Background
Hurst was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Candace Kaniecki, an acting coach, and Rick Hurst, an actor.
Hurst was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Candace Kaniecki, an acting coach, and Rick Hurst, an actor.
He attended Santa Monica High School.
Growing up in a Hollywood family, Hurst made a very early start in the show business, with a recurring role in the National Broadcasting Company teen situation comedy series Saved by the Bell: The New Class. In the 1998 epic war drama film Saving Private Ryan, Hurst portrayed a Mandelsohn, paratrooper who, because of temporary hearing loss, cannot understand Captain Miller"s (Tom Hanks) questions about sighting Private Ryan, which forces Miller to ask the questions in writing. Additionally, he appeared in the 2002 war film We Were Soldiers as Sergeant
Ernie Savage, played the football player Lump Hudson in the black comedy thriller film The Ladykillers (2004), and starred in the TNT police drama series Wanted (2005).
From 2005 to 2007, Hurst gained recognition for portraying the recurring role of Allison DuBois" half-brother, Michael Benoit, in National Broadcasting Company"s supernatural procedural drama series Medium. Hurst"s big break came when he was cast as Opie Winston in the Forex crime drama series Sons of Anarchy.
Originally a recurring cast member in the first season, he was promoted to main cast member for the following season, and has since become a fan favorite. His character, newly released from a five-year prison stint and "living right", but not making ends meet, goes back to SAMCRO to provide for his family, despite his wife"s objections and his knowing the risks.
Hurst"s portrayal of Opie earned him the 2011 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or.
Also in 2011, Hurst voiced Jedidiah in the animated box office hit Rango.