here to here. They don't exactly see directly in front of them. So, you know, when you step in the left stirrup and you're halfway on one, he's scared of that side. Then you kind of get them, you know, a little quiet on that side and you slip all the way over to the other side. Well, then he sees you from here to over here and you got. It's a whole another deal. It starts all over again. And most of the time they're gonna tuck tail and run or buck or whatever. And it's just kind of something you got to work through to get them going. And we've been doing that my whole life. And then when the rodeos kind of come around, I kind of grew up in a rodeo family and my brother, I have an older brother that. He's road bulls for a little while, kind of figured he was better off with the real job. And I decided just to be a carney cowboy. So I would, I went to rodeo on and that was, that was pretty much all I knew that and ran and I, I'd get enough money saved up, go rodeo and I'd take off and rodeo until I have no money left and come back home. I wasn't doing any good and go back to ranching, but you know, rodeo and it really is a good way to make a living if you're good at it. You just gotta know when to say it ain't working no more and do something else, you know. Body, you know, you got to take good care of your body. There's a lot of broken bones. I've broke both legs. My, my arm, collar bone. I've had my head split open. My front teeth are fake. My jawbone's been broke. There's a. There's a lot to it, you know, and there's still a lot to it in our everyday lifestyle. Like, I mean, we can get bucked off out in the, out the pasture gathering cows. And it's no different than just being in a rodeo, but it's just more liable to happen than a rodeo.

[Forrie J. Smith]

So in your experience, a lot of the Guys that you're rodeo, rodeoing with, it's something that they start doing in their lives just out of necessity. They're training horses, they're working on ranches, and then you sort of learn that you have a skill for it and there's, you know, it's exciting. It's a bit of a rock star lifestyle too. Is that part of the draw? Like that, that sort of excitement, that atmosphere?

[Bobby Roberts]

It is, you know, it really is adrenaline, you know, and, and I think that's one reason why there's a lot of stunt guys that are old radio guys and I think that's one reason because once we quit rodeo on, what are we going to do to find the adrenaline rush? You know, we're like kind of junkies in a way, I guess when it comes to that kind of stuff. But it does, you know, like, like I get the same adrenaline rush getting on a horse on set that's going to buck as I did when I got down on the bucket shoot to get on the back of a bull or get on a bucking horse. You know, it's, it's a whole nother meeting. It just fires you up. It's like the wrecked car with a mother that's able to just pick it up and lift it off her children. Because adrenaline, you can just harness that adrenaline and use it to your advantage.

[Forrie J. Smith]

And that's one of the themes on the show you mentioned earlier, the idea that you, you do it until you can't anymore. You do it until you have to walk away from it. That's one of the themes on the show in season three. Lloyd is saying to Jimmy, you know, he had to quit rodeo basically because his body couldn't take it anymore. And what do you do then? So what's it like for a rodeo cowboy in retirement? You get used to that adrenaline. You get used to that feeling of performing, the crowd screaming, that incredibly exciting eight second rocket ride. What happens when you step away from that?

[Bobby Roberts]

Well, you, you need to, you go as long as you can, you know, and, and your body will tell you, you know, I'm 30, 33 years old and I, I get up a little slow in the morning when I first get up, but man, like when you're done with it, you, you better been good at it and had something else planned along the way to do when you're done. Because once you like say once you're broken, all broken up stuff, there isn't really a lot that a guy can do, you know, ain't gonna be able to Go play ball or anything like that, really. I mean, I just. I keep. I mean, I'm sore, I'm banged up. I really should get some stuff fixed, but I just hadn't had time to do.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Well, you were saying you go back and forth and you. At this stage in your career, you've got a lot of other sort of projects you're working on. You know, you're doing stunts, performance, you've got your own ranch that you're working on. You're raising a beautiful son, You've got a lot of other stuff that needs your attention that gives you that same sort of feeling of satisfaction that rodeoing once did. And you mentioned also part of Jimmy's journey is he gets the shit kicked out of him rodeoing. John Dutton makes it, gives him this ultimatum, you know, you have to pick. You have to choose. Are you going to rodeo or are you going to work here? Jimmy pushes it just a little bit further and he gets hurt even worse. So a lot of Jimmy's journey in season four is trying to sort of put. His life is exactly what you're describing now. He's trying to put his life back together after his body sort of gives out and can't handle the lifestyle anymore. So talk a little bit about the relationship between ranching and rodeo. Most of these guys, you know, on the rodeo circuit, they have ranches and they work ranches themselves.

[Bobby Roberts]

Yes. Yeah, most of them. A lot of them, I guess, you know, like a rodeo cowboy is not really making a whole lot of money, but a lot of them do got quite a few ranches and we all kind of do. In my area, all of us whole roller cowboys kind of do work together. For the ranchers around us, you know, talking like. Like, I thought it was. It was pretty neat that where they, you know, where John Dutton told Jimmy that, you know, he needs to. This is his time. He's had a run and it's time to quit. And then he goes and does it again, which. That is something that we all do. Like, we think we're done. And then pretty soon, five years later, it's like, yeah, I think I can. I feel good. I don't hurt no more. Let's do it. And then we get about. I don't know, some of us maybe get a couple months out of it. And we're like, yeah, no, I remember why I quit in the first place. I. I actually did. It's. You know, I got on one of the bulls for season one when. When he was. I played Toby when he Was meeting with your. With Jimmy's father in that scene with John Dutton. And, and I think that was what, 20, 17 then.

[Forrie J. Smith]

16 or 17.

[Bobby Roberts]

Yeah, 16 or 17. And I didn't get on and I quit red bulls in 15. And then that was the last bull I got on. And I got on them two bulls back in April this year for another show. And yeah, it was like, it was like riding a bike. It all come right back to me, believe it or not. But it's just when you're, when your mentality is at that level and you're, you're, you know, you're just. When you're that level of caliber cowboy and that stuff, it's like riding a bicycle, you know, it's muscle memory. It's beaten into your mind so much that you don't even have to think. It's, you react. A lot of us, the rodeo world is a huge family. All of us know everybody. We all know everyone's wives and kids. If something, you know, you can drive, you can get in my truck right now and drive down the road with the trailer on and every trailer you pass is going to wave at you no matter. They know you're not. And someone's got a flat. We pull over and help, help each other out. And that's just kind of the way we do things around here. A lot of people, a lot of the guys meet at the airport in the morning for coffee and breakfast. I don't, I don't get over there. I don't drink my coffee. But. And the ranchers and stuff like a rainy day. I remember growing up as a kid when it rained. That was the day all our dads took off and went to the bar and had drinks and just talked about what was going on. And glad they finally got some rain here. We've been in a drought for a while. We ain't had much rain. And then it got a little rain last week and I called my uncle and caught up on it a little bit, but there's still a few. My uncle, he told me the other day, he goes, you know, used to remember everybody used to go to the bar and catch up on a rainy day. And he goes, I was looking around, there's only about three of us left. He said, we're all too old now. Everybody else died.

[Forrie J. Smith]

So, Bobby, will you talk about the experience of shooting the show? Sort of how similar to a real rodeo does that feel when we're filming a rodeo for Yellowstone? What are we getting wrong? What are we getting right? What's the difference between that and a real rodeo.

[Bobby Roberts]

Honestly, I don't think we've missed anything. I think we got Jason Rodriguez. He's. He's been to rodeos. He's. He's our coordinator on. Our stunt coordinator on the show. And you got Taylor, which is cowboy, and he's been to rodeos and everything we run, whether it was we did the bull riding scene or the bucket scene, the bareback scenes, or when we went. When they went to. When they brought, oh, shoot, what's a little old boy from Texas on to do it? Well, they did the whole bareback riding deal with him.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Oh, with Ryan? Yeah.

[Bobby Roberts]

Yeah. I mean, yeah. No, the show. The show is definitely spot on as far as the rodeo atmosphere goes and the ranching, too. But with the show, I mean, that just comes with people with experience surrounding that stuff, you know, and that's why I think there's so many people in my world that enjoy the show as much as anyone outside of a ranching family, you know, because it. Watching the show just brings them home. It's like going to the. To the rodeo on the weekend and watching the rodeo. Yeah.

[Forrie J. Smith]

And that's one of the things you mentioned that is also true on the show. You know, out back behind the Dutton ranch, they're team roping. Out back behind the Dutton ranch, they're. They're, you know, roping calves. And you guys, the stunt performers, we would come to shoot something and you guys would be practicing, you'd be working the cows yourself. It really feels like there's not much difference between the lifestyle that you guys are living when you're shooting the show than there is when you're at home working on the ranch. Does that feel true?

[Bobby Roberts]

Yeah. No, that's 100%. And the reason why I have a job is because of that. You know, we can't get, like, as far as. For what I do on the show. We can't just really get. And I'm not saying that I'm that good, but we can't just get anybody that. That is the same size as you and, you know, the same look. To do what we do, it has to be someone that is capable of doing, you know, to ride the Bronx when I have not yet told them on the show, I won't do something that they asked me to do. The only thing I really didn't care to do was a bull poker, but I still did it, you know?

[Forrie J. Smith]

Yeah, I don't think anybody wanted to do that. I was like, can we use some cardboard Cutouts for that. Let's take a picture of Jimmy. Stick a cardboard cutout out there. Yeah. So you. I mean, and you. You live on a ranch yourself, so when you come to work on Yellowstone, you're working horses, you're ranching horses. You know, you're. You're. You're roping cows. That's stuff that you do in your life. So that. That really lends this air of authenticity to it. And as an actor showing up on set, it's an incredible gift to be surrounded by guys that do this all day, every day. You know, you. You take care of us, but you also show us you keep us safe. You know, the stunts team keeps us safe and keeps us from busting our asses. But you guys also teach us so many little lessons. I remember so many times I would do something, and then you come up to me in between takes, you're giving me pointers. You're sort of making sure that everything that goes on camera is as real as possible, is as authentic as possible. Little stuff. You know, you have such a keen eye for those details, and you're so. It's something that has come so naturally to you that I'm always looking to you on set to say, hey, Bobby, how can I do that better? How can I get a little closer to the real thing there?

[Bobby Roberts]

You know? Yeah, you're 100% right on that. And I try to do that with everyone that asks, you know, even Cole. Cole comes and talks to me about it, and I love Cold Death. He's great. I've made so many good friends on that show. And. And that's one thing. I mean, not only. I mean, that is by far my favorite show to watch, is my favorite show to work on, because the fan, like our. Our Yellowstone family, you know, it's just everyone is. Everybody's got everybody's backs. No one's out to get anybody. Everybody just wants to help everyone and get through it. And that's all I want to do. I just want to see you do what you do and be great at it, and I'll just do what you tell me to do.

[Forrie J. Smith]

You guys set us up for success. You make us look a lot cooler than we would otherwise. I'm doing exactly what you tell me to do. It's so funny. I'll do a take and I'll feel like I was going 100 miles an hour. I'll feel like I really nailed it. And you'll come up and say, jeff, I think you can do that a little faster every time. Because you guys. You guys also. Because you really know this world. I think you guys are a huge driving force behind pushing for authenticity. You guys are so good at coming up, you know, adjusting the reins to make it look real, especially in those rodeo sequences, you know, exactly how it should look because it's your life. It's the life you've lived. So you're so good at sort of making these subtle changes that I think really help to make the show an immersive experience.

[Bobby Roberts]

Right. And like you say, with adjusting the reins and stuff on set, too, we're not only doing that to. To make the authenticity better. It's, you know, it's a big safety issue. One's longer than the other one, and you pull to stop a horse and he's just going to turn that direction or something, especially going at a high rate of speed or, you know, like when we're running out through the pasture to catch something on the show and stuff. Like when I. When we went to Texas to shoot down there, and Jason told me, he goes, I'm leaving up to you to keep Jefferson safe. And I thought, oh, man. All right. And he goes, it's. He goes, it's. It's on you. He said, you keep him safe. And I want you to report to me every night, since you're going down there by yourself, a little. Nice. Okay? So I talked to him every night. You know, like I say, I did have one concern on that show when we were down there in Texas and I talked to Jason about it, and we got it. We got it worked up for the most part, though. I mean, I feel like we'd keep you pretty safe and, like, try to keep doing it.

[Forrie J. Smith]

It's such a gift, man. It's such a gift to talk to you. Thank you so much for taking the time. I think we're wrapping up now, so thank you so much, Bobby, for everything you've done to keep me safe for four years, for everything you've done to keep the show so authentic and so sort of real. Thank you so much, man.

[Bobby Roberts]

Hey, no problem, Jeff. You take care and appreciate you dialing me in for this and hope it was worthy enough. And we'll see you in a few months.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Cheers, brother. See you.

[Bobby Roberts]

We'll see you on film or on TV in a couple of days.

[Forrie J. Smith]

That's right. Yeah. See you real soon, Bobby. Cheers, man.

[Bobby Roberts]

All right, see you. Bye.

[Forrie J. Smith]

Bye.

[Jefferson White]

I feel so lucky to get to hang out with my friends and hear these incredible stories. Don't forget to come back next week. We're going to dive into the music of Yellowstone. We drop new episodes every Thursday, so make sure to subscribe and tune in to the Official Yellowstone Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. The Official Yellowstone Podcast is hosted by me, Jefferson White and produced by 101 podcast studios and Paramount Network.