Michael Hurst

For other people named Michael Hurst, see Michael Hurst (disambiguation).

Michael Hurst
Born	Michael Eric Hurst 20 September 1957 (1957-09-20) (age 54) Lancashire, England
Occupation	Actor, director, writer
Years active	1976–present
Spouse	Jennifer Ward-Lealand (1988-present)
Website
http://www.michaelhurst.co.nz/

Michael Eric Hurst, ONZM (born 20 September 1957) is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess. Most recently, he is known for his role in directing the popular Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Biography

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.

He married New Zealand actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand in 1988. They have two sons: Jack Louis Ward Hurst, born in 1997, and Cameron Lane Ward Hurst, born in 1999.

In 1984, Hurst won the lead role of David Blyth's Death Warmed Up, New Zealand's first splatter movie. 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 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 I'll Make You Happy in 1999. In 1993, he starred alongside Australian Sophie Lee and Brit Greg Wise in 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 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, an acclaimed 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. He was later designated an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2005 "for services to film and the theatre".

Filmography

Starring roles

Year	Title	Role	Other Notes
1981	Prisoners	Sciano
1982	Casualties of Peace	Peter	TV
1984	Constance	Photographer (scenes deleted)
1984	"Heroes"	Dave Nelson	TV Series
1985	Hanlon: In Defence of Minnie Dean	Elliott	TV
1985	Death Warmed Up	Michael Tucker
1985	Dangerous Orphans	Moir
1986	"Heroes II"	Dave Nelson	TV Series
1989	The Shadow Trader	Bob Hoyle	TV
1992	The Footstep Man	Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
1993	Typhon's People	Constantine	TV
1993	Desperate Remedies	Willam Poyser
1994	Hercules and the Amazon Women	Iolaus	TV
1994	Hercules in the Underworld	Iolaus	TV
1994	Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur	Iolaus	TV
1995	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	Iolaus/Charon/Orestes/Dahak/The Twanky Widow	TV Series
1997	A Moment Passing	Joey
1997	The Bar
1997	Highwater	Hugh Chance	TV
1998	Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus	Iolaus (voice)	Video
1998	Young Hercules	The Jeweler	Video
1999	I'll Make You Happy	Lou
1999	This Is It	Narrator, host, and various historical figures	TV
2001	The Man Who Has Everything	George Allwell	TV
2002	Honey	Nic
2002	Showstoppers	celebrity judge	TV Series
2003	Murder on the Blade	Defence lawyer	TV
2004	Fracture	Athol Peet
2004	Hold the Anchovies	Manager & Old Iraqi	Video
2006	"Maddigan's Quest"	Maska	TV Series
2007	"The Tattooist"	Crash	Film
2007	"We're Here To Help"	Rodney Hide	Film
2009	"Bitch Slap"	Gage	Film

Guest-starring roles

Year	Title	Role	Episode
1976	"Thirty Minute Theatre"	Jim	"Tinkling Brass"
1983	"Both Sides of the Fence"	Gary McNabb	1.9
1989	"Shark In the Park"	David Jennings	"Acting Sergeant"
1990	"The New Adventures of Black Beauty"	Kurt	1.8 "The Birdman"
1990	"The Ray Bradbury Theater"	Roger Shumway	4.8 "The Toynbee Convector"
1991	"For the Love of Mike"	Laurie	1.6
1992	"The Ray Bradbury Theater"	Lt. Simmons	6.6 "The Long Rain"
1995	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	Iolaus	1.8 "Prometheus"
1996	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	Charon	1.16 "Mortal Beloved"
1997	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	Iolaus	2.13 "The Quest"
1997	"E! News Daily"	Himself
1997	"Entertainment Tonight"	Himself
1998	"Young Hercules"	Charon	1.20 "A Lady in Hades"
1999	"Celebrity Profile"	Himself	"Lucy Lawless"
1999	"Backch@t"	Himself	2.1
1999	"Sunday News Give Us a Clue"
1999	"Duggan"	Michael Taylor	1.3 "A Shadow of Doubt: Part 1"
1999	"Duggan"	Michael Taylor	1.4 "A Shadow of Doubt: Part 2"
2000	"Topp Twins"	celebrity golfer
2000	"Mai Time"	Himself
2000	"Celebrity Profile"	Himself	"Kevin Sorbo"
2000	"Jack of All Trades"	Captain Nardo da Vinci	2.2 "Shark Bait"
2001	"Love Mussel"	Stephen Jessop
2001	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	Nigel	6.13 "You Are There"
2002	"Andromeda"	Ryan	2.20 "The Knight, Death and the Devil"
2002	"Mataku"	Dr. Forbes	1.5 "The Final Plume"
2003	"Good Morning"	Himself
2003	"Shortland Street"	Greg Vicelich
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"D.J. Drummond" (voice)	1.20 "Good Will Hunter"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.27 "Shane's Karma: Part 2"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.30 "The Wild Wipeout"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.31 "Double-Edged Blake"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.33 "General Deception, Part I"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.34 "General Deception, Part II"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.35 "A Gem of a Day"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.36 "Down and Dirty"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.37 "Storm Before the Calm, Part I"
2003	"Power Rangers: Ninja Storm"	"Vexacus" (voice)	1.38 "Storm Before the Calm, Part II"
2005	"Power Rangers: S.P.D."	Silverhead (voice)	1.28 "Robotpalooza"
2005	"Frontseat"	Himself	2.24
2009	"Legend of the Seeker"	Amfortas	1.13 "Revenant"

Director

Year	Title	Other Notes
1994	I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
1996	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 3.01 "Mercenary")
1997	Amazon High	TV
1997	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 2.15 "A Day in the Life")
1997	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 4.08 " . . . And Fancy Free")
1998	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 4.17 "One Fowl Day")
1998	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 5.01 "Faith")
1998	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 5.07 "Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bridge")
1998	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 4.06 "A Tale of Two Muses")
1999	"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"	(TV Series) (episode 5.15 "Greece is Burning")
2000	"Jack of All Trades"	(TV Series) episode 2.04 "The Morning After"
2000	"Jack of All Trades"	(TV Series) episode 2.06 "One, Two, Three, Give Me Lady Liberty"
2000	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 5.16 "Life Blood")
2000	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 5.18 "Anthony & Cleopatra")
2000	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 6.04 "Who's Gurkhan")
2000	Jubilee
2001	"Xena: Warrior Princess"	(TV Series) (episode 6.15 "To Helicon and Back")
2001	Love Mussel	TV
2004	Treasure Island Kids: The Mystery of Treasure Island
2006	The Darkroom
2007	Pumpkinhead:Blood feud
2009	Legend of the Seeker	(TV Series) (episode 1.08 "Denna")
2009	Legend of the Seeker	(TV Series) (episode 1.10 "Sacrifice")
2009	Legend of the Seeker	(TV Series) (episode 1.22 "Reckoning")
2010	Legend of the Seeker	(TV Series) (episode 2.17 "Vengeance")
2010	Legend of the Seeker	(TV Series) (episode 2.21 "Unbroken")
2010	Spartacus: Blood and Sand	(TV Series) (episode 1.05 "Shadow Games")
2010	Spartacus: Blood and Sand	(TV Series) (episode 1.09 "Whore")
2010	Spartacus: Blood and Sand	(TV Series) (episode 1.12 "Revelations")
2011	Spartacus: Gods of the Arena	(TV Series) (episode 1.03 "Paterfamilias")

Writer

Year	Title	Other Notes
1994	I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry	Screenplay

External links

• Michael Hurst at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael Hurst's Official Website with his curriculum vitae
• Michael Hurst interview with his wife Jennifer Ward-Lealand for the Cultural Icons project. Audio and video.
• Michael Hurst Now: Michael Hurst's Projects Since Hercules The Legendary Journeys
• Maddigan's Quest: Official Site

Persondata
Name	Hurst, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	20 September 1957
Place of birth	Lancashire, England
Date of death
Place of death