‘Mythbusters’ Co-Host and ‘White Rabbit Project’ Star Grant Imahara Dies at 49 After Suffering Brain Aneurysm

Grant Imahara, an electrical engineer/roboticist and TV host known for stints on the program Mythbusters and the Netflix series White Rabbit Project, passed away suddenly due to complications from a brain aneurysm, it was reported by various outlets on Monday evening.

“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,” said Discovery in a statement.

Imahara, 49, joined Mythbusters in its third season and remained with the show until 2014. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Imahara had considered changing majors from electrical engineering to screenwriting, but stuck with it and was hired by Lucasfilm after graduating.

More on his career, via The Hollywood Reporter:

In his nine years at Lucasfilm, he worked for the company’s THX and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) divisions. In his years at ILM he became chief model maker specializing in animatronics and 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.

In 2000, Imahara also competed in Comedy Central’s BattleBots with a robot he built himself called “Deadblow” that won two Middleweight Rumbles, was the first season’s Middleweight runner-up and became the third season’s first-ranked robot.

As computer graphics began to supplant model-making in the aughts, former ILM colleague Belleci suggested Imahara come aboard Mythbusters, the Discovery show that Belleci co-hosted. As a co-host, he became a self-described “human guinea pig,” though if they determined a situation unfit for humans, they created machines to test them in their place. 

Grant Imahara regularly demonstrated his technical prowess, such as when he designed a animatronic “Baby Yoda,” displaying it on social media a few months back:

Pleased to present my newest creation: a fully animatronic Baby Yoda. Special thx to @SaltiestHime for silicone skin/paint/hair, @thelindsayjane for the coat and Project 842 for the digital model. Touring children’s hospitals starting in April! #BabyYoda #TheMandalorian #Starwars pic.twitter.com/XsDqGtEHt6

— Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) March 6, 2020

News of his passing devastated his Mythbusters colleagues.

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

May Grant Imahara rest in peace.