When you sign up to be part of one of the most beloved science fiction franchises ever made, there are going to be a few negatives that come with the gig. Such is the blessing and curse of joining “Star Trek,” which Brent Spiner is abundantly aware of after taking on the role of Lieutenant Commander Data in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Inspired by Bishop in “Aliens,” Spiner’s Data made his debut in 1987 after competing with “Predator” star Kevin Peter Hall for the role. Landing the part made Spiner a staple on the series, plus four other films linked to the “The Next Generation” crew, including “Star Trek: First Contact,” one of Patrick Stewart’s personal favorites. Spiner’s portrayal established Data as the android that was eager to learn more about humanity and become more human himself, endearing him to audiences. As great as that role might be, however, Spiner has admitted that the main drawback of the gig is that, over the years, that’s really all he’s been recognized for.
In an interview with Vice, Spiner explained, “The only thing that bothers me — and it happens all the time — is when people see me and shout, ‘DATA! DATA!’ I’m fine with people recognizing me. I just wish they shouted, ‘Guy who played Data!’.” While it’s an understandable drawback to taking on the role, it’s surprising that it overshadows the lengthy makeup process that turns the actor into an android. Surprisingly, that’s one thing the “Star Trek” legend found easy to deal with, even though it was a pain.
The man who made transforming from Spiner into Data tolerable
Compared to the original crew of “Star Trek,” there was a lot more effort to get non-human lifeforms on board the Enterprise in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Michael Dorn became the first Klingon to join Starfleet (Worf), and Spiner donned yellow eyes and a perfect hairline to become Lieutenant Commander Data. Naturally, it was a time-consuming process to step into both roles, and while the former android expressed how long it took to shed his humanity, the creatives helping him made it much easier.
In a Reddit AMA, Spiner was asked about what he remembered of the role, and the most notable detail was the long time it took to be transformed into Data. “The make-up was a nightmare. Particularly, the contact lenses. Took an hour fifteen,” recalled Spiner. “That process was made very pleasurable by Michael Westmore, a genius and a very nice man.”
For “Trek” fans, Westmore is something of a staple of the franchise, joining it, along with Spiner, in “The Next Generation.” From there, he worked on multiple productions, bringing the world of aliens — Borg and the like — to life. Keeping that in mind, it’s safe to say that while Spiner was the man behind the machine of Data, there were plenty more creatives involved in bringing him to life. The “Star Trek” universe would be a little less entertaining without any of them.
