# David Hewlett

David Ian Hewlett (born 18 April 1968) is an English-Canadian 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

Hewlett was born in Redhill, England, and moved with his family to Canada at the age of four. 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. 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.
Before his acting career took off, Hewlett ran Darkyl Media, a web site design firm, and also founded Fusefilm.com, a now defunct internet community for filmmakers.

## Career

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, 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, 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.
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.
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. On 23 July 2006, Hewlett created a YouTube channel named Fanatical.
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.
In 2015, Hewlett appeared in the Syfy TV series Dark Matter, which is based on the comic book of the same name. 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.
David is active on David Hewlett's channel on YouTube.

## Personal life

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. 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.

## Filmography
### Film

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

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | The Edison Twins | Howard | Episode: "The Delinquent" |
| 1988 | Friday the 13th: The Series | Cal | Episode: "Tales of the Undead" |
| 1988 | 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 | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | 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) | 13 episodes |
| 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" |
| 2004 | 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" |
| 2013 | State of Syn | Aslin Kane | 6 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Dark Matter | Talbor Calchek | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Suits | Nathan Burnes | Episode: "Back on the Map" |
| 2016 | 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 |
| 2021 | Departure | Bill Ratch | Recurring role (season 2) |
| 2021 | 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" |