Ryan Hurst is an American actor born on June 19, 1976, in Santa Monica, California.[4] He grew up in a Hollywood family and began his acting career in 1993, appearing in NBC's "Saved by the Bell: The New Class."[3] Hurst carved a niche playing earnest athletes, soldiers, and law enforcement officers.[1] His early notable roles included a paratrooper in Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) and a tragic linebacker in Disney's "Remember the Titans" (2000), the latter marking a significant breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington.[2] He expanded his film credits with roles in "We Were Soldiers" (2002) with Mel Gibson, "Patch Adams" with Robin Williams, the Coen Brothers' "The Ladykillers" (2004) with Tom Hanks, and the animated feature "Rango" with Johnny Depp.[2] His most acclaimed role came in 2008 when he joined FX's "Sons of Anarchy" as Opie Winston, a thoughtful and increasingly conflicted member of an outlaw biker gang.[1] This performance earned him a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Season 4.[2] The series, which ran until 2014, established him as a fan-favorite and demonstrated his ability to bring depth to complex characters.[1] Beyond acting, Hurst has worked extensively behind the camera. He founded The Viking Underground Repertory, an equity theater production company in Los Angeles, and won a Backstage West Garland Award for Best Performance in a Comedy for "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" (1998).[2][3] He directed second unit footage for "Remember the Titans" and has directed episodes of "Sons of Anarchy."[2] Hurst also owns Fast Shoes Productions with his wife, Molly Cookson.[2] His television work includes recurring roles in NBC's "Medium" (2005-2007) and appearances in series such as "Bates Motel" and "The Walking Dead," where he played the character Beta.[3][4] Hurst remains recognized as a versatile performer capable of delivering compelling performances across film, television, and stage.