God of War Has Found its Kratos: 5 Movies & TV Shows to Get to Know Ryan Hurst
An adaptation of the God of War video game has been in various stages of production for a number of years. Originally, the concept was visualised as a movie. But, given the reputation of video game films and the complicated world and story within God of War, studios were nervous as to how best serve the project. Then, thanks to the success of The Last of Us and Fallout as TV shows, God of War started to be developed into a series instead.
As the show creeps ever closer, several cast members have been announced, the most important being that Sons of Anarchy’s Ryan Hurst will be taking on the lead role of Kratos. For the uninitiated, Kratos is a Spartan by birth and God by nature. Raised in a martial culture, Kratos was the commander of armies until he struck a deal with Ares, the Greek God of War, trading his soul for victory in battle. Details about the TV show itself have thus far been kept somewhat secret, but the official synopsis teases a terse journey between Kratos and his son Atreus as they travel to scatter the ashes of their family matriarch, Faye.
Hurst is no stranger to the God of War world, having previously voiced the character of Thor in God of War Ragnarök, and his imposing 6’5” stature will also make him a formidable Kratos before he even has to say anything. But who exactly is Ryan Hurst? While the name might not be familiar, his face almost certainly will be, the actor having been a mainstay of movies and television since 1993, when he had a guest appearance on Saved By the Bell: The New Class. In case you’ve missed out, here are the perfect roles to get to know Ryan Hurst, along with a handy guide to where you can watch them.
Early in his career, Ryan Hurst was cast in Steven Spielberg’s award-winning Saving Private Ryan. The film was massive, and although Hurst only had one scene, his character - the hearing-impaired Paratrooper Michaelson - was instrumental in locating the lost Private Ryan. The role allowed him to share the screen with Oscar-winning and screen legend Tom Hanks, which, for an actor still early in their career, is a big deal. Hurst’s performance also impressed director Steven Spielberg, who later used him in his alien abduction mini-series, Taken, where Hurst portrayed the adult version of Tom Clarke.
After a steady slew of guest star roles in shows including Medium and House, Hurst’s big break came when he signed on to play Opie in the series Sons of Anarchy. The show followed the internal politics and external wars of outlaw motorcycle gang SAMCRO; it ran for seven seasons and produced a spin-off series, Mayans M.C. Hurst was present for 54 episodes of Sons of Anarchy, his character Opie being the right-hand man of heir to the SAMCRO throne, Jax. The audience instantly fell in love with Opie, the calmer of the two friends, who was loyal to a fault. His departure from the show left not a dry eye in the house.
After Sons of Anarchy, all eyes were on what Hurst would do next, and after a prolonged guest role on Bates Motel, he was one of the headline cast members in the underseen Outsiders. Set in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, Outsiders revolves around a clan of mountain folk, the Farrells, as they come to blows with the locals of the nearby town. Hurst stars as the son of the Farrell leader, Li'l Foster Farrell, who, like Opie, was something of a gentle giant amongst the clan. He had a tumultuous relationship with both his father and wife, which led to his incarceration.
Sadly, before the show could explore how a wildman like Foster would handle captivity, Outsiders was cancelled, the victim of a changing of the guards when the channel was sold to new investors who wanted to go in a different direction. In addition to Hurst being excellent, Outsiders is also a must-watch for fans of Dinner in America’s Kyle Gallner.
During The Walking Dead’s ninth season, Rick and his community were introduced to the Whisperers. Hidden amongst them was Hurst, who played Beta, yet another second-in-command character. This time, his boss was the nightmarish Alpha who had somehow convinced a legion of followers to survive the zombie apocalypse by wearing the skin of others and travelling within a horde of the undead.
Beta’s time on the show saw him have bitter rivalries with both Negan and Daryl, with fans enthralled by their fighting. Beta’s insistence on never being without his Whisperer mask meant that there wasn’t much opportunity to see Hurst fully on-screen, but even underneath the ghastly façade, his talents shine bright.
Ryan Hurst’s most recent credit, as Miles Alderton in The Abandons, had the actor back in outlaw mode. The show, which arrived on Netflix in late 2025, follows Lena Headey’s Fiona as she fights against Gillian Anderson’s Constance for control over land. A female-focused western, as Alderton Hurst is on hand to aid Fiona in her mission, whilst also trying to keep his wanted-for-murder status a secret from his daughter.
