R.I.P. Grant Imahara – ILM, Mythbusters
There’s been a great disturbance in the Force.
Grant Imahara, who worked at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and hosted Mythbusters, has died.
Goodbye Grant Imahara
The Hollywood Reporter posted:
(L-R) Grant Imahara, Kari Byron and Tory Belleci arrive at the Los Angeles Premiere “The Green Hornet” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on January 10, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Barry King/FilmMagic)
Grant Imahara, an electrical engineer and roboticist who hosted the popular science show MythBusters and Netflix’s White Rabbit Project, has died. He was 49.
Imahara died suddenly following a brain aneurysm, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. “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,” a representative for Discovery said in a statement Monday.
An electrical engineer and roboticist by training, he joined Discovery’s MythBusters in its third season, replacing Scottie Chapman, and was with the show until 2014 when he left with co-hosts Kari Byron and Tory Belleci.
Outpouring On Social Media
The heartbreaking responses came from everywhere:
Thank you Grant for helping the world find the truth. pic.twitter.com/HNCGwA6jrS
— Discovery (@Discovery) July 14, 2020
Everyone at Lucasfilm mourns the passing of Grant Imahara. A beloved colleague at @ILMVFX for many years, and cherished by many more on television, Grant's curiosity, imagination, and heart will remain an inspiration to us all. pic.twitter.com/XhHysWBJz6
— Star Wars (@starwars) July 14, 2020
We’re still processing and likely will be for some time. Grant was an amazing talent and forever an ILMer. Tonight our thoughts are with his family and friends💔.https://t.co/EsmkJgzSCF
— ILMVFX (@ILMVFX) July 14, 2020
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.
— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020
Somedays I wish I had a time machine. @ToryBelleci @grantimahara pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W
— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020
he was kind and funny and a brilliant engineer. the world will miss him. https://t.co/CZvb34ko3h
— 🦾Angel Giuffria ¯_(ツ)_, (@aannggeellll) July 14, 2020
More Than A Host Or Engineer
As a fan of Grant’s work on Star Wars and Mythbusters, I am saddened by his sudden loss.
However, what seems to be more overwhelming is just how amazing a person he was.
Over on Nerdist, Amy Ratcliffe posted:
The world lost one of its most inspiring, kindest, nerdiest people on Monday. Grant Imahara, host for MythBusters and White Rabbit Project, passed suddenly at the too-young age of 49 on July 13, 2020, following a brain aneurysm. The sharp roboticist and electrical engineer worked for Industrial Light and Magic and contributed his talents to Star Wars before joining the MythBusters team. He went on to create the robot Geoff for The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson—but a few of his many accomplishments.
Among inspiring countless people with his work and enthusiasm for the STEM fields, he also touched so very many with his friendship.
That sentiment, of Mr. Imahara’s capacity for, well, being a good person seems universal.
Ratcliffe added:
[Grant] made gestures big and small that made his friends smile. He did things like buying out an entire movie theater for Crazy Rich Asians and inviting everyone he knew. He made an animatronic Baby Yoda to take to children’s hospitals. Grant was an exceptional human. Search his name on Twitter: You will see memories from his loved ones and his close friends. You’ll read stories about how he inspired people to pursue careers in STEM. The pattern you’ll note is that anyone who met him talks about his kindness, his generosity, his goodness. He made every person he knew better. Grant Imahara made the world better.
All of us here at MickeyBlog.com send our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
May the Force be with you, Grant…
"It's not well known but I spent about a decade performing as C-3P0 for personal appearances and commercials for Lucasfilm. You’re encased in fiberglass, metal, and vinyl. You can barely see, hear, and breathe. And you can’t sit down." –@grantimahara #Maythe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/xMDWXN2PIA
— MythBusters (@MythBusters) May 4, 2018
