Happy birthday to The Walking Dead star Ryan Hurst

Birthday shoutout to The Walking Dead star Ryan Hurst, a.k.a. Beta

From Remember the Titans to Sons of Anarchy, and now as the terrifying leader of the Whisperers on The Walking Dead, Ryan Hurst has played some incredible roles over the years. Now, on June 19, Hurst plays the role of the birthday boy.

It didn’t take long for Ryan Hurst to make a huge impact on The Walking Dead. He always has long lines of fans eager to meet him at pop culture conventions, and he took a memorable ride through Japan in season 4 of Ride with Norman Reedus.

As Beta, the six-foot-four actor is incredibly intimidating even though he’s a very sweet person in real life. Once he puts the skin mask on, Beta comes to life and he dominates every scene he is in.

When fans first met Beta he was Alpha’s second in command, and that’s the way he liked it. He was her scout, her confidant, her enforcer and, perhaps, her friend. Aside from his loyalty to Alpha, the only thing Beta cared about was the Dead. In fact, you can argue that the Dead were the most important thing in his life, both before Alpha showed up and after he started following her.

In season 10, Beta’s journey took a few twists and turns and watching Hurst peeling away his layers was a treat. Beta is complex. In his former life he was a celebrity. He was a country music superstar who found himself in a treatment center when the world fell apart. Though he seemed to be content with a life of solitude, he found a new purpose at Alpha’s side.

Now that Alpha is gone, Beta has stepped up to the plate and he’s ready to lead the Whisperers into a new era, and his first task will be to take out the people who took Alpha from him.

The TWD Family is so lucky to have Ryan Hurst on The Walking Dead, and we can’t wait to see what happens in the season 10 finale! Happy Birthday, Ryan Hurst!