Brent Spiner
He brought profound humanity and childlike wonder to an android, creating one of science fiction's most poignant and beloved characters.
Born 1949 (age 77)·American actor·Birthday: February 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Brent Spiner's career was forever altered by a role defined by its lack of human emotion. A classically trained stage actor with a background in musical theatre, he was tasked with portraying Data, the android who yearns to be human, on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' Spiner's genius was in finding the character's heart through meticulous physicality and a searching, innocent gaze. He made Data's quest for understanding deeply moving, often providing the series' most touching moments. The role made him a sci-fi icon, but Spiner has consistently demonstrated his range beyond the Enterprise, from playing eccentric scientists in blockbuster films to scene-stealing character roles on stage and screen, all delivered with a sharp, often mischievous intelligence.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brent was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brent Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Brent's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
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
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the android Data across seven seasons of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' four feature films, and the series 'Star Trek: Picard.'
- Won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Data in 'Star Trek: First Contact.'
- Played the eccentric scientist Dr. Brackish Okun in the films 'Independence Day' and its sequel.
- Released a studio album, 'Ol' Yellow Eyes Is Back,' featuring interpretations of classic pop standards.
- Has performed in numerous Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including '1776' and 'Sunday in the Park with George.'
Did You Know?
He is a talented singer and released an album of Christmas songs titled 'Dreamland.'
Spiner provided the voice for the Joker in the animated series 'Young Justice.'
He wrote and starred in the film 'The Master of Disguise,' but his role was largely cut from the final release.
Spiner is an accomplished painter.
“Data is the ultimate outsider, and I think everyone feels like an outsider at some point.”
