Editing Data (Star Trek) (section)

==Development==
[[Gene Roddenberry]] told [[Brent Spiner]] that over the course of the series, Data was to become "more and more like a human until the end of the show, when he would be very close, but still not quite there. That was the idea and that's the way that the writers took it." Spiner felt that Data exhibited the [[Charlie Chaplin|Chaplinesque]] characteristics of a sad, tragic clown.<ref name=closeup/> To get into his role as Data, Spiner used the character of [[Robby the Robot]] from the film ''[[Forbidden Planet]]'' as a role model.<ref name="closeup">{{Cite web |title=Lt. Commander Data visits the Honesty Bar: an Interview with BRENT SPINER |url=http://www.close-upfilm.com/features/Interviews/brentspiner.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327041003/http://www.close-upfilm.com/features/Interviews/brentspiner.htm |archive-date=March 27, 2008}}</ref> Before Spiner was cast, [[Eric Menyuk]], [[Mark Lindsay Chapman]], [[Kevin Peter Hall]], and [[Kelvin Han Yee]] were considered for the role.<ref>https://www.sliceofscifi.com/2006/11/01/the-memo-that-never-was/</ref>

Commenting on Data's perpetual albino-like appearance, he said: "I spent more hours of the day in make-up than out of make-up", so much so that he even called it a way of [[method acting]].<ref name=closeup/> Spiner also portrayed Data's manipulative and malevolent brother [[Lore (Star Trek)|Lore]] (a role he found much easier to play, because the character was "more like me"),<ref name=closeup/> and Data's creator, Dr. [[Noonien Soong]]. Additionally, he portrayed another Soong-type android, [[B-4 (Star Trek)|B-4]], in the film ''[[Star Trek: Nemesis]]'', and also [[Arik Soong]], one of Soong's ancestors in three episodes of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''. Spiner said his favorite Data scene takes place in "[[Descent (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Descent]]", when Data plays poker on the holodeck with a re-creation of the famous physicist [[Stephen Hawking]], played by Hawking himself.<ref name=closeup/>

Spiner reprised his role of Data in the ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' series finale "[[These Are the Voyages...]]" in an off-screen speaking part. Spiner felt that he had visibly aged out of the role and that Data was best presented as a youthful figure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brent Spiner Rules Out Star Trek XI |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=16437 |access-date=June 1, 2012 |publisher=[[comingsoon.net]] |archive-date=August 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816020408/http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=16437 |url-status=live }}</ref> Spiner returned to the role for 2020 ''[[Star Trek: Picard]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=TREK Vets Brent Spiner and Jeri Ryan Back for STAR TREK: PICARD, Plus: Frakes and Sirtis Returning Too! |date=July 20, 2019 |url=http://trekcore.com/blog/2019/07/star-trek-picard-brings-back-jeri-ryan-brent-spiner-jonathan-frakes-marina-sirtis/ |access-date=July 20, 2019 |publisher=TrekCore |archive-date=July 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720235033/http://trekcore.com/blog/2019/07/star-trek-picard-brings-back-jeri-ryan-brent-spiner-jonathan-frakes-marina-sirtis/ |url-status=live }}</ref> having been convinced by the advent of [[De-aging in film|digital de-aging]] tools.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Star Trek: Digital De-Aging Tech Helped Convince Brent Spiner to Return as Data in Picard |url=https://comicbook.com/startrek/2020/01/18/star-trek-picard-data-return-brent-spiner-cgi-de-aging/ |access-date=February 21, 2012 |publisher=[[ComicBook.com]] |archive-date=January 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119033455/https://comicbook.com/startrek/2020/01/18/star-trek-picard-data-return-brent-spiner-cgi-de-aging/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He also accepted because the negative fan reaction to the death of Data in ''Nemesis'' took him by surprise, and the scene in ''Picard'' gave a new opportunity for a proper sendoff to the character.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://comicbook.com/startrek/news/star-trek-brett-spiner-says-he-will-never-play-data-again/|title= Star Trek Actor Brent Spiner Says He Will Never Play Data Again|author= Kofi Outlaw|date= March 27, 2020|publisher= Comicbook.com|accessdate=February 1, 2024}}</ref> Initially stating that the 2020 [[Star Trek: Picard season 1|first season]] of ''Picard'' would be his final time playing Data,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Josh |date=March 29, 2020 |title=Star Trek: Brent Spiner says he's done playing Data after Picard Season 1, but is up to reprise Altan |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/brent-spiner-is-done-playing-data-after-star-trek-picard |access-date=April 22, 2020 |website=SYFY WIRE |language=en |archive-date=April 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427082334/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/brent-spiner-is-done-playing-data-after-star-trek-picard |url-status=live }}</ref> Spiner returned to the role for the series' 2023 [[Star Trek: Picard season 3|third and final season]], portraying an aged Data, Lore, and B-4.