Grant Imahara, Host of ‘MythBusters’ and ‘White Rabbit Project,’ Dies at 49

Grant Imahara was an electrical engineer and roboticist. He hosted the popular science show MythBusters and Netflix’s White Rabbit Project. He has passed away at the age of 49.

Imahara died due to a brain aneurysm. The representatives of Discovery made a statement saying they are heartbroken to hear about Grant. They said he was an important part of their Discovery family and a really wonderful man. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” a representative for Discovery said in a statement on Monday.

Imahara joined the third season of Mythbusters which was by Discovery. He had replaced Scottie Chapman. Imahara was with the show until 2014 and he left with co-hosts Kari Byron and Tory Belleci. The trio reunited again for Netflix’s White Rabbit Project in 2016 which lasted for only one season.

Imahara used his technical knowledge to design and build robots on MythBusters. He also operated computers and electronics needed to test myths. Imahara also sky-dived and  drove stunt cars, on film sets. He met some of the most iconic characters in screen history. Imahara installed lights onto Star Wars‘ R2-D2, created the robot Geoff Peterson for The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson and worked on the Energizer Bunny.

Byron, Imahara’s co-host in Mythbusters and White Rabbit Project took to social media saying he wishes he had a time machine. He also posted a picture of Imahara and Belleci.

Later on Monday, Mythbusters co-host Adam Savage also tweeted: “I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist, and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.”

Imahara was born in Los Angeles and he studied electrical engineering at the University of Southern California. He combined both his passions and landed a post-graduation gig at Lucasfilm-associated THX labs. He worked with Lucasfilm for nine years and he worked for the company’s THX and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) divisions. 

Imahara became chief model maker specializing in animatronics while he was in ILM. He worked on George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels, as well as The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Galaxy Quest, XXX: State of the Union, Van Helsing, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Imahara competed with a robot he built himself in Comedy Central’s BattleBots. He called the robot ‘Deadblow’ and that won two Middleweight Rumbles. It was the first season’s Middleweight runner-up and became the third season’s first-ranked robot.

Former ILM colleague Tony Belleci suggested Imahara come aboard Mythbusters, the Discovery show Belleci co-hosted. He became a self-described “human guinea pig,” as co-host. Although if they determined a situation ineffective for humans, they created machines to test them in their place. 

Imahara also starred in numerous episodes of the fan-made web series Star Trek Continues. He played Hikaru Sulu, a lieutenant, helmsman, and third officer on the USS Enterprise. The show was an informal continuation of Star Trek: The Original Series. 

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