Michael Eric Hurst ONZM (born 20 September 1957) is a British-born New Zealand actor, director and writer. He is known internationally for acting in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess as Iolaus. Most recently, he is known for his role in directing the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Ash vs Evil Dead.

Michael Hurst
Born
Michael Eric Hurst

(1957-09-20) 20 September 1957 (age 67)
Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)Actor, director, writer
Years active1976–present
SpouseJennifer Ward-Lealand (1988–present)
Websitemichaelhurst.co.nz

Biography

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Hurst was born in Lancashire, England, the eldest of three brothers. When he was seven his family moved to Christchurch, New Zealand. He enrolled at Papanui High School, then University of Canterbury, but for only one year.[citation needed]

He is married to New Zealand actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand and they have two sons.[1]

In 1984, Hurst won the lead role of David Blyth's Death Warmed Up, New Zealand's first splatter movie.[2] The plot saw Hurst's character weathering institutionalisation, sundry wackos, and a motorcycle chase in the tunnels below Waiheke Island. The film won the grand prize at a fantasy film festival in Paris. The same year Hurst began playing drummer Dave Nelson over two series of Heroes, about a band searching for fame.

Crime thriller Dangerous Orphans (1986) is the first film in which Hurst co-starred with real-life partner Jennifer Ward-Lealand (he had already acted with her on-stage). Hurst's role was one of three grown orphans caught up in a mission to one-up various criminal figures; Ward-Lealand played romantic interest to one of the other orphans. Hurst would work with Ward-Lealand again on his next three features, 1992's The Footstep Man, 1993's Desperate Remedies[3] and 1999's I'll Make You Happy.

In 1993, he starred alongside Australian Sophie Lee and Brit Greg Wise in the TV thriller Typhon's People. Hurst played a European mystery man uncovering the truth behind corporate genetic meddling. The script was by author Margaret Mahy.[citation needed]

Hurst went on to co-star in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys with Kevin Sorbo, playing sidekick Iolaus to Sorbo's Hercules.[4]

Hurst made his feature debut as a director with Jubilee (2000), based on the book by Nepi Solomon. The film stars Cliff Curtis as a kind-hearted procrastinator who gets the chance to prove himself by organising a 75th jubilee. Hurst followed Jubilee by directing Love Mussel, a one off satire for television. Written by Braindead's Stephen Sinclair and starring Kevin Smith, Love Mussel is a mockumentary about a fictional township which erects a monument to a shellfish with Viagra-like properties.

In 2003, Hurst was awarded an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award. In the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to film and the theatre.[5][6]

In 2015, after runs in New Zealand and at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Hurst directed The Generation of Z: Apocalypse at a purpose-built venue in East London between 4 April 2015 to July 2015. Hurst stated, "A lot of the reviews have said 'immersive theatre into overdrive'. 'Video game, only live.' It has those qualities. There are choices where the audience can affect the outcome of scenes which is quite a new thing. It flows very easily depending on which choice they make."[7]

In October 2018, he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his contribution to New Zealand entertainment.[citation needed]

He has also appeared in several solo stage productions including No Holds Bard (based on several Shakespearian characters) in 2018,[6] and An Illiad in 2019.[8]

Filmography

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Starring roles

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 Prisoners Sciano Film
1982 Casualties of Peace Peter TV movie
1984 Constance Photographer (scenes deleted) Film
Heroes Dave Nelson TV series
Death Warmed Up Michael Tucker Film
1985 Dangerous Orphans Moir
1986 Heroes II Dave Nelson TV series
1989 The Shadow Trader Bob Hoyle TV mini-series
1992 The Footstep Man Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Film
1993 Typhon's People Constantine TV movie
Desperate Remedies Willam Poyser Film
1994 Hercules and the Amazon Women Iolaus TV movie
Hercules in the Underworld Aelus/Charon
Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur Iolaus
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Iolaus/Charon/Orestes/Dahak/Widow Twankey TV series (79 episodes)
1997 A Moment Passing Joey Short Film
The Bar
Highwater Hugh Chance TV movie
1998 Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus Iolaus Voice
Young Hercules The Jeweler Video
1999 I'll Make You Happy Lou Film
This Is It Narrator, host, and various historical figures TV special
2001 The Man Who Has Everything George Allwell TV movie
2002 Honey Nic Short Film
Showstoppers celebrity judge TV series
2003 Murder on the Blade? Defence lawyer TV movie
2004 Fracture Athol Peet Film
Hold the Anchovies Manager & Old Iraqi Video
2005 The Magician The Agent Film
2006 Maddigan's Quest Maska TV series
Treasure Island Kids: The Monster of Treasure Island ferry pilot Film
2007 Ask Your Uncles Presenter TV series
The Tattooist Crash Film
We're Here To Help Rodney Hide
The Last Magic Show Trevor Norton
The Map Reader Alison's father
2009 Bitch Slap Gage
2012 Inorganic Brett Short Film
2014 Death Walks into a Bar God of War
2018 Vermilion Smoking Man Film
Dead Ross Marbeck Film
2019 Northspur Green (lead) Film

Guest-starring roles

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Year Title Role Episode
1976 Thirty Minute Theatre Jim "Tinkling Brass"
1983 Both Sides of the Fence Gary McNabb 1.09
Country GP Mark Sloane 1.32
1985 Hanlon Elliott 1.6 "In Defence of Shue Rock"
Defence Lawyer 1.7 "In Defence"
1989 Shark in the Park David Jennings 2.8 "Acting Sergeant"
1990 The New Adventures of Black Beauty Kurt 1.08 "The Birdman"
The Ray Bradbury Theater Roger Shumway 4.08 "The Toynbee Convector"
1991 For the Love of Mike Laurie 1.06
1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Lt. Simmons 6.06 "The Long Rain"
1995, 1997 Xena: Warrior Princess Iolaus 1.08 "Prometheus", 2.13 "The Quest"
1996 Charon 1.16 "Mortal Beloved"
1997 E! News Daily Himself
Entertainment Tonight
1998 Young Hercules Charon 1.20 "A Lady in Hades"
1999 Celebrity Profile Himself "Lucy Lawless"
Backch@t 2.01
Sunday News Give Us a Clue
Duggan Michael Taylor 1.3 "A Shadow of Doubt: Part 1"
1.4 "A Shadow of Doubt: Part 2"
2000 Topp Twins celebrity golfer 3.05 "Bowls and Golf"
Mai Time Himself
Celebrity Profile "Kevin Sorbo"
Jack of All Trades Captain Nardo da Vinci 2.2 "Shark Bait"
2001 Love Mussel Stephen Jessop TV movie
Xena: Warrior Princess Nigel 6.13 "You Are There"
2002 Andromeda Ryan 2.20 "The Knight, Death and the Devil"
Mataku Dr. Forbes 1.05 "The Final Plume"
2003 Good Morning Himself
Shortland Street Greg Vicelich Recurring (10 episodes)
Power Rangers: Ninja Storm "D.J. Drummond" (voice) 1.20 "Good Will Hunter"
"Vexacus" (voice) 1.27 "Shane's Karma: Part 2", 1.30 "The Wild Wipeout", 1.31 "Double-Edged Blake", 1.33 "General Deception, Part I", 1.34 "General Deception, Part II", 1.35 "A Gem of a Day", 1.36 "Down and Dirty", 1.37 "Storm Before the Calm, Part I", 1.38 "Storm Before the Calm, Part II"
2005 Power Rangers: S.P.D. Silverhead (voice) 1.28 "Robotpalooza"
Frontseat Himself 2.24
2007 Here to Stay 1.03 "The English"
2009 Legend of the Seeker Amfortas 1.13 "Revenant"
2010 The Jono Project "Michael Hurst" 1.12 "Sir Butch"
2012 Spartacus: Vengeance Roman soldier – uncredited 2.09 "Monsters"
The Almighty Johnsons Kvasir 2.01 "And She Will Come to You"
2.11 "The House of Jerome"
2.12 "You Call This the Real World?"
2.13 "Does this Look Like Asgard?"
Auckland Daze Michael 1.06
2014 2.05
2.06
2016 Terry Teo Cornelius Jones 1.04 "Head to Head"
Highroad The Director 3.04 "39 Lashes"
2020 Dead Ross Marbeck
2021 My Life is Murder Otto Klein 2.10 "Pleasure & Pain"
Power Rangers: Dino Fury Nibyro Guardian (voice) 1.20 "Waking Nightmare"

Director

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The numbers in directing credits refer to the number of episodes.

Title Year Credited as Notes
Director
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 1994 Yes Short film, also writer
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys 1996–99 Yes (6) Television series
A Silent Welcome 1976 Yes Short film, also writer
Amazon High 1997 Yes Unaired pilot
Xena: Warrior Princess 1997–2001 Yes (6) Television series
Jack of All Trades 2000 Yes (2)
Jubilee Yes
Love Mussel 2001 Yes Television film
Treasure Island Kids 2: The Monster of Treasure Island 2006 Yes
Treasure Island Kids 3: The Mystery of Treasure Island Yes
Legend of the Seeker 2009–10 Yes (7) Television series
Spartacus 2010–13 Yes (8)
The Almighty Johnsons 2013 Yes (2)
The Brokenwood Mysteries 2014 Yes (1)
Step Dave 2014–15 Yes (5)
Tatau 2015 Yes (2)
Ash vs Evil Dead Yes (2)
Balloons 2016 Yes Short film, also writer
Westside 2016–present Yes (15) Television series
800 Words 2016–17 Yes (10)
The Dead Lands 2020 Yes (4)
Between Two Worlds Yes (2)
My Life is Murder 2021 Yes (2)
Power Rangers Dino Fury Yes (6)
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury 2023 Yes (6)

Producer

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Year Title Notes
2012 Spartacus: War of the Damned TV series

Writer

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Year Title Notes
1994 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Screenplay
1996 Clown Story Story

References

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  1. ^ Mann, Brit (3 February 2019). "At home with actor and director Michael Hurst". Stuff. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Death Warmed Up | Film | NZ On Screen". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  3. ^ McDonald, Dougal (26 February 1994). "Unconventional opera a creative triumph". Canberra Times. Retrieved 29 January 2020 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "See the Cast of 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' Now!". Closer Weekly. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2005". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Shakespearean bard Michael Hurst comes to town". Stuff. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  7. ^ Cheesman, Neil (9 March 2015). "Interview with Michael Hurst". London Theatre.
  8. ^ Simei-Barton, Paul (30 May 2019). "Theatre review: Michael Hurst's and Shayne Carter's combined strengths makes for powerful epic". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
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