Yellowstone actor Forrie J. Smith said he plans to skip the upcoming Screen Actor Guild awards over requirements that everyone attending must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
"I want to apologize to y'all for not being at the Screen Actors Guild Awards," Smith said in a since-deleted video to fans posted on his Instagram account, according to Variety. "I mean no offense to anyone. I'm not vaccinated, and it's a requirement to be vaccinated."
Smith added he has no plans to get vaccinated for the event, explaining, "I haven't been vaccinated since I was a little kid. I don't vaccinate my dogs, I don't vaccinate my horses. I've never had a flu shot. I never will. I believe they compromise your immunities… It's just my beliefs. I just don't believe in that stuff. Whatever."
It was previously announced the SAG Awards are requiring all ticketed attendees at this year's event to "show proof of vaccination plus booster shot (if eligible), proof of negative lab-based COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours of event, and negative antigen (rapid) test the day of the event."
Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, Yellowstone premiered in 2018 and stars Kevin Costner as John Dutton, the proprietor of the Yellowstone/Dutton Ranch. Smith has appeared in all four seasons of the show as Lloyd Pierce, a senior ranch hand on the Dutton Ranch. The actor is nominated alongside his Yellowstone co-stars in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Drama Series category alongside Succession, Squid Game, The Morning Show and The Handmaid's Tale. The nomination marks the first time Yellowstone has been recognized by the SAG Awards.
"There's no bigger compliment to an actor than being recognized by their peers," Sheridan said in a statement shared by Entertainment Weekly shortly after this year's nominees were announced. "Congratulations to our incredibly talented cast on this wonderful and well-deserved nomination." Executive producer David Glasser added, "It is incredibly rewarding to see the Yellowstone recognition amongst our peers continue to expand as we come to the close of our fourth season; it's a true testament to the original voices and special universe that Taylor created. This nomination and is a wonderful close to our recent record-breaking season finale."
In addition to Smith, the following actors are listed as nominees as part of the Yellowstone SAG Award ensemble nomination: Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Gil Birmingham, Ian Bohen, Eden Brolin, Kevin Costner, Hugh Dillon, Luke Grimes, Hassie Harrison, Cole Hauser, Jennifer Landon, Finn Little, Brecken Merrill, Will Patton, Piper Perabo, Kelly Reilly, Denim Richards, Taylor Sheridan, Forrie J. Smith and Jefferson White. In addition to earning its first-ever SAG nod, Yellowstone was recently renewed for a fifth season.
Seasons 1-3 of Yellowstone are streaming now on Peacock, while Season 4 is only available to stream through Paramount Network. The Yellowstone prequel series 1883 is also streaming now on Paramount+ and was recently renewed for a second season.
The 28th SAG Awards winners will be announced live on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 27.
Source: Variety