Yellowstone actor Forrie J. Smith is evidently sticking to his guns when it comes to vaccine mandates. And as a result, the 62-year-old won’t be attending the Screen Actors Guild Awards later this month with the rest of his castmates due to the ceremony’s vaccine requirements.
“Hey, I want to apologize to y’all for not being at the Screen Actors Guild Awards,” said Smith, in a since-deleted Instagram video. “I mean no offense to anyone. I’m not vaccinated, and it’s a requirement to be vaccinated to be at the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony. You have to be vaccinated with a booster shot and a negative Covid test within 48 hours, gotta wear a K-95, 6243, fifth, whatever kind of mask.”
“And uh, I’m not vaccinated. I will not get vaccinated,” Smith continued. “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.”
He added that he was looking forward to walking down the red carpet with his “big black American hat and Justin boots, and representing his culture and heritage,” but refused to compromise his beliefs. At the end of the video, which right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson captured in the tweet below, he concedes that “maybe next year” he’ll be able to attend. (Though, this seems unlikely since it doesn’t seem like the pandemic is going away anytime soon.)
Yellowstone is nominated for best TV drama ensemble, and Smith, who had a recurring role on the first two seasons before being promoted to a series regular, is named among his fellow cast member nominees.
The awards ceremony, which will take place on Feb. 27, requires all ticketed attendees to show proof of vaccination, plus booster shot if eligible, proof of a negative lab-based COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours of the event, and a negative antigen rapid test the day of the event.
Published: Feb 17, 2022 01:03 pm