Biography
Michael Hurst is a British-born New Zealand actor, director and writer. Born on 20 September 1957 in Lancashire, England, he moved with his family to Christchurch, New Zealand, at the age of seven. He trained at the University of Canterbury and began his career in theatre, becoming known particularly for Shakespearean roles.
Hurst is best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and for guest appearances as Iolaus and Charon in the companion series Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001). He has also appeared in films including Bitch Slap (2009) and series such as Spartacus (2010) and Sweet Tooth (2021).
As a director, Hurst has worked on multiple episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, as well as later series including Legend of the Seeker (2008), Spartacus (2010) and Ash vs Evil Dead (2015). He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2005 for services to film and theatre.
