Canadian actor David Ian Hewlett was born in Surrey, England on April 18, 1968. He first started out as a computer nerd back in high school, but he soon dropped out to pursue acting seriously. He appeared in low-budgeted movies such as The Darkside and had guest appearances on television, such as Traders. His most notable role was in the Vincenzo Natali film Cube.

Rodney McKay is played by David Hewlett on the Sci-Fi Channel series Stargate Atlantis. McKay is the chief scientific advisor for the Stargate Atlantis team, a brilliant astrophysicist who is prone to flashes of arrogance that irritates the members of the team.