LAMAMIMET

Nicholas Brendon Schultz was born on April 12, 1971, in Los Angeles, California, alongside his identical twin brother. He grew up with a talent‑agent mother and a business‑consultant father, and he began acting as a way to manage a childhood stutter, later working with the Stuttering Foundation of America.

Brendon’s breakout role came in 1997 when he was cast as Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a part he played in 143 of the show’s 144 episodes. His performance earned multiple Saturn Award nominations and made him a beloved figure within the series’ fan community, where he remained active through conventions and contributed to the franchise’s comic books.

After Buffy ended, Brendon appeared in a variety of television projects, including a recurring role as FBI analyst Kevin Lynch on Criminal Minds, and he acted in independent films such as Coherence and Big Gay Love. He also pursued visual arts, exhibiting his paintings and photography, and co‑created the webcomic Very Bad Koalas.

Throughout his career Brendon struggled with depression and alcoholism, which led to several legal troubles. He died in his sleep on March 20, 2026, at the age of 54.