Brendan Hines
A versatile actor who moves between network procedurals and genre-bending streaming series with a musician's soul.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American actor·Birthday: December 28·Generation X
Biography
Brendan Hines carved his path in Hollywood not as a flashy leading man, but as a reliable and compelling presence across a wide television landscape. After early roles, he found a significant platform playing Eli Loker, the blunt truth-teller on Fox's psychological drama 'Lie to Me.' That role showcased his ability to deliver sharp, intellectual dialogue with a dry wit. He became a familiar face in the world of hour-long dramas, appearing in arcs on 'Scandal,' 'Suits,' and 'Scorpion.' Hines also embraced the new era of streaming, bringing a grounded humanity to the superhero satire 'The Tick' as the earnest superhero Overkill and a poignant vulnerability to Netflix's 'Locke & Key.' Parallel to his screen career runs a thread of music; he is a singer-songwriter who has released several albums of folk-inflected rock, revealing an introspective creative channel beyond acting.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brendan was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brendan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Brendan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played series regular Eli Loker across three seasons of the Fox drama 'Lie to Me.'
- Portrayed the superhero Overkill in the Amazon Prime series 'The Tick.'
- Released three full-length albums of original music, including 'Good for You Know Who.'
- Had a recurring role as Andrew Malone in the ABC thriller 'Secrets and Lies.'
Did You Know?
He is a trained guitarist and has performed his music at venues like The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles.
He is a distant relative of the 19th-century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier.
He attended the Orange County School of the Arts.
His album 'Small Mistakes' was produced by Greg Wells, who has worked with Adele and Katy Perry.
“Playing Loker taught me that truth is a weapon, and it's always loaded.”
