When it comes to the Dutton Ranch, it turns out that art imitates life.
“Yellowstone” cast and staff has been seamlessly bringing life on the Western Front to television screens since 2018 on Paramount Network. However, it's safe to say that many of the stars of the series had it easier than others to play this role. teeth real cowboy.
The cast experienced cowboy boots, rodeos, and wild horses in the world created by Taylor Sheridan. Ahead of the second part of the fifth and final season, which premieres Sunday, Nov. 10 (8 p.m.), see which members of “Yellowstone” are into cowboy culture off-screen .
Foley J. Smith
Foley J. Smith, 65, who plays rancher Lloyd Pierce in Yellowstone, grew up riding horses, and both his mother and grandfather were involved in the rodeo circuit.
The actor started working as a stuntman after falling off a horse as a child. Now, Smith has returned to his roots over the past five seasons of the show.
he said. Cowboys & Indians Magazine He says he prepares for the scene using the same techniques he did before the ride.
“What I've started doing is always taking a deep breath and relaxing before riding or whatever,” Smith said. “Before the audition, I started using some things to help me relax during the rodeo.”
taylor sheridan
Taylor Sheridan not only created the series, he also plays Travis Wheatley.
The 54-year-old spent most of his childhood on his family's ranch in Texas, which not only made him an accomplished rider but also immersed him in cowboy culture. Sheridan and his wife Nicole Muirbrook own and operate a ranch in Texas.
Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham may play the famous crooner Walker on TV, but in real life, the 43-year-old has cowboy experience.
Bingham grew up working on his family's ranch in Hobbs, a small town in western New Mexico. The singer was a bull rider and ended up on the rodeo team at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.
“I started riding calves and bulls at junior rodeos at a young age and rode bulls until my mid-20s before I started playing music seriously,” Bingham said. force worth magazine.
And his experience paid off.
“Originally, Taylor contacted me about writing a song for the show,” he explained. Cowboys & Indians Magazine “And when he discovered that my family ran a ranch and I rode cattle, he said, 'Come on, shoot. We've got to get you on the show. If you're good, we'll keep you going. If you're bad, we'll kill you.''
jake ream
Jake Ream, a ranch hand at the Dutton Ranch, has professional experience working with horses, which led to his and Sheridan's initial connection. Reem purchased the horse through the series creators and from there began working as an instructor and consultant on the show.
However, it didn't take long for Reem to head in front of the cameras and land a role as one of the bunkhouse boys.
Ethan Lee
Like many of the other cast members, Ethan Lee grew up surrounded by horses in Louisiana and worked as a rodeo trick rider. Like Reem, Lee also joined the series after working behind the camera as a consultant and trainer, and later became a branded member of the Ranch Staff and Dutton crew.
In 2016, Lee helped take care of horses on the set of Free State of Jones, starring Matthew McConaughey, in his home state of Louisiana. But it was said WWLTV.com In 2022, he found he didn't like the “hurry up and wait” environment on movie sets.
“I said, 'If I get through these two weeks, Hollywood will never have to worry about me again,'” Lee explained.
But when the checks started arriving, he changed his mind.
“I said to my wife, 'If you're on set and you're shoeing horses and doing things like I'm doing, you can't make what I'm making. , you should get this, you know, take advantage of it while it's here,'' Lee revealed.
work did One after another, he made the saddles, prepared the horses, and taught the actors how to ride. Lee was then asked to appear in Paramount Network's “Yellowstone,'' but when he was told by Paramount Network that he would be out of work for six months, Lee turned it down.
“All our kids were young, and dad didn't want to be away that long, you know?” Lee recalled.
He and his wife, Dr. Brennan Fitzgerald Lee, an equine veterinarian, also own about 10 horses and 25 cattle.
“I even told my wife that I kind of regretted turning her down. It seemed like a really good deal, and it might be something that would be fun, something that would change depending on the season,” Lee said. . “So you think I turned down something that could have been something great.”
After that, the couple decided to sign a contract if they got a call back from Yellowstone.
“For me, it was and always will be a huge deal,” Lee said of his decision.
