Brent Spiner Brent Spiner Brent Jay Spiner (; born February 2, 1949) is an American actor, comedian, and singer best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series "" and four subsequent films. In 1997, he won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Data in "", and was nominated in the same category for portraying Dr. Brackish Okun in "Independence Day", a role he reprised in "". He has also enjoyed a career in the theatre and as a musician. Brent Jay Spiner was born on February 2, 1949, in Houston,
The Child (Star Trek: The Next Generation) in the United States and Canada. The episode was later included on the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" season two DVD box set, released in on May 7, 2002. The most recent release was as part of the season two Blu-ray set on December 4, 2012. The Child (Star Trek: The Next Generation) "The Child" is the first episode of the of the American science fiction television series "", the 27th episode overall. It was originally released on November 21, 1988, in broadcast syndication. The story was originally written by Jaron Summers and Jon Povill for the cancelled late 1970s