Brent Jay Spiner (born February 2, 1949) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and four subsequent films. His portrayal of Data in Star Trek: First Contact and of Dr. Brackish Okun in Independence Day, both in 1996, earned him a Saturn Award and Saturn Award nomination respectively. He has also enjoyed a career in the theatre and as a musician. He was born to Sylvia and Jack Spiner, who owned a furniture store. After his father's death, he was adopted by Sylvia's second husband, Sol Mintz, whose surname he used between 1955 and 1975. He was raised Jewish. He attended Bellaire High School, Bellaire, Texas. Spiner became active on the Bellaire Speech team, winning the national championship in dramatic interpretation. He attended the University of Houston where he performed in local theatre.
Brent Spiner has 93 screen credits in a career dating back to 1980. Their work spans 4 cinematic universes — most prominently Star Trek with 6 titles. Signature works include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: First Contact, Threshold. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 4 universes
Related entry on Wikidata (Q311453), public domain (CC0).
