‘Yellowstone’ Star Forrie J. Smith Is Shooting in Nashville for His Next Project

Yellowstone star Forrie J. Smith is a cowboy in real life, too, and he's back in the saddle with a new project that's been shooting in Nashville during Yellowstone's mid-season break.

Smith — who plays top ranch hand Lloyd on Yellowstone — has signed on for an upcoming film called Ride, which stars C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders) and Annabeth Gish (The Haunting of Hill House).

According to Deadline, Howell stars in Ride as former bull rider John Hawkins, who's forced to partner with his estranged son, rising bull rider Peter Hawkins (Jake Allyn, who also wrote and directed the film), on a robbery after his daughter is diagnosed with cancer. Facing an uncaring medical system, they pull off a heist to raise funds for treatment, but someone ends up dead.

Forrie J. Smith plays Al, the eldest retired bull rider in the family, who ends up being the only person they can turn to after John's wife, Sheriff Monica Hawkins (Gish), unknowingly takes on a case that might send her husband and son to prison and result in her daughter's death.

Deadline reports that Ride began shooting in the Nashville area in late January, at locations that included live rodeos, working ranches and even some of Nashville's music venues. The film will also feature some of Howell's original music. Ride has North American theatrical and home entertainment deals in place, but there is no release date set.

Yellowstone just aired its Season 5 mid-season finale on Jan. 1, and the season is supposed to resume in the summer.

However, a recent report from Deadline sets the show's future in doubt, since negotiations with series star Kevin Costner have reportedly stalled over a disagreement about scheduling. A source tells Deadline that Paramount Network has decided to end Yellowstone, possibly as soon as the end of the season, and move on to a new show in the Yellowstone franchise, with talks underway for Matthew McConaughey to star.

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