Michael Hurst Now

MICHAEL DIRECTING SPARTACUS

Michael is directing episode 1.5 of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a new American tv series for Starz Productions. Spartacus will be shown on the Starz premium cable channel in the US beginning January 2010. Click here for press release. Michael will also be directing additional episodes, to be announced.

JENNIFER TO APPEAR IN PLAY READING

Jennifer will be appearing in a reading of Ghost Train, a new play by Fiona Samuels, for Auckland Theatre Company's Literary Unit. The free public event will be held Thursday, 16 July, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in Pioneer Women's Hall (O'Connell Street @ Freybert Place, Auckland CBD).

JENNIFER TO SING AT RUSS GARCIA TRIBUTE

Jennifer will be one of the guest artists at A Charmed Life, a tribute to legendary composer/arranger Russ Garcia, on Saturday, 18 July at 7:30 p.m. at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre, Silver Road, Epsom (adjacent to Epsom Girl's Grammar School).

Hosted by Tim Beveridge, the concert will also feature appearances by Jackie Clarke, Lisa Crawley and Jane Horder, accompanied by the Neophonic Jazz Ensemble, a handpicked band of Auckland’s finest musicians inspired by the legendary bands of the swing era.

Tickets are available from iTicket.

MICHAEL INTERVIEWED FOR NZ ON SCREEN

Michael did the ScreenTalk interview below for the website New Zealand On Screen. The site celebrates New Zealand films and tv shows and the people who make them. Michael talks about his career, from his first tv role in a show called "Tinkling Brass" to the upcoming feature film Bitch Slap.

New Zealand On Screen also has a feature page on Michael's screen career, including clips from films and tv shows.

THE MAP READER TO BE RELEASED ON DVD

The Map Reader will be available on dvd in New Zealand beginning 15 July 2009, according to the Arovideo website, which has it available for pre-order. Michael has a very small but powerful role in the film.

BUZZY BEE NOW ON DVD

Jennifer voiced the character of Dorable Duck on the animated tv series Buzzy Bee and Friends, which premiered on 27 April and is now available on dvd. Also featuring the voices of Madeline Sami, Stephanie Liebert, Richard Simpson, Merv Smith, Danielle Cormack, and Johnny Barker.

Dorable and her three ducklings

LEGEND OF THE SEEKER

Michael directed three episodes of the first season ofAmerican tv show Legend of the Seeker, and will be directing several episodes of the second season. He also appeared as the wizard Amfortas in episode 1.13, "Revenant". Legend of the Seeker is now being re-run from the beginning in the US. "Denna" is scheduled to air on 18 July, "Sacrifice" on 1 August, "Revenant" on 22 August, and the season finale "Reckoning" on 24 October. See the show's official website for time and channel finder.

Michael as Amfortas in "Revenant"

The show is currently in first run in New Zealand, being shown Mondays at 7:30 on Prime. "Reckoning" should be shown in August; check back for the exact date. Michael and Jennifer's oldest son Jack made his acting debut in "Reckoning," playing Nicholas.

According to Broadcast Now, Legend of the Seeker will begin airing on the SciFi channel in the UK in August.

See the show's official website.

Jack and Craig Parker (as Darken Rahl)

MICHAEL PROFILED ON CAMPBELL LIVE

Michael was featured on Campbell Live on Wednesday 17 March, with video of him directing Life is a Dream, rehearsing for Peter and the Wolf, scouting locations for Legend of the Seeker, and appearing in Bitch Slap. View the segment online here (note that the voiceover is wrong about the Bitch Slap premier; a release date for the film has not yet been announced).

MICHAEL STARRING IN BITCH SLAP

Bitch Slap premiered at the film market in Cannes on 16 May 2009. According to UK publication Screen Daily, "IM Global diversified its slate and sold out its grindhouse homage Bitch Slap, . . ." The publication reports that deals were completed in Cannes for the UK, Germany, Spain, France, and Japan. Other deals are pending.

Michael is starring in the American feature film Bitch Slap playing Gage, a notorious underworld kingpin. The film also stars Julia Voth as Trixie, Erin Cummings as Hel, and America Olivo as Camero.

Michael's Hercules co-star Kevin Sorbo will also appear, with cameos by Xena co-stars Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor.

Michael teaches "Bitch Slap 101"

Michael as Gage (other Bitch Slap
character posters are here)

OFFICIAL BITCH SLAP WEBSITE

Bitch Slap is described as an exploitation film--with a healthy dose of comedy; a "thinking man’s throwback to the “B” Movie/ Exploitation films of the 1950’s-70’s as well as a loving, sly parody of the same. . . . Bitch Slap will mix girls, guns, outrageous action and jaw-dropping visuals with a message… don’t be naughty! . . . What makes Bitch Slap different is a complicated 'B' story device that runs throughout the film to illuminate character, backstory and relationship histories not previously revealed. . . . Bitch Slap also employs a mysterious Female Narrator who comments periodically on the folly of humanity, the plight of the human condition and the vagaries of life and love through quoting the likes of Dostoevsky, T.S. Eliot, Sun Tzu and even Buddha. (Bet you never heard THAT in Jailbait Babysitter!)" Read the full synopsis here.

Stunts are being coordinated and performed by Xena stunt double Zoe Bell, and the film is written and produced by Eric Gruendemann and Rick Jacobson; Jacobson is also directing. Gruendemann was Co-Executive Producer of Hercules, Xena, Young Hercules, Jack of All Trades, and Cleopatra 2525, and Jacobson directed two episodes of Hercules and twelve of Xena. Anticipated release date: late 2008/early 2009.

See an interview at Comic Con with Eric Gruendemann and Rick Jacobson. They talk about the origins and ideas behind the film and what they were hoping to accomplish. See images from Bitch Slap here. Read an interview with Rick Jacobson on Zoe Bell Fans on LiveJournal.

Official Bitch Slap trailer (adult content: language, violence, sexual content)
Click here to go to the BitchSlapMovie channel on You Tube.

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ERIN CUMMINGS TALKS ABOUT WORKING WITH MICHAEL

Erin Cummings did an interview for fearnet.com in which she describes working with Michael (read the entire interview here):

" . . . working with Michael Hurst was just the greatest gift that I could've received on this film. I mean even if nothing ever happens with this movie, just having gotten to work with him and see his process and bear witness to an actor, someone who really loves their craft, it was incredible. I felt like every time I was in the room with him I was learning something new about acting. That was an incredible experience.

" . . . I remember at one point it was windy, we're in the desert, it's miserable - no one's having a good time because the weather conditions were just horrific. And I look down and I see Michael Hurst covered in blood and sweat and spit, lying face down in the dirt, covered in mud from head to toe wearing nothing but a thong and a kimono. Just happy as a pig in shit, couldn't be happier.

"And I just thought 'Wow, man, that is an actor.' He's not complaining. He's not being a diva or a primadonna which he absolutely has the right to. He's just like 'Oh, you want me to lay face down in the mud? And then you're gonna have that actor kick me in the stomach and then you're gonna do it twenty times? No problem.' That was very good for all of us being able to see him getting tortured, literally being drug through the mud, and just going with it."