Michael Hurst

Michael Eric Hurst ONZM is a British-born New Zealand actor, director, and writer. He is known as a theatre actor, especially in Shakespearean roles, and more widely known for his roles in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess as Iolaus. He directed the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Ash vs Evil Dead. He plays a lead role in the 2025 Australian satirical dark comedy film Birthright.

Early life and education Michael Eric Hurst was born in Lancashire, England.

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.

Career Stage Hurst is known as a Shakespearean actor.

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. The performance gave the audience choices which could affect the outcome of scenes, then quite new.

He has also appeared in several solo stage productions, including No Holds Bard (based on several Shakespearian characters) in 2018,

In 2023, he presented his solo show The Golden Ass at several locations around New Zealand. At the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in New Zealand in April, he performed The Golden Ass and No Holds Bard. In the same year, he directed the play Waiting for Waiting for Godot by Dave Hanson, and directed and starred in King Lear for Auckland Theatre Company. 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 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.

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

Hurst made his feature debut as a director with Jubilee (2000), based on the 1994 novel 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 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.

He plays a lead role of Richard, a baby boomer father, in Zoe Pepper's feature film directorial debut, the dark satirical comedy Birthright, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in New York City in June 2025.

Recognition and awards 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.

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

Personal life Hurst married New Zealand actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand and they have two sons.

Filmography

Starring roles 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 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 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 2025 Birthright Richard Film

Guest-starring roles 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 Elliot 1.6 "In Defence of Shue Rock" Elliot 1.7 "Hanlon - 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 DeadRoss Marbeck 2021 My Life Is Murder Otto Klein 2.10 "Pleasure & Pain" Power Rangers: Dino Fury Nibyro Guardian (voice) 1.20 "Waking Nightmare"

Director 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 Short film, also writer Hercules: The Legendary Journeys 1996–99 (6) Television series A Silent Welcome 1976 Short film, also writer Amazon High 1997 Unaired pilot Xena: Warrior Princess 1997–2001 (6) Television series Jack of All Trades 2000 (2) Jubilee Love Mussel 2001 Television film Treasure Island Kids 2: The Monster of Treasure Island 2006 Treasure Island Kids 3: The Mystery of Treasure Island Legend of the Seeker 2009–10 (7) Television series Spartacus 2010–13 (8) The Almighty Johnsons 2013 (2) The Brokenwood Mysteries 2014 (1) Step Dave 2014–15 (5) Tatau 2015 (2) Ash vs Evil Dead (2) Balloons 2016 Short film, also writer Westside 2016–present (15) Television series 800 Words 2016–17 (10) The Dead Lands 2020 (4) Between Two Worlds (2) My Life Is Murder 2021 (2) Power Rangers Dino Fury (6) Power Rangers Cosmic Fury2023 (6)

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

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

Footnotes