Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton Headshot

Actor • Writer • Blogger

Birth Date: July 29, 1972

Age: 51 years old

Birth Place: Burbank, California

A brief tenure as a child actor, marked by stardom in "Stand By Me" (1985) and on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (syndicated, 1987-1994), preceded Wil Wheaton's more prolific and influential second act as a writer, blogger, gaming and tech enthusiast and spokesperson for what was termed in the media as "geek" culture. Born Richard William Wheaton III on July 29, 1972 in Burbank, California, he was the eldest of three children by Richard William, Jr., a medical technician, and his mother, actress Debra O'Connor. Wheaton began acting at an early age, appearing first in television commercials and then made-for-TV movies and specials. His first feature film appearance came in the low-budget comedy "Hambone and Hillie" (1983), starring Lillian Gish, which was quickly followed by supporting roles in "The Buddy System" (1984). Wheaton's breakout role came as the thoughtful aspiring writer Gordie Lachance in Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me" (1985). The nostalgic drama, based on a novella by Stephen King, made stars of its youthful cast, which included River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Kiefer Sutherland, though Wheaton's primary showcase was largely television. He was cast as Wesley Crusher, aspiring ensign aboard the USS Enterprise-D on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (syndicated, 1987-1994). The son of the starship's medical officer, Wesley was afforded a somewhat idealized storyline - described as a child prodigy, he appeared to be given opportunities at adventure and decision-making that few adults would be granted - which drew the vocal ire of a section of "Trek" fans. The criticism grew so intense that Wheaton left the series after its fourth season, and relocated to Topeka, Kansas. There, he worked for the computer software company NewTek, and provided quality control and testing as well as promotion for the Video Toaster expansion card; the experience provided with not only a more balanced perspective on adulthood, but also a growing interest in all things tech-minded. Upon his return to Los Angeles, Wheaton returned to acting, but found steadier and more fulfilling work as a blogger, writer and ardent evangelist for collector/tech or "geek" culture, including gaming, science fiction, comics and podcasting. His blog led to writing assignments or online and print outlets, and Wheaton launched his own independent publishing company, Monolith Press, to publish a memoir, Dancing Barefoot (2004), with an extended edition, titled Just a Geek, following later that same year. He was a prolific audiobook narrator and voice-over actor, lending his voice to projects ranging from "Family Guy" (Fox, 1999- ), for which he played a fictionalized version of himself, to the videogame "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" (Rockstar Games, 2015), and competed in tournament-style games of poker and the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, while also finding time to co-create and host the YouTube series "TableTop" (2012-), in which he and celebrity guests indulge in a wide array of board and role-playing games, and w00tstock, an annual variety show dedicated to gaming, science fiction, music and comedy. By 2009, Wheaton was named by Forbes as one of the most influential celebrities on the internet, with a Twitter following in excess of three million people. But he also continued to maintain a presence as an actor, often as petty heels whose antagonistic nature was a good-natured spoof of his "nice guy" persona; most notable among these roles was a recurring turn as a fictionalized and nasty version of himself, who clashed frequently with Jim Parsons' Dr. Sheldon Cooper on "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007-2018).

Credits

Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill!

Actor
Show
2023

Strange New Worlds: Inside the Series

Host
Show
2023

Celebrity Jeopardy!Stream

Guest
Game Show
2022

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Inside the Series

Host
Show
2022

Halo the Series: Declassified

Guest
Show
2022

The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star TrekStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2021

First Contact Day Global Panels

Host
Show
2021

Playing With Power: The Nintendo Story

Producer
Show
2021

Pooka Lives!

Actor
David
Movie
2020

Max Reload and the Nether Blasters

Actor
Arcade Heroes Narrator
Movie
2020

Rent-a-Pal

Actor
Andy
Movie
2020

Into the DarkStream

Actor
David
Series
2019
70%

The Ready Room

Host
Talk
2019

Teen Titans GO! to the Movies

Voice
Flash
Movie
2018

Stretch Armstrong & The Flex Fighters

Voice
Rook
Show
2017

Bill Nye Saves the WorldStream

Guest
Talk
2017

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The ReturnStream

Guest Star
Drake
Series
2017
100%

TableTop

Host
Show
2017

Titansgrave

Host
Show
2017

Enter the Battlefield: Life on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour

Narrator
Show
2016

Neil Gaiman: Dream Dangerously

Self
Movie
2016

Con ManStream

Guest Star
Officer Cahoots
Series
2015

At Midnight With Chris HardwickStream

Guest
Game Show
2015

Dark MatterStream

Guest Star
Alexander Rook
Series
2015

PowersStream

Guest Star
Conrad Moody
Series
2015

Miles From TomorrowlandStream

Guest Voice
Commander S'Leet
Series
2015

William Shatner's Brown Bag Wine Tasting

Actor
Show
2014

William Shatner's Brown Bag Wine Tasting

Guest
Show
2014

The Wil Wheaton Project

Host
Show
2014

At Midnight With Chris Hardwick

Guest
Show
2013

Whose Line Is It Anyway?Stream

Guest
Series
2013

Teen Titans Go!Stream

Actor
Series
2013

Teen Titans Go!Stream

Guest Voice
Aqualad
Series
2013

Larry King NowStream

Guest
Talk
2012

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

LeverageStream

Guest Star
Colin Mason
Series
2008
92%

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Voice
Silver Age Blue Beetle/Ted Kord
Show
2008

The Big Bang TheoryStream

Guest Star
Wil Wheaton
Series
2007
81%

Americanizing Shelley

Actor
Director Alan Smithee
Movie
2007

Criminal Minds: EvolutionStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

Doctor WhoStream

Guest Star
Series
2005
90%

Robot ChickenStream

Guest Voice
Series
2005

NUMB3RSStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

Book of Days

Actor
Show
2004

Neverland

Actor
John Darling
Movie
2003

Book of Days

Actor
Danny
Movie
2003

Last Call With Carson Daly

Guest
Talk
2002

Star Trek: NemesisStream

Actor
Wesley Crusher
Movie
2002
38%

Fish Don't Blink

Actor
Jimmy
Movie
2002

Jane White Is Sick and Twisted

Actor
Dick Smith
Movie
2002

CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStream

Guest Star
Series
2000

Deep Core

Actor
Rodney Bedecker
Movie
2000

Python

Actor
Tommy
Movie
2000

The Girls' Room

Actor
Charlie
Movie
2000

Twice in a Lifetime

Guest Star
Show
1999

Family Guy

Guest Voice
Himself
Show
1999

Family GuyStream

Guest Voice
Himself
Series
1999

Foreign Correspondents

Actor
Jonas
Movie
1999

The Ghoul

Actor
Show
1998

Guys Like Us

Guest Star
Show
1998

Love Boat: The Next Wave

Guest Star
Show
1998

The Day Lincoln Was Shot

Actor
Robert Todd Lincoln
Movie
1998

Fag Hag

Actor
Owner of Christian Books and Nails
Movie
1998

Perversions of Science

Actor
Show
1997

Gun

Actor
Show
1997

FlubberStream

Actor
Bennett Hoenicker
Movie
1997
23%

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

The Outer LimitsStream

Actor
Cadet
Series
1995

Pie in the Sky

Actor
Jack
Movie
1995

It Was Him or Us

Actor
Scottie
Movie
1995

Mr. Stitch

Actor
Lazarus
Movie
1995

Diagnosis MurderStream

Guest Star
Series
1993

The Liars' Club

Actor
David Reynolds
Movie
1993

The Last Prostitute

Actor
Danny
Movie
1991

December

Actor
Kipp Gibbs
Movie
1991

Toy Soldiers

Actor
Joseph "Joey" Trotta
Movie
1991

Tales From the Crypt

Actor
Series
1989
82%

Monsters

Actor
Kevin
Show
1988

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Actor
Wesley Crusher
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
Wesley Crusher
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0

Actor
Show
1987

Young Harry Houdini

Actor
Ehrich Weiss/Young Harry Houdini
Movie
1987

The Farm

Actor
Zack
Movie
1987

Tiempo Perdido

Actor
Movie
1986

The Defiant Ones

Actor
Clyde
Movie
1986

Long Time Gone

Actor
Mitchell
Movie
1986

Stand By MeStream

Actor
Gordie Lachance
Movie
1986
92%

Highway to HeavenStream

Guest Star
Max
Series
1984

The Buddy System

Actor
Tim
Movie
1984

Family TiesStream

Guest Star
Series
1982

The Secret of NIMHStream

Voice
Martin
Movie
1982
93%

A Long Way Home

Actor
Donald Branch
Movie
1981

News aboutWil Wheaton