Dr. Brackish Okun was the director of research at Area 51. The son of Saylene Okun, Brackish graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in astrophysics. In 1972, following his graduation, Okun was immediately recruited by the military, and due to the top-secret nature of his work, was isolated at Area 51 for his entire life. I had no idea crazy scientist dude from Independence day was played by brent spiner! (data!) 14 Share Sort by: Add a Comment Dr. Okun's performer Brent Spiner - famous to Star Trek: The Next Generation fans as Data - later revealed a cut line of dialogue in Independence Day would have confirmed his character's death. This allowed some ambiguity for Independence Day: Resurgence, where his oddball scientist is key to the fight against the alien's harvesters. In "Independence Day" Mr. Spiner plays a scientist who has kept aliens under glass in a secret Government location. "As you can imagine, they don't let us out much," Dr. Okun says in the film. Twenty years ago, millions of people watched as Brent Spiner was slammed against a window by a pissed off alien and used as a human puppet. " Diiieee," Spiner's character in Independence Day, the Despite Dr. Brackish Okun being seen in Independence Day: Resurgence previews and clips, there was no explanation provided about his survival, but a new viral video finally confirms how he's back. Brent Spiner ’s character in the original film, Dr. Okun, was that hippie looking mad scientist from Area 51 who had been performing an autopsy on a crash-landed alien. By Tim Lammers For those who hoped that Brent Spiner’s loony yet lovable “Independence Day” character Dr. Brackish Okun somehow miraculously survived the death grip of a nasty alien in the blockbuster film 20 years ago, get ready for a dose of good news. Dr. Okun was not dead, he was merely sleeping. Turns out Continue reading Interview: Brent Spiner talks ‘Independence Day Ask Brent Spiner and he’ll tell you he couldn’t wait to reprise the role of Dr. Brackish Okun, which is funny considering the fact that audiences weren’t even sure the Area 51 mad scientist In Independence Day (1996), the character Dr. Brackish Okun (played by Brent Spiner) is named after, and his appearance is modeled after, Jeffrey A. Okun, digital effects supervisor with whom director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin worked on their previous film, Stargate. There’s alien attack evidence under there: He's gone from mad scientist in the original to truth-teller in this new trailer. Spiner’s just one of a number of characters who return for the film. We chat with Dr. Okun himself, who's not quite as dead as you may have thought.----------------------------------Follow IGN for more!----------------------- Dr. Milton Isaacs (died 2016) was a scientist and physician in charge of Area 51's medical facility. Milton Isaacs worked at Area 51 since the 1970's and became Brackish Okun's life partner. During the War of 1996, Isaacs was working at Okun's side, helping to extract a capture alien from its exoskeleton armor. The alien awoke and killed or harmed everyone in the surgery room, including Isaacs Dr. Okun is a weird dude—but he's been studying aliens in secret for several years, so that's probably to be expected. He's so focused on his science that he's actually elated when the aliens come to earth, since their proximity seems to jumpstart the technology on an alien spaceship that has been sitting dormant for decades. In one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, the seemingly lifeless body of the gray-haired scientist is thrust up against the glass of an observation room; his vocal cords get played like a 'Star Trek' alum Brent Spiner on how his 'Independence Day' character lived on thanks to a deleted scene. Brent Spiner (born February 2, 1949) is an American actor, comedian, musician and singer. He portrays Dr. Brackish Okun in Independence Day and Independence Day: Resurgence. Spiner is also best known for his portrayal of the android Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Several actors from the 1996 mega-hit Independence Day are back for its upcoming sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, including Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, and Vivica A. Fox. For 20 years, Independence Day fans thought Brent Spiner’s manic hippie scientist Dr. Brakish Okun was dead. And for good reason. In his last scene in Roland Emmerich ’s 1996 sci-fi Independence Day (1996) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
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