Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Data

In the past, Brent Spiner has said that when he was initially cast to play an emotionless android he was worried about being limited as an actor, but Spiner was able to do so much within these restrictions. His portrayal of the character encouraged the writers to include him in more stories, helping Data become one of the most beloved characters in Trek.

A detail that stands out is Data's curious head movements. The way he quickly moves his head as he calmly studies his surroundings always came off as very measured and robotic, but according to Spiner himself, these iconic mannerisms weren't entirely intentional. We've heard a lot of makeup horror stories from Trek actors, and Spiner is no exception. At conventions, Spiner has explained that shortly into filming his scenes in Next Gen, his makeup would begin to smear on his contact lenses, clouding up his vision and forcing him to move his head in that way to see better.

While this must have been an absolutely terrible condition to work under, Spiner says that it actually informed the character in a way.