Walking into Dean Devlin’s bright, sunlit office located on the second floor of his Electric Entertainment headquarters in West Hollywood on a mid-September afternoon, the first thing that stands out is the charismatic figure of the writer/producer/director/entrepreneur himself — beaming, bespectacled, and vibrantly youthful at the age of 63. However, it’s not long before your attention turns to a striking artwork by Richard Sheldon positioned on the back wall above a cozy couch, accompanied by framed 8-by-10 photographs of Devlin with Presidents Clinton and Obama, alongside a notable letter from an MCA Universal executive acknowledging that his father, the late writer-producer Don Devlin, was the first to discover Steven Spielberg. (“I always thought he was exaggerating about that,” he remarks).
The Sheldon artwork showcases a young Black man on a sidewalk, dressed casually in a baseball cap, jeans, and a loosely worn long-sleeve shirt, with his arms wide open, while business-suited pedestrians walk past him in a flurry. The painting is titled: “The Invisible Man.”
“I resonate with that deeply,” shares Devlin.
The creative force behind blockbuster sci-fi hits like “Stargate” (1994) and “Independence Day” (1996) alongside director Roland Emmerich, Devlin later struck out on his own with Electric Entertainment, building popular small-screen franchises like “The Librarian” and “Leverage” and producing films including the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and his 2017 directorial work “Geostorm.” Do you feel like that invisible man?
“Absolutely. For a long time, I was just the partner of Roland Emmerich. He was the prominent director, and I was the writer quietly behind the scenes. Plus, having a little brown skin growing up meant that whenever I stepped into a store, someone was always keeping an eye on me,” he shares, gently tapping his forearm with a finger.
Nevertheless, Devlin’s workspace is adorned with tokens that illustrate how, despite the challenges and prejudices he has faced, he has also experienced an extraordinary and rewarding life. On the wall opposite “The Invisible Man” hangs a picture of his late mother, the stunning Filipina actress Pilar Seurat, captured during her appearance in a 1967 episode of “Star Trek.” (“Scotty kills her,” he recalls.). She had roles in numerous iconic TV shows of her time, including “Bonanza” and “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.”
“My mom was the most supportive person in my life,” says Devlin, whose parents separated shortly after his birth. “I owe everything to her. After a day of shooting for ‘Star Trek,’ she came back with one of the stuntman’s rubber phasers for me. That was the beginning of my obsession.”
If “Star Trek” ignited Devlin’s passion, the 1977 premiere of “Star Wars” solidified it. At just 14, he cycled from his house in the San Fernando Valley to Hollywood Boulevard and was ninth in line for the opening day screening at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
“When the first spaceship soared across the screen, I thought, ‘Oh, that’s cool,’” he recalls. “But then, when the massive ship came next and just kept on coming, the crowd erupted, and so did I. At that moment, I realized, ‘This is what I want. This is the experience I crave.’”
The impact of “Star Wars,” with its advanced visual effects used to narrate a timeless sci-fi saga, is evident in many of his later works, starting with “Stargate.” Yet he was equally attracted to the more profound elements of sci-fi.
“’Star Trek’ tackled subjects we couldn’t discuss openly—by setting them in space,” Devlin explains. “We didn’t directly address racial issues, but we portrayed characters with black and white faces battling one another, which conveyed powerful messages. With ‘Star Wars,’ I lost myself completely in another world, and that excitement inspired me to believe we could rewrite reality.”
Devlin’s present-day career can be viewed as a fresh start. His foray into the industry began as an actor, appearing in guest roles on shows like “Happy Days” and “James at 15,” along with minor roles in films such as “Harry and Walter Go to New York” (1976) and “My Bodyguard” (1981), both produced by his father, Don Devlin—who himself began his career as an actor in films like “Three Violent People” (1956) and “Blood of Dracula” (1957). Nonetheless, Devlin always envisioned acting as a stepping stone to his true passion: filmmaking.
“I thought that if I could become an actor on a successful show, it might lead to opportunities to direct. Or perhaps my acting would eventually open doors to where I truly wanted to go,” he reflects.
After high school, where he competed in drama tournaments alongside stars like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kevin Spacey, Val Kilmer, and Mare Winningham, Devlin moved to New York and worked as a chauffeur for Al Pacino. One day, he was caught sneaking a glance at a script titled “Scarface.” Pacino, amused, asked him what he thought of it.
“I told him, ‘I think you’ve already made this movie—it was called ‘The Godfather’ and it was much better than what I’ve seen here.’ Fortunately, he didn’t heed my advice,” Devlin laughs, having mingled with celebrities during his upbringing, visiting Jack Nicholson‘s Mulholland Drive home numerous times, thanks to his father’s friendship with the actor.
Eventually, Devlin left his chauffeur position to perform in an Off Broadway production of James Kirkwood’s “There Must Be a Pony,” which fueled his ambition to pursue acting earnestly. Upon returning to Los Angeles, he landed a three-episode role on “L.A. Law” and then co-starred in the short-lived series “Hard Copy” (1986), which led to his casting in the low-budget sci-fi film “Moon 44,” directed by a then little-known German filmmaker named Roland Emmerich.
“I was reluctant to take the role, but desperate for income at the time while supporting my mother,” he admits. Upon arriving on the German set, he was pleasantly surprised by the director’s skill. “I remember saying to him, ‘Wow, you’re a fantastic director! What are you doing with this mediocre script?’ He responded, ‘Well, Dean, when I wrote the script …’” Devlin chuckles.
Devlin requested to revise his lines, which spiraled into him rewriting the entire script. Following this, Emmerich enlisted Devlin for significant rewrites on his next project, the 1992 sci-fi action film “Universal Soldier,” featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. Despite poor critical reception, the film succeeded at the box office and launched a franchise, solidifying a collaborative relationship that would last until 2000.
Even though Devlin is passionate about sci-fi and has an impressive track record in the genre, it isn’t his sole artistic interest. Near the window in his office, he displays two electric guitars (a Fender Stratocaster and an Airline semi-hollowbody) alongside a practice amplifier, reflecting his musical inclinations. Years ago, he was part of a band called Nervous Service, and today he plays in a Beatles cover band with director Rob Minkoff. (“Sometimes I play George’s parts, sometimes John’s, and I sing Paul’s,” he explains). Behind his desk, he keeps the owl-like helmet from “The Phantom of the Paradise,” Brian DePalma’s 1974 film about a gifted and naïve composer deceived and manipulated by a greedy mogul. “I’m eager to transform that into a Broadway musical, but I’ve never managed to secure the rights,” he sighs.
When asked which project means the most to him, Devlin proudly emphasizes his crime drama series “Almost Paradise” (2020-2023), filmed in the Philippines.
“I discovered my Filipino heritage later in life,” Devlin shares, having also embraced his father’s Jewish roots and even bat mitzvah-ed both daughters with his wife Lisa Brenner. “Shooting a show in the Philippines, where 98% of the crew and 95% of the cast were Filipino, resonated with me on a deeply personal level like nothing else ever has.”
