Wil Wheaton#Writing

Wheaton was born July 29, 1972, in Burbank, California, to Debra "Debbie" Nordean (née O'Connor), an actress who has appeared in television commercialshttps://wilwheaton.net/2022/05/yes-i-was-forced-to-be-a-child-star-it-was-never-my-dream-or-my-idea/, and Richard William Wheaton Jr., a medical specialist.{{cite web |url= http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/wheaton.htm |title= Genealogy |work= Roots Web |publisher= Ancestry |access-date= October 14, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090715092542/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/wheaton.htm |archive-date= July 15, 2009 }}{{cite web|url = http://www.filmreference.com/film/13/Wil-Wheaton.html |title=Wil Wheaton Biography (1972–) | publisher=Film reference | access-date=October 14, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://famouskin.com/pedigree.php?name=53708%20wil%20wheaton&ahnum=1|title=Wil Wheaton Pedigree Chart - Richard William Wheaton III - Ahnentafel No: 1 (53708)|work=famouskin.com|access-date=February 14, 2017}} He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy,{{cite book|author=Grace Catalano|title=Teen Star Yearbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bAKMkI6aXcoC|year=1988|publisher=PaperJacks|isbn=978-0-7701-0937-0}} both of whom appeared uncredited in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "When the Bough Breaks".{{cite book|author1=Paula M. Block|author2=Terry J. Erdmann|title=Star Trek: The Next Generation 365|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JCbTA9wMmEAC&pg=PT152|date=November 16, 2012|publisher=Abrams|isbn=978-1-61312-400-0|pages=152–}} Amy appeared alongside Wil in the 1987 film The Curse.{{cite book|last=Muir|first=John Kenneth|date=2007|publisher=McFarland|title=Horror Films of the 1980s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJ1vcmaOd7wC&q=the+curse+amy+wheaton&pg=PA568|page=568|isbn=978-0-7864-2821-2}}

As an adult, Wheaton described his father as being emotionally abusive to him as a child and his mother as being an enabler of that abuse. He also stated that his parents forced him to become an actor; he is currently estranged from them.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2558858/why-big-bang-theory-and-star-trek-vet-wil-wheaton-thinks-acting-is-a-little-traumatic|title=Why Big Bang Theory And Star Trek Vet Wil Wheaton Thinks Acting Is 'A Little Traumatic'|date=November 17, 2020|website=Cinemablend |first1=Erik |last1=Swann |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419023617/https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2558858/why-big-bang-theory-and-star-trek-vet-wil-wheaton-thinks-acting-is-a-little-traumatic |archive-date= April 19, 2023 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/05/stand-by-me-wil-wheaton-parents-abuse-1234639480/|title='Stand by Me' Star Wil Wheaton Says Parents' Emotional Abuse Powered His Breakout Performance|first1=Ryan|last1=Lattanzio|date=May 22, 2021 |website=IndieWire |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230419002340/https://www.indiewire.com/2021/05/stand-by-me-wil-wheaton-parents-abuse-1234639480/ |archive-date= April 19, 2023 }}

Wheaton made his acting debut with a small role in the television film A Long Way Home (1981), which starred Timothy Hutton and Rosanna Arquette.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-08-21-8603020609-story.html |date=August 21, 1986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629203544/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-08-21-8603020609-story.html |archive-date=June 29, 2022 |title=Teen actor Wheaton wants no part of trash |author=Kirk Honeycutt |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} He voiced the character of Martin in the animated film The Secret of NIMH (1982), the film adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971).{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/07/a-new-secret-of-nihm/|title=A New Secret of NIMH|magazine=Wired |date=July 29, 2009 |url-access=limited |last1=Donahoo |first1=Daniel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425080727/https://www.wired.com/2009/07/a-new-secret-of-nihm/ |archive-date= April 25, 2023 }} Wheaton also appeared in Hambone and Hillie (1983), The Buddy System (1984) (opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon), and The Last Starfighter. He had a few lines in Starfighter which were ultimately cut from the theatrical release, but Wheaton is still visible in several scenes.{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/everything-you-never-knew-about-the-making-of-last-star-1602703884|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112104321/https://gizmodo.com/everything-you-never-knew-about-the-making-of-last-star-1602703884|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 12, 2023|title=Everything You Never Knew About the Making of The Last Starfighter |author=Plummer, Ryan |publisher=Io9 |date=July 10, 2014 |access-date=March 23, 2015}}

Wheaton first gained widespread attention for his work in Stand by Me (1986), the film adaptation of Stephen King's novella The Body.{{cite web |title=Book vs. Movie: Stand By Me (The Body by Stephen King) |date=May 1, 2012 |work=The Readventurer |url=http://www.thereadventurer.com/-home/book-vs-movie-stand-by-me-the-body-by-stephen-king |access-date=March 9, 2018 }}{{cite web |title=16 Nostalgic Facts About Stand by Me |last=Cormier |first=Roger |date=August 6, 2015 |work=Mental Floss |url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/67025/16-nostalgic-facts-about-stand-me |access-date=March 9, 2018 }}{{cite web |title='Stand By Me': A Love Letter To Childhood Innocence |date=August 6, 2011 |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/08/06/139025610/stand-by-me-a-love-letter-to-childhood-innocence |access-date=March 9, 2018 }} In Stand by Me, Wheaton played the lead role of Gordie Lachance, a 12-year-old storyteller mourning the loss of his elder brother. In her review of the film, Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Wheaton makes Gordie's 'sensitivity' tangible, but not effete. He's a gem".{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-stand-by-me-review-20160820-snap-story.html|title=From the Archives: 'Stand by Me' is a summer standout|date=August 8, 1986|website=Los Angeles Times}} In addition to being successful at the box office,{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2016/08/22/stand-by-me-30th-anniversary-15-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-movie-6074110/|title=Stand By Me 30th anniversary: 15 things you may not know about the movie|first=Jon|last=O'Brien|date=August 22, 2016}} Stand by Me was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/photo-stand-by-me-cast-168878|title=PHOTO: 'Stand by Me' Cast Reunites 25 Years Later|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 17, 2011 |access-date=October 21, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021003101/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/photo-stand-by-me-cast-168878|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/stand-me|title=Stand By Me|website=www.goldenglobes.com|access-date=October 21, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021003102/https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/stand-me|url-status=live}} and became known as a coming-of-age classic.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/stand-by-me-30th-anniversary-oral-history-corey-feldman-1201824490/|title='Stand by Me' Oral History: Rob Reiner and Cast on River Phoenix and How Coming-of-Age Classic Almost Didn't Happen|first1=Brent|last1=Lang|date=July 28, 2016}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/stand-by-me-at-30-why-this-stephen-king-movie-is-timeless-93647/|title='Stand by Me' at 30: Why This Stephen King Movie Is Timeless|first1=Charles|last1=Bramesco|magazine=Rolling Stone |date=August 22, 2016}}

File:Gates with Wil Wheaton Star Trek Cruise III Jan 2019.jpg co-star Gates McFadden (who played his mother on the show) in January 2019]]

Wheaton played Wesley Crusher, a "boy genius and Starfleet hopeful",{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-tng-why-wesley-crusher-hated/|title=Star Trek: Why The Next Generation's Wesley Crusher Was So Hated|date=March 18, 2021|website=CBR}} during the first four seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation.{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/news/happy-birthday-wil-wheaton-turns-44-years-old/|title=Happy Birthday! Wil Wheaton Turns 44 Years Old|website=Comicbook.com|date=September 6, 2017 }} He appeared in an additional four episodes of the remaining three seasons. The Wesley Crusher character is a "polarizing" character; while some Star Trek fans love him, others are vocal about their hatred for the character.{{cite web|url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/star-trek/gene-roddenberry-loved-wesley-crusher/|title=Why 'Star Trek's' Creator Loved Wesley Crusher|first=Robin|last=Zabiegalski|date=May 31, 2021}} Wheaton commented about his critics in a 2004 interview for WebTalk Radio:

{{Blockquote | Later, I determined that the people who were really, really cruel – like the Usenet weenies – really are a statistically insignificant number of people. And I know, just over the years from people who've e-mailed me at my website and people who I've talked to since I started going to Star Trek conventions again in the last five years, that there are so many more people who really enjoyed everything about the show, including my performance, including the character.{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224071024/http://www.webtalkguys.com/091804.shtml | archive-date = December 24, 2008 | url = https://webtalkguys.com/091804.htm | title = From Star Trek: Next Generation to Geek Blogger |last=Greenlee |first=Dana |date=September 18, 2004 | publisher = Web talk guys}}}}

Wheaton left Star Trek: The Next Generation due to concerns over how the production team addressed a scheduling conflict related to his wish to appear in the 1989 film Valmont.{{cite web|last=Elvy |first=Craig |url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-wil-wheaton-wesley-crusher-left-season-4/ |title=Star Trek: Why Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) Quit TNG |publisher=Screenrant.com |date=April 29, 2021 |access-date=February 14, 2022}}{{cite magazine|author=Noah Shachtman |url=https://www.wired.com/2001/12/wheatons-trek-to-respectability/ |title=Wheaton's Trek to Respectability |magazine=WIRED |date= |access-date=February 14, 2022}}

Wheaton returned to Star Trek in 2002, 2022 and 2024, reprising his Wesley Crusher role in cameo appearances in Star Trek: Nemesis, the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Picard,{{cite web|url=https://wilwheaton.net/2022/05/welcome-home-wesley/|title= Welcome home, Wesley |first=Wil|last=Wheaton|date=May 5, 2022}} and as a voice actor in the second season of the animated show Star Trek: Prodigy.{{cite web |last=Dinh |first=Christine |date=July 23, 2024 |title=WARP FIVE: Wil Wheaton on the Original Prodigy Returning to Star Trek |url=https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/warp-five-wil-wheaton-return-of-wesley-crusher |website=Star Trek}}

File:Wil Wheaton.jpg

Wheaton played Joey Trotta in the action film Toy Soldiers (1991). After leaving Star Trek, he moved to Topeka, Kansas, to work for NewTek, where he helped to develop the Video Toaster 4000 doing product testing and quality control{{Citation | first = Nathan | last = Rabin | contribution-url = https://www.avclub.com/wil-wheaton-1798208240 | contribution = Wil Wheaton | type = interview | title = The A.V. Club | date = November 20, 2002}}{{Citation | url = http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/05/29/conversations-with-god-wil-wheaton/ | title = Conversations with GoD | contribution = Wil Wheaton | publisher = Geeks of Doom | access-date = May 2, 2009 | date = May 29, 2008}} and later used his public profile to serve as a technology evangelist for the product.{{Cite magazine |last=Jacobs |first=Stephen |date=May 1, 1994 | url = https://www.wired.com/1994/05/flying-toasters/ | title = Flying Toasters | magazine = Wired | volume = 2 | issue = 5}}

Afterward, he returned to Los Angeles, attended acting school for five years, and then re-entered the acting world.{{Citation |title=Wil Wheaton |work=Nerdist |date=Nov 2011 |number=63 |type=podcast |url=http://www.nerdist.com/2011/02/nerdist-podcast-63-wil-wheaton/ |access-date=December 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127085852/http://www.nerdist.com/2011/02/nerdist-podcast-63-wil-wheaton/ |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |at=8 min }}{{Cite book|first=Wil|last=Wheaton|title=Just a geek: unflinchingly honest tales of the search for life, love, and fulfillment beyond the Starship Enterprise|year=2004|publisher=O'Reilly|location=Sebastopol, CA|isbn=0-596-00768-X|page=[https://archive.org/details/justgeek0000whea/page/9 9]|url=https://archive.org/details/justgeek0000whea/page/9}}

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Wheaton appeared in several independent films, including the award-winning The Good Things (2001), in which he portrays a frustrated Kansas tollbooth worker.{{cite web |title=The Good Things |url=http://wilwheaton.net/2002/03/the_good_things/ |website=WIL WHEATON dot NET |date=March 15, 2002 |access-date=January 15, 2020}} For his performance in Jane White Is Sick & Twisted (2002) he received the award for Best Actor at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Winners Of The 2002 MUFF Awards|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030829073751/http://www.muff.com.au/2002/news.html#awards|url=http://www.muff.com.au/2002/noflash_index.html|archive-date=August 29, 2003|date=July 25, 2002|publisher=Melbourne Underground Film Festival}}

Wheaton regularly portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on The Big Bang Theory, becoming a recurring guest star and then side character on the show.{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/the-big-bang-theory-s-8-best-side-characters-ranked/ar-BB1kOvpF?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1 |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=www.msn.com}}{{Cite web |last=Gibbons |first=Ben |date=2023-12-29 |title=12 Best Guest Stars In The Big Bang Theory |url=https://screenrant.com/big-bang-theory-best-guest-stars/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}

In June 2024, Wheaton announced that he was retired from on-screen acting.{{Cite web|url=https://wilwheaton.net/2024/06/happy-retirement-to-me/|title=happy (on camera acting) retirement to me|date=June 5, 2024}}

File:Will Wheaton Q&A Panel (49662155558).jpg

Wheaton is known for his voice acting career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/2017/05/wil_wheaton_talks_star_trek_bi.html|title=Wil Wheaton talks 'Star Trek,' 'Big Bang Theory,' and living with depression|first=Edward |last=Pevos|date=May 18, 2017|website=mlive}} He voiced the role of Martin Brisby in The Secret of NIMH in 1981.{{Cite web|url=https://www.serienjunkies.de/person/wil-wheaton/20498/|title=Wil Wheaton: Filme, Serien und Biografie|website=Serienjunkies}} In August 2021. Wheaton voiced the villainous John Juniper in the video game, I Expect You to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar.{{cite web | last=Teuton | first=Christopher | title=Wil Wheaton Interview - I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar | website=ScreenRant | date=August 19, 2021 | url=https://screenrant.com/i-expect-you-die-2-wil-wheaton-interview/ | access-date=February 25, 2023}}

File:Wil Wheaton wOOtstock 2.4 04.jpg 2.4 in San Diego, July 2010]]

Wheaton appeared in 12 episodes in a recurring, guest-starring role on Eureka, playing Dr. Isaac Parrish, the head of the Non-Lethal Weapons Lab at Global Dynamics and a thorn in Fargo's side.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/wil-wheaton-guest-1016950/|title=Wil Wheaton to Guest-Star on Eureka|last=Abrams |first=Natalie |date=April 5, 2010 | work =TV Guide|access-date=December 20, 2021}} Wheaton also voices the character of the former scoutmaster and current sous-chef Earl Harlan in the popular dark, surreal-comedy podcast Welcome to Night Vale.{{Citation |title=Welcome to Night Vale (Podcast Series 2012) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt12026272/fullcredits |access-date=June 2, 2023}}

From September 2006 to September 2007, Wheaton hosted a Revision3 syndicated video podcast called InDigital along with Jessica Corbin and Hahn Choi. He hosted a NASA video on the Mars Curiosity rover which landed on Monday August 6, 2012.{{Citation |title=NASA |date=April 28, 2010 |type=video gallery |url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=149477301 |access-date=December 18, 2012}} He has hosted "2nd Watch", interviews with cast members and producers of the science-fiction series Falling Skies that appears online after each episode.{{cite web |title=2nd Watch |url=http://www.fallingskies.com/watch/2nd-watch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904083644/http://www.fallingskies.com/watch/2nd-watch |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |access-date=August 5, 2015 |work=Falling Skies}} On April 3, 2014, Wheaton announced on his blog that his new show called The Wil Wheaton Project would premiere on the SyFy network at 10 pm on May 27 for an initial projected run of twelve episodes.{{cite web |date=April 2, 2014 |title=Announcing The Wil Wheaton Project |url=http://wilwheaton.net/2014/04/the-wil-wheaton-project/ |access-date=August 5, 2015 |work=WIL WHEATON dot NET}}{{cite web |title=Syfy Greenlights Twelve Half-Hour Episodes of 'The Wil Wheaton Project ' - Ratings |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/02/syfy-greenlights-twelve-half-hour-episodes-of-the-wil-wheaton-project/250597/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403041113/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/02/syfy-greenlights-twelve-half-hour-episodes-of-the-wil-wheaton-project/250597/ |archive-date=April 3, 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2015 |work=TVbytheNumbers}} However, on August 29, Wheaton blogged that SyFy canceled the show after only one season.{{cite web |date=August 29, 2014 |title='The Wil Wheaton Project' Cancelled by Syfy After One Season - Ratings |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/08/29/the-wil-wheaton-project-cancelled-by-syfy-after-one-season/297971/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140902060825/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/08/29/the-wil-wheaton-project-cancelled-by-syfy-after-one-season/297971/ |archive-date=September 2, 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2015 |work=TVbytheNumbers}} Wheaton has hosted Star Trek aftershow The Ready Room since the second season in 2020.{{cite web |last=Bullard |first=Benjamin |date=January 12, 2020 |title=Wil Wheaton to Host Star Trek: Picard Aftershow The Ready Room at CBS All Access |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/wil-wheaton-star-trek-picard-ready-room |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113062903/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/wil-wheaton-star-trek-picard-ready-room |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |access-date=March 14, 2020 |website=SyFy Wire}}

File:6.29.13WilWheatonByLuigiNovi1.jpg New York Experience in Manhattan]]

Wheaton is a Dungeons & Dragons player,{{cite web | last =Pascale | first = Anthony|title=Wil Wheaton Talks Geeking Out at Phoenix Comic Con w/TNG Co-stars + more|url= http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/21/exclusive-interview-wil-wheaton-talks-geeking-out-at-phoenix-comic-con-w-tng-co-stars-more/ |work= Trek Movie | date = January 21, 2009 |access-date=November 25, 2009}} and played during the PAX 2010 event using the 4th edition rules. Wheaton, along with webcartoonists Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade, and Scott Kurtz of PvP, played in front of a live audience. The game was hosted and recorded by Wizards of the Coast with Chris Perkins as the dungeonmaster.{{cite web | publisher = Wizards | url= http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Feature.aspx?x=dnd/feature/paxgame | archive-url= https://archive.today/20130210042403/http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Feature.aspx?x=dnd/feature/paxgame | archive-date= February 10, 2013 |title=2010 Pax Celebrity Game}}

Wheaton starred in the Kickstarter-funded game There Came an Echo by Iridium Studios.{{cite web |url= http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iridiumstudios/there-came-an-echo-0 | title =There Came an Echo by Iridium Studios | publisher=Kickstarter | access-date =March 22, 2013}} In Dungeons and Dragons Online, he became the dungeon master of the Temple of Elemental Evil quests.{{cite web |url= https://www.ddo.com/en/classic | title =U25: Reign of Elemental Evil | publisher=Dungeons and Dragons Online | access-date =April 14, 2015}}

Nintendo of America announced on Twitter that Wheaton would be voicing Abraham Lincoln in Code Name: STEAM.{{cite tweet|user=NintendoAmerica|author=Nintendo of America|number=573573724298960897|date=March 5, 2015|title=.@wilw spotting! Wil Wheaton lends his talents to #CodeNameSTEAM for #3DS as the voice of the great Abe Lincoln.}} Wheaton does the voice narration on the Secret Hitler companion app for the Secret Hitler social deduction game.{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maxtemkin/secret-hitler/posts/1451101|title=Update 15: Welcome to the app: Mr. Wil Wheaton · Secret Hitler|website=Kickstarter|language=en-US|access-date=January 4, 2017}}

Wheaton has spoken out against misogyny in video game culture,{{cite web|url=http://jezebel.com/5922961/the-fight-against-misogynism-in-gaming-enlists-some-big-names|title=The Fight Against Misogyny in Gaming Enlists Some Big Names|author=Katie J.M. Baker|date=July 3, 2012 |work=Jezebel}}{{Cite tweet |author=Wil Wheaton |user=wilw |number=505210075758075904 |date=August 29, 2014 |title=I really hope there's some serious discussion at #PAX about the cesspool of misogyny that's trying to ruin gaming.|access-date=August 28, 2015}} and wrote a profile of Anita Sarkeesian for the 2015 Time 100.{{cite magazine|url=http://time.com/3822727/anita-sarkeesian-2015-time-100/|title=Anita Sarkeesian|last=Wheaton|first=Wil|date=April 16, 2015|access-date=April 22, 2015|magazine=Time}}

A fictionalized version of Wheaton was included in the comic book PS 238, in which he harbors the power of telekinesis. Wheaton's debut comic book The Guild: Fawkes, which he wrote alongside Felicia Day, was released on May 23, 2012.{{Citation | url = https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/1969.guild-fawkes-one-shot-paul-duffield-cover/ | title = The Guild | contribution = Fawkes | publisher = Dark Horse Comics | date = May 23, 2012 | access-date = December 18, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130628002741/https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/1969.guild-fawkes-one-shot-paul-duffield-cover/ | archive-date = June 28, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}

Wil Wheaton has been a narrator for dozens of audiobooks, including his own works. He has been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award multiple times, and received an Earphones Award from AudioFile magazine.{{cite web |title=10 Editors' Picks from October 2019 Earphones Award Winners |date=October 18, 2019 |url=https://booktrib.com/2019/10/18/10-editors-picks-from-october-2019-earphones-award-winners/ |publisher=BookTrib |access-date=September 25, 2024}}

Wheaton has performed improvisational and sketch comedy at the ACME Comedy Theater in Hollywood.{{cite web|url=http://events.kroq.cbslocal.com/losangeles_ca/events/call-show-live-/E0-001-050450112-1|title=Call It A Show! LIVE|website=CBS Local.com|access-date=July 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115195409/http://events.kroq.cbslocal.com/losangeles_ca/events/call-show-live-/E0-001-050450112-1|archive-date=November 15, 2018}} He has a traveling sketch comedy/improv troupe called "EarnestBorg9" that performs science fiction-related comedy at conventions.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/general-news/20060608/tracy-burns-returns-in-glass-slipper-comedy|title=Tracy Burns returns in Glass Slipper' comedy|website=Ukiah Daily Journal.com|date=June 8, 2006 }}

Wheaton is the author of Dancing Barefoot (2004) and Just a Geek (2004). He released a revised follow-up, Still Just a Geek, in 2022.

Wheaton runs his own blog, Wil Wheaton Dot Net. In June 2005, he became that month's featured Tech writer for the SuicideGirls Newswire.{{cite web|url=http://suicidegirls.com/news/culture/9036/ |title=New Writers for SuicideGirls Newswire |access-date=October 14, 2010 |publisher=Suicide girls |date=June 3, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628231004/http://suicidegirls.com/news/culture/9036/ |archive-date=June 28, 2011 }}

File:Wil Wheaton Meets Tim O'Reilly.jpg at the 2003 booksigning of Dancing Barefoot at Powell's in Portland, Oregon.]]

In 2017, Wheaton wrote the short story "Laina" for the Star Wars anthology From a Certain Point of View.{{Cite web |title='Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View' offers fresh perspectives on an iconic tale: book review |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/theater-arts/star-wars-point-view-offers-new-perspectives-article-1.3536633 |access-date=July 29, 2022 |website=New York Daily News|date=October 3, 2017 }} The book features 40 short stories, each by a different author, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Star Wars.{{Cite web |last=Crouse |first=Megan |date=October 3, 2017 |title=Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View Review |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars-from-a-certain-point-of-view-review/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}

In March 2025, Wheaton launched a podcast titled It's Storytime with Wil Wheaton. The series includes Wheaton narrating selections of stories selected from Lightspeed Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine, and On Spec.{{cite web |last1=Busch |first1=Jenna |title=We Chat with Wil Wheaton About His New Podcast, It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton |url=https://www.vitalthrills.com/its-storytime-with-wil-wheaton-podcast/ |website=Vital Thrills |access-date=16 May 2025}}

Wheaton married Anne Prince on November 7, 1999,{{cite web|last=Wheaton|first=Wil|title=Fourteen years ago today|date=November 7, 2013 |url=http://wilwheaton.net/2013/11/fourteen-years-ago-today/}} and lives in Arcadia, California, with her and her two sons from a previous relationship.{{cite news|author=Wilson, Dave|title=A Trekkie, and a Techie|date=October 4, 2001|work= The Los Angeles Times|publisher=Tribune Publishing|page =T.2|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-oct-04-tt-53182-story.html|quote= He lives with his wife and two children in Arcadia.}} Wheaton legally adopted both sons at their request when they reached the age of majority.{{cite web|title=Wil Wheaton on Trauma, Depression, & Self-Discovery (Bialik Breakdown)|last=Wheaton|first=Wil|website=YouTube |date=April 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwvHcWvpibM&t=3908s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/AwvHcWvpibM| archive-date=October 30, 2021|access-date=July 14, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

Wheaton was roommates with Chris Hardwick while Chris attended UCLA.{{cite web |last=Wheaton |first=Wil |date=November 6, 2019 |title=the golden apples of the Hesperides |url=https://wilw.medium.com/the-golden-apples-of-the-hesperides-92e109efef13 |access-date=November 6, 2019 |work=Medium}} They met at a showing of Arachnophobia in Burbank, California.

Wheaton has struggled with alcohol addiction.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/05/25/stand-by-me-actor-wil-wheaton-suicidal-thoughts/9934345002/|title=Wil Wheaton discusses childhood fame, feeling suicidal as a teen: 'I am a survivor'|website=USA TODAY|last=Segarra|first=Ed |date=May 25, 2022}} In January 2021, Wheaton announced he had been sober from alcohol for five years.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/wil-wheaton-five-years-sober/|title=Wil Wheaton Celebrates Five Years of Sobriety With Reflective, Emotional Facebook Post|date=January 12, 2021|website=CBR}}

Wheaton lives with complex post-traumatic stress disorder,{{Citation |title=Wil Wheaton: Trauma, Depression & Self-Discovery | date=April 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwvHcWvpibM |language=en |access-date=November 20, 2022}} generalized anxiety disorder,{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/@wilw/my-name-is-wil-wheaton-i-live-with-chronic-depression-and-generalized-anxiety-i-am-not-ashamed-8f693f9c0af1|title=My name is Wil Wheaton. I Live With Chronic Depression and Generalized Anxiety. I Am Not Ashamed.|last=Wheaton|first=Wil|date=June 1, 2018|website=Medium}} and chronic depression. He supports mental health nonprofit organizations in raising awareness for these conditions.{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/07/08/mental_illness_wil_wheaton_and_dealing_with_depression.html|title=Oh, Right, I Can Be a Person Now|author=Phil Plait|publisher=Slate.com|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=April 20, 2016}}

In 2022, Wheaton participated in Celebrity Jeopardy!, playing for the National Women's Law Center. He reached the finals, defeating Troian Bellisario and Hasan Minhaj in the quarterfinals, and John Michael Higgins and Joel Kim Booster in the semifinals.{{Cite web |title=2022 Celebrity Jeopardy! {{!}} Jeopardy.com |url=https://www.jeopardy.com/contestant-zone/2022/celebrity-jeopardy |access-date=November 14, 2022 |website=www.jeopardy.com |language=en}} He finished in third place, behind winner Ike Barinholtz and runner-up Patton Oswalt, earning $100,000.{{Cite web |last=Rosenbloom |first=Alli |date=February 3, 2023 |title='Celebrity Jeopardy' crowns new champion |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/entertainment/celebrity-jeopardy-finale-winner/index.html |access-date=August 18, 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}

Wheaton campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election.{{Citation |title=Star Trek Actor Wil Wheaton to Campaign for Hillary Clinton in Michigan |url=http://wchbnewsdetroit.newsone.com/3194580/star-trek-actor-wil-wheaton-to-campaign-for-hillary-clinton-in-michigan/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027060612/http://wchbnewsdetroit.newsone.com/3194580/star-trek-actor-wil-wheaton-to-campaign-for-hillary-clinton-in-michigan/ |archive-date=October 27, 2016}}

Immediately following the Sutherland Springs church shooting on November 5, 2017, Wheaton on Twitter stated in response to Congressman Paul Ryan's call for prayers for the victims that, "The murdered victims were in a church. If prayers did anything, they'd still be alive, you worthless sack of shit."{{cite tweet |number=927284357609353218 |user=wilw |title=The murdered victims were in a church. If prayers did anything, they'd still be alive, you worthless sack of shit. |author=Wil 'stop enabling the Nazis' Wheaton |date=November 5, 2017}} Wheaton subsequently clarified his opinion after receiving criticism, writing, "I apologize to those of you who are sincere people of Faith, who felt attacked by me," but accused "the right wing noise machine" of using his comments "to deflect attention and anger away from the role that unfettered access to weapons of mass murder played in the latest incidence of mass murder in America."{{cite web |last1=Wheaton |first1=Wil |date=November 6, 2017 |title=point of clarification |url=http://wilwheaton.net/2017/11/point-of-clarification/ |access-date=November 6, 2017 |website=Wil Wheaton dot Net}}{{cite news |last1=Borchers |first1=Callum |date=November 6, 2017 |title=What prayer shamers get wrong (and right) about Christianity |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/06/what-prayer-shamers-misunderstand-about-christianity-and-what-they-get-right/ |access-date=November 6, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite web |date=November 5, 2017 |title=Wil Wheaton angers people of faith with furious tweet at Paul Ryan |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/wil-wheaton-angers-people-of-faith-with-furious-tweet-at-paul-ryan |access-date=November 6, 2017 |website=Fox News}}

In September 2024, Wheaton joined other actors from the Star Trek franchise on a livestream to support the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.{{cite news |date=September 24, 2024 |title=Wonder Woman brings us Geeks for Harris tonight |url=https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/24/2272630/-Wonder-Woman-brings-us-Geeks-for-Harris-tonight |access-date=September 25, 2024 |publisher=Daily KOs}}

• Young Artist Awards: 1989 & 1987
• Melbourne Underground Film Festival: Best Actor (2002)
• International Academy of Web Television Awards: Best Host (Pre-Recorded) (2014){{cite web|url=http://www.iawtv.org/2014-iawtv-awards-nominees-and-winners|title=2014 IAWTV Awards Nominees and Winners|website=International Academy of Web Television|language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827093259/http://www.iawtv.org/2014-iawtv-awards-nominees-and-winners|archive-date=August 27, 2019}}
• Saturn Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award – The Cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation (2024){{Cite web |last=Pascale |first=Anthony |date=February 4, 2024 |title='Star Trek: Picard' Wins 4 Saturn Awards, 'Strange New Worlds' Wins 1 |url=https://trekmovie.com/2024/02/04/star-trek-picard-wins-4-saturn-awards-strange-new-worlds-wins-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205055005/https://trekmovie.com/2024/02/04/star-trek-picard-wins-4-saturn-awards-strange-new-worlds-wins-1/ |archive-date=February 5, 2024 |website=TREKMOVIE.com}}{{efn|"The Lifetime Achievement Award is usually presented to an individual for their contributions to genre entertainment. Top luminaries like Stan Lee and Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock himself, have received this top honor. It's not new, but we extended this award to cover the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, due to its continued influence on the face of general television. It was originally doomed to failure since it was following in the footsteps of the original Star Trek, yet it carved its own identity, and its diverse cast was light years ahead of its time!" —Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films}}

An asteroid was named after him: 391257 Wilwheaton.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/asteroid-star-trek-wil-wheaton-wesley-crusher/|title=Asteroid named after Star Trek's Wil Wheaton: Engage!|last=Kooser|first=Amanda|date=January 19, 2017|work=CNET|access-date=February 14, 2017}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Dancing Barefoot ({{ISBN|0-596-00674-8}}) (2004)
• Just a Geek ({{ISBN|0-596-00768-X}}) (2004)
• Stories of Strength ({{ISBN|1-4116-5503-6}}) (2005; contributor)
• The Happiest Days of Our Lives ({{ISBN|0-9741160-2-5}}) (2007)
• Sunken Treasure (2009)
• Memories of the Future Vol. 1 ({{ISBN|0-9741160-4-1}}) (2009)
• Wil Wheaton's Criminal Minds Production Diary (2009)
• Clash of the Geeks (2010; contributor)
• The Day After, and Other Stories (2010)
• The Monster in My Closet (2011)
• Hunter (2011)
• Dead Trees Give No Shelter (2017)
• Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View (2017; contributor)
• Still Just a Geek ({{ISBN|978-0-06-308047-8}}) (2022)

{{div col end}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|20em}}

• Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 390-391.
• Wheaton, Wil. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180605092306/https://medium.com/@wilw/my-name-is-wil-wheaton-i-live-with-chronic-depression-and-generalized-anxiety-i-am-not-ashamed-8f693f9c0af1 "My name is Wil Wheaton. I Live With Chronic Depression and Generalized Anxiety. I Am Not Ashamed."] Medium.com, June 1, 2018.

{{Portal|Biography|Television|Film|Comedy}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Official website|http://www.wilwheaton.net/}}
• [https://medium.com/@wilw/my-name-is-wil-wheaton-i-live-with-chronic-depression-and-generalized-anxiety-i-am-not-ashamed-8f693f9c0af1 Wil Wheaton talks about his depression and anxiety]
• [http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/ WWdN: In Exile]
• {{IMDb name|696|Wil Wheaton}}
• {{Tcmdb name}}
• {{anime News Network|people|73597|Wil Wheaton}}

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