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David Hewlett

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David Hewlett
Hewlett at the 2007 San Diego Comic Con
Born
David Ian Hewlett

(1968-04-18) 18 April 1968 (age 56)[1]
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Canada
USA
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • writer
Years active1984–present
Spouses
  • (m. 2000; div. 2004)
  • Jane Loughman
    (m. 2008)
Children1
RelativesKate Hewlett (sister)

David Ian Hewlett (born 18 April 1968) is a British-born Canadian[2] actor, writer and director, known for his role as Dr. Rodney McKay in the Stargate science-fiction franchise. He first gained fame for his roles as Grant Jansky in the Canadian TV series Traders (1996–2000) and as David Worth in the Canadian psychological horror film Cube (1997). He appeared in the horror film Pin (1988) and the science-fiction films Scanners II: The New Order (1991) and Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011).

Early life

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Hewlett was born in Redhill, England, and moved with his family to Canada at the age of four.[3] Hewlett received his first computer in his mid-teens and became a self-described "computer nerd". While attending high school in Toronto, he launched his acting career, starring in student films by Vincenzo Natali.[4] He dropped out of high school in his senior year to pursue careers in acting and computing, at the beginning of his acting career in 1984 at the age of sixteen.[5]

Before his acting career took off, Hewlett ran Darkyl Media, a web site design firm,[3] and also founded Fusefilm.com, a now defunct internet community for filmmakers.[6]

Career

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Hewlett has appeared in many low-budget horror films, such as The Darkside and the minor cult favourites Scanners II: The New Order and Pin. He also guest starred in several television series. In 1996, he landed one of his better-known roles, as Grant Jansky on Traders. In 1997, Hewlett worked with Natali again, starring in his critically acclaimed thriller Cube as Worth the architect. The low budget Canadian film was commercially successful.

Hewlett in the conference room at Bridge Studios, 2008

Hewlett, an avid science fiction fan, has been quoted saying that Doctor Who, a sci-fi program made in his native Britain, is what first sparked his love for the genre,[7] and that he made science fiction with his friends when he was younger in Britain, on his 8 millimetre camera. Hewlett had his early dreams of working in science fiction made into a reality, when he first had a four-episode guest role on the Canadian/American sci-fi series Stargate SG-1, as the Stargate expert Rodney McKay, which eventually grew into his starring role on Stargate Atlantis.[8]

In 2007, Hewlett appeared as a guest star in the first episode of the TV series Sanctuary, a show produced by and starring Stargate actress Amanda Tapping. He played Larry Tolson, a patient suffering from a form of psychosis who is shot and wounded before being taken into police custody as a murder suspect.[9]

In 2006, he wrote and directed A Dog's Breakfast starring himself, his sister Kate Hewlett, his dog Mars, and his Stargate Atlantis costars Paul McGillion, Christopher Judge and Rachel Luttrell.[10] On 23 July 2006, Hewlett created a YouTube channel named Fanatical.[11]

In 2014, Hewlett directed the supernatural horror-science fiction film Debug with Jason Momoa, who starred alongside Hewlett in Stargate Atlantis. Jeananne Goossen and Adrian Holmes played the lead roles in the film.[12]

In 2015, Hewlett appeared in the Syfy TV series Dark Matter, which is based on the comic book of the same name.[13] He played a recurring role as Tabor Calchek, a merchant who also serves as the team's handler. Hewlett continues his interest in filmmaking.

In 2017, he made "HEWLOGRAM," a sci-fi comedy short showcasing the filmmaking and special effects tools of Red Giant.[14]

David is active on David Hewlett's channel on YouTube.

Personal life

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Hewlett married actress Soo Garay in 2000; they divorced in 2004. He married Jane Loughman in 2008. They have one child. Hewlett's younger sister is actress Kate Hewlett. She has appeared on Stargate Atlantis as Rodney McKay's sister, Jeannie Miller, multiple times in the series.[15] When he's not filming, Hewlett volunteers as a parent sponsor of a school PC/Tech club for kids interested in 3D printing, programming and repurposing tech equipment.[16]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Darkside Chuckie
1988 Pin Leon
1989 The Penthouse Joe Dobson TV film
Dead Meat
1990 Where the Heart Is Jimmy
Deep Sleep Terry
Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel Deadpan Winchester
1991 Scanners II: The New Order David Kellum
The First Circle 'Ruska' Rostislav TV film
1992 A Savage Christmas: The Fall of Hong Kong Walter Jenkins
Quiet Killer Myles Chapman
Split Images Gary Hammond TV film
1993 Blood Brothers Detective Trayne
The Boys of St. Vincent: 15 Years Later Steven Lunney, age 25
1996 Joe's Wedding Rob Fitzgerald
1997 Cube David Worth, the Architect
On the 2nd Day of Christmas Mel TV film
Elevated Hank Short
Bad Day on the Block Andrew
1998 Clutch Martyn
Milkman Martin/Soldier's Voice
1999 Survivor Le médecin TV film
The Life Before This Nick
Blind The Victim Short
Autoerotica Gord
Amateur Night D.J.
2001 Chasing Cain Bud
And Never Let Her Go Gerry Capano TV film
The Triangle Gus Gruber
Century Hotel Michael
Treed Murray Murray aka Get Down
2002 Made In Canada, Volume 1: Best of the CFC Himself
Cypher Virgil Dunn
Father Lefty Father Gregory TV film
2003 Nothing Dave Story writer
Foolproof Lawrence Yeager
Friday Night Roger Short
2004 Boa vs. Python Dr. Steven Emmett
Ice Men Bryan
Darklight Anders Raeborne TV film
2006 A Dog's Breakfast Patrick Director and story writer
2008 Helen Frank
2009 Splice William Barlow
2010 The Whistleblower Fred Murray
2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Hunsiker
Morlocks Dr. Radnor TV film
Rage of the Yeti Mills Director
2013 Haunter Olivia's Father
2014 Debug Director
2017 The Shape of Water Fleming
2019 Midway Husband E. Kimmel
Lie Exposed Brian
2021 Nightmare Alley Dr. Elrood
2022 The Swearing Jar Bill
2024 A Thousand Cuts

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 The Edison Twins Howard Episode: "The Delinquent"
1988 Friday the 13th: The Series Cal Episode: "Tales of the Undead"
My Secret Identity Rock Episode: "A Walk on the Wild Side"
1987 Night Heat Gil Episode: "Simon Says"
1988–1989 T. and T. Detective Jones/Ronnie Episodes: "Black and White" & "Thicker Than White"
1990 The Campbells Captain Henderson / Ned Kane Episodes: "And in the Spring" & "Live by the Sword"
1988–1994 Street Legal Dave Lister / Tim Woolrich Episodes: "Murder by Video" & "Persons Living or Dead"
1991–1992 Katts and Dog The Strangler 3 episodes
1992 Forever Knight Matthew Reed Episode: "Dead Air"
1992–1993 Beyond Reality Tom 2 episodes
1993 Shining Time Station Ted Typo
Tropical Heat (AKA Sweating Bullets) Gleason Episode: "Object of Desire"
1993–1996 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Dr. Nicholas Elder 13 episodes
1994 Monster Force Lance McGruder (voice)
1996–2000 Traders Grant Jansky 73 episodes
1999 Twice in a Lifetime Mr. Green Episode: "O'er the Ramparts We Watched"
2001 ER Mr. Schudy Episode: "Never Say Never"
2001–2007 Stargate SG-1 Dr. Rodney McKay 7 episodes
2003 Mutant X Hector Friemark Episode: "The Taking of Crows"
2004 Without a Trace Fred Watkins Episode: "Hawks and Handsaws"
The District Frederick Episode: "Family Values"
2004–2009 Stargate: Atlantis Dr. Rodney McKay 100 episodes
2009 The Closer FBI Special Agent Jerry Moore Episode: "Walking Back the Cat"
2010–2011 Hellcats Dr. Thurston Eagan 2 episodes
2011 Stargate: Universe Dr. Rodney McKay Episode: "Seizure"
2013 Darknet Lewis Episode: "Darknet 1"
State of Syn Aslin Kane 6 episodes
2015–2016 Dark Matter Talbor Calchek 4 episodes
2016 Suits Nathan Burnes Episode: "Back on the Map"
Incorporated Chad Peterson 4 episodes
2016–2017 Murdoch Mysteries Dilbert Dilton 2 episodes
2019 Hudson & Rex Nelson Dwyer Episode: "Man of Consequence"
2021 Clarice Anthony Herman 5 episodes
Departure Bill Ratch Recurring role (season 2)
Private Eyes Earl Baer Episode: "Drop Dead Carny"
2021–2022 See Tormada Guest role (season 2), main role (season 3)
2022 Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities Masson Episode: "Graveyard Rats"

References

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  1. ^ "David Hewlett". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  2. ^ "David Ian Hewlett | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b "1998 Interview with Monitor.ca". David-hewlett.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Monkeys & Parrots". adogsbreakfastmovie.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  5. ^ "Flixter". Flixster.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  6. ^ Hewlett, David. "David Hewlett bio". geek!love[dot]net. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  7. ^ Houston, Jessica (18 October 2005). "David Hewlett Talks McKay & Stargate Atlantis". Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on 20 September 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  8. ^ "032: David Hewlett, "Rodney McKay" in Stargate Atlantis (Interview)". YouTube. 20 December 2020. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  9. ^ "sanctuaryfans.com". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  10. ^ "A Dog's Breakfast 2007 Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  11. ^ Hewlett, David (23 July 2006). "dHewlett". YouTube. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Debug These Exclusive Stills". Dread Central. 26 March 2015.
  13. ^ Fowler, Matt (6 May 2015). "Syfy's Dark Matter: Ship Designs and Sketches". IGN. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  14. ^ "Red Giant | NEW Red Giant Film Starring David Hewlett!". Red Giant. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  15. ^ "051: Kate Hewlett, "Jeannie Miller" in Stargate Atlantis (Interview)". YouTube. 14 February 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ^ Pinchefsky, Carol (7 November 2017). "Stargate alum David Hewlett parodies 1980s sci-fi series Automan in hilarious short". Syfy. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
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