Brent Spiner, Star Trek Icon, Seen in Rare Public Outing

Sci-fi fans recognize Brent Spiner, the actor celebrated for his portrayal of the android Data in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Picard," and various films. The 77-year-old actor was recently seen on a rare public outing.

Spiner's career began on the New York stage in the 1970s before he joined the original cast of the musical "Sunday in the Park with George" in 1984. He transitioned to a screen career in Los Angeles that same year, taking on roles in television series such as "Night Court" and "Cheers."

His defining role as Data, a sentient android crew member aboard the starship USS Enterprise-D, began in 1987 with "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He continued in the role throughout the show's seven-season run until 1994 and reprised it in four subsequent "Star Trek" films: "Star Trek Generations," "Star Trek: First Contact," "Star Trek: Insurrection," and "Star Trek: Nemesis."

Beyond "Star Trek," Spiner has made notable appearances in other productions. He played Dr. Brackish Okun, the director of research at Area 51, in the 1996 blockbuster "Independence Day." His other film credits include "Dude, Where's My Car?" and "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut." He also appeared in Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator."

Spiner continued to explore his "Star Trek" character in the series "Star Trek: Picard" from 2020 to 2023 and lent his voice to the animated series "Star Trek: Lower Decks" in 2024. He also made guest appearances on shows like "Friends," "Mad About You," "The Blacklist," and "The Big Bang Theory."

Earlier this year, Spiner announced the launch of a new celebrity interview podcast, "Dropping Names with Brent and Jonny," with his "Star Trek: The Next Generation" co-star Jonathan Frakes. Despite their initial assertion that the podcast would not focus on "Star Trek," they acknowledged that their shared experience on the iconic series would likely be a recurring topic.