‘Sons of Anarchy’ Star Ryan Hurst Joins ‘The Walking Dead’ Cast
Sons of Anarchy star Ryan Hurst is trading in motorcycle clubs for zombie herds!
The Wrap reports that Hurst is joining the cast of The Walking Dead for the upcoming ninth season in the recurring role of Beta, a character who is second in command of The Whisperers, a new group which will be introduced this season. Just last month, it was announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them alum Samantha Morton had been cast in the role of Alpha, the leader of The Whisperers, and just last week, it was announced that Cassady McClincy was cast in the role of Lydia, Alpha’s daughter.
Fans of the comics have been anxiously waiting to see The Whisperers appear in The Walking Dead television world. The group is known for wearing walker skin in order to blend in with roaming herds and communicate through faint whispers which, to someone not paying close attention simply sound like walker groans. Their survival tactics allow the group to walk freely among the dead in a kind of walker camouflage.
The group was already cleverly introduced during the explosive season 9 trailer which debuted at San Diego Comic Con. At the very end of the footage, during a scene where Eugene and Rosita are seen running for their lives from a giant herd of walkers, a very faint conversation can be heard coming from the walkers. If you missed it on your first, second or tenth viewing of the trailer, we recommend you go back and take a listen (very carefully) for yourselves.
Since Sons of Anarchy ended in 2012, Hurst has gone on to star in other popular television series such as Bates Motel, The Outsiders, and most recently landed a recurring role on Amazon’s Bosch.
In addition to Hurst’s casting, the upcoming ninth season will bring about a massive amount of changes for the series. Series star Andrew Lincoln (who plays Rick Grimes) confirmed his speculated exit from the series was, in fact, happening. Additionally, Lauren Cohan’s future on series is in question as she has begun working on her new show, ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier. In a recent interview, Cohan (who plays Maggie Rhee) commented that Maggie’s story is still open-ended. She said, “I’m so grateful that this has been my stomping ground for so long, and my family here is never gone. Maggie’s story is open-ended.” Both Cohan and Lincoln are said to appear in just six episodes in the upcoming season, but fans will have to wait and see what will become of their favorite characters.
The Walking Dead will return to AMC with new episodes starting on October 7th.
What do you think about Sons of Anarchy star Ryan Hurst joining the cast of The Walking Dead? Are you excited to finally see The Whisperers on screen? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
A karaoke obsessed, craft beer enthusiast and lover of all things pop culture, Denise enjoys all facets of entertainment from Broadway to box office blockbusters. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, concerts (lots and lots of concerts), volunteering, reading and playing with her rescue kitten, Samantha (who rescued who, right?).
