Grant Imahara.

Grant Masaru Imahara was born on October 23, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, to a Japanese-American family. Growing up as a self-confessed science fiction aficionado, he was inspired by the androids of the Star Wars franchise. He attended Richmond High School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California in 1993.

After graduating, Imahara worked for three years at Lucasfilm’s THX division, then spent nine years at Industrial Light & Magic ILM as a modelmaker, animatronics engineer, and droid operator. At ILM, he updated R2-D2’s electronics for Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones 2002 and built models for films like The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997, Galaxy Quest 1999, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 2003, and the two Matrix sequels. He was one of only three official operators of R2-D2 and also wore the C-3PO suit for press events. In 2005, Jamie Hyneman invited him to join MythBusters as part of the Build Team, where his electronics expertise and camaraderie with Adam Savage and Tory Belleci contributed to over 200 episodes over a decade. He later hosted the spin-off White Rabbit Project 2016 and acted in the fan series Star Trek Continues 2013 as Hikaru Sulu.

Imahara’s playful personality and deep friendship with his MythBusters colleagues came from years of working together at ILM. He often expressed a preference for being the gadget-maker rather than the hero, stating he would rather be Q than James Bond. He remained close to his family, and after his death, his ashes were returned to them.

Grant Imahara helped popularize science and engineering for a mainstream audience through MythBusters, inspiring a generation to build and experiment. His work on R2-D2 and other iconic models at ILM influenced blockbuster cinema. He died unexpectedly at 49 from a brain aneurysm, shocking fans worldwide. He is remembered for his energy, technical skill, and the joy he brought to making science fun.