MythBusters Host Grant Imahara Dead At 49

J.W.

This is so sad.

Grant Imahara, a roboticist and electrical engineer who hosted MythBusters and Netflix‘s White Rabbit Project has died at the age of 49. Per The Hollywood Reporter, he died suddenly following a brain aneurysm.

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On Monday, a representative for Discovery shared in a statement:

“We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant. He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

The Los Angeles native studied electrical engineering at the University of Southern California, though he had career doubts and considered following a path of screenwriting. He combined his passions through a post-grad job at Lucasfilm-associated THX labs. Throughout his nine years at Lucasfilm, Imahara worked for the company’s THX and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) divisions.

During a 2008 interview with Machine Design, Grant explained (below) why he wanted to be an engineer:

“I liked the challenge of designing and building things, figuring out how something works and how to make it better or apply it in a different way. When I was a kid, I never wanted to be James Bond. I wanted to be Q, because he was the guy who made all the gadgets. I guess you could say that engineering came naturally.”

In his years at ILM, he became the chief model maker and specialized in animatronics, working on George Lucas‘ Star Wars prequels, along with films including The Matrix Reloaded, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Galaxy Quest, The Matrix Revolutions, XXX: State of the Union, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Van Helsing, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

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Pleased to present my newest creation: a fully animatronic Baby Yoda. It’s been three months of hard work and countless revisions. He’s a personal project that I started in early December. I did all the mechanical design, programming, and 3D printed the molds. He’s currently running a continuous sequence, but soon I’ll be able to trigger specific moods and reactions, as well as incorporate sound. Special thanks to @saltiesthime for creating the silicone skin, painting and hand-punching the hair, @misslindsayxoxo for the coat and jumpsuit, and Project 842 for the incredible digital model. This is a not-for-profit project. We’ll be touring children’s hospitals and our first visit is scheduled for April!

A post shared by Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) on

Grant joined Discovery‘s popular series MythBusters in the third season, replacing Scottie Chapman. Along with co-hosts Kari Byron and Tory Belleci, he was with the show until 2014 when they departed. As for his role on the team, he used his training as a roboticist and electrical engineer to design and build robots and operated electronics and computers needed to test myths. Byron, Belleci, and Imahara later reunited in 2016 for Netflix‘s White Rabbit Project, which investigated events from history, science, and popular culture.

Kari paid tribute to her friend on Twitter early Tuesday morning:

Tory also tweeted out a message in his honor:

Adam Savage also shared a few words about his friend, writing in tribute:

Grant was engaged to marry longtime girlfriend Jennifer Newman. We’re keeping his family, friends, and loved ones in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.

[Image via Grant Imahara/Instagram.]

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