# Brandon Jay McLaren
**Brandon Jay McLaren** is a Canadian American actor, producer, and writer known for playing the Red Ranger in *Power Rangers S.P.D.*, undercover agent Dale Jakes on the USA series *[Graceland](https://www.edgepedia.org/graceland-tv-series)*, Elijah Stone on ABC's *The Rookie*, and Officer Dwayne Andrews in the 2025 Netflix thriller *[Wayward](https://www.edgepedia.org/wayward-miniseries)*. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, he has worked in television and film since the early 2000s and is now based in Los Angeles.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981 or 1982 (sources differ) in Vancouver, British Columbia[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) |
| Background | Of Trinidadian and Grenadian descent; father Grenadian, mother Trinidadian[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [4](https://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/entertainment-and-culture/item/105266-brandon-jay-mclaren) |
| Education | Full athletic soccer scholarship to the State University of New York at Albany; graduated with a degree in Human Biology[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) |
| Breakout role | The Red Ranger in *Power Rangers S.P.D.* (2005), filmed over seven months in New Zealand[5](https://www.amny.com/news/brandon-jay-mclaren-talks-new-series-firefly-lane-remake-of-turner-hooch-and-breaking-the-power-rangers-curse/) |
| Signature television | Dale Jakes on *Graceland* (2013–2015); Oliver Yates on *Ransom* (2017–2019, 39 episodes); Elijah Stone on *The Rookie* (2021–2026, 12 episodes); Buckley on *Snowfall* (2022–2023, 14 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) |
| Awards | Best Actor Golden Maple Award (2015) for *Graceland*; Leo Award nomination (2012) for *The Killing*; UBCP/ACTRA Award nomination for *UnReal*[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) |
| Film | *She's the Man* (2006), *Tucker and Dale vs. Evil* (2010), *Plush* (2013), *Dead Before Dawn 3D* (2012)[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) |
| Music | Hip hop album *Songs for TV* with his older brother, released under the name McLaren[4](https://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/entertainment-and-culture/item/105266-brandon-jay-mclaren) |
## Early life and training
McLaren grew up in Vancouver in a Caribbean household shaped by his Grenadian father and Trinidadian mother.[4](https://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/entertainment-and-culture/item/105266-brandon-jay-mclaren) At Johnston Heights Secondary School in [Surrey, British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/surrey-british-columbia), he took theater courses and studied drama for five years, performing with the Johnston Heights Theatre Company.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren) A star soccer player in his youth, he received a full athletic scholarship to the [State University of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-university-of-new-york) at Albany and graduated with a degree in Human Biology before returning to Vancouver to pursue acting full time.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
One detail of the public record is unsettled: IMDb and TVmaze place his birth in 1982, while TVInsider lists 3 July 1981; both give Vancouver as the birthplace.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren) • [6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brandon-jay-mclaren/)
## Breakout and early career
Around 2004, McLaren was cast as the Red Ranger in *Power Rangers S.P.D.* He later described hesitating because of a supposed "Power Rangers curse" that actors who took such roles would not work again, but said the job allowed him to stop waiting tables and focus entirely on acting.[5](https://www.amny.com/news/brandon-jay-mclaren-talks-new-series-firefly-lane-remake-of-turner-hooch-and-breaking-the-power-rangers-curse/) The series filmed for seven months in New Zealand, and after returning to the United States he quickly booked a role in the comedy *[She's the Man](https://www.edgepedia.org/shes-the-man)* (2006).[5](https://www.amny.com/news/brandon-jay-mclaren-talks-new-series-firefly-lane-remake-of-turner-hooch-and-breaking-the-power-rangers-curse/)
Film work from this period includes the cult horror comedy *Tucker and Dale vs. Evil* (2010), which became a [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival) favorite and won the 2012 SXSW Audience Award; the independent feature *Plush*, directed by [Catherine Hardwicke](https://www.edgepedia.org/catherine-hardwicke); and *Dead Before Dawn 3D*.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
## Television run
**Series regular roles.** From 2013 through 2015, McLaren played undercover agent Dale Jakes on the USA drama *Graceland*, winning a Best Actor Golden Maple Award in 2015 for the part.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) He then portrayed psychological profiler Oliver Yates for three seasons on the CBS action-drama *[Ransom](https://www.edgepedia.org/ransom-tv-series)*, appearing in 39 episodes between 2017 and 2019.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren)
**Villains and recurring parts.** On the FX drama *[Snowfall](https://www.edgepedia.org/snowfall-tv-series)*, he played Buckley across seasons five and six, 14 episodes in 2022 and 2023.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) He portrayed crime boss Elijah Stone on *The Rookie* from 2021 to 2026, with a related guest appearance on the spin-off *[The Rookie: Feds](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-rookie-feds)*, and played Jeremy Dolan on *The Cleaning Lady* in 2024.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren) Earlier recurring credits include *Chicago Fire* (NBC), *Slasher* (Chiller Network), *Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce* (Bravo), *Falling Skies* (TNT), *Harper's Island* (CBS), and *The Killing* (AMC), the last earning him a 2012 Leo Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
He also played Xavier Watkins on Disney+'s 2021 reboot of *[Turner & Hooch](https://www.edgepedia.org/turner-and-hooch-tv-series)*, appeared as Travis on the Netflix drama *[Firefly Lane](https://www.edgepedia.org/firefly-lane)* (2021), and played Hamilton Hayes on *Everything's Trash* (2022).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/) • [2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
## Wayward and recent work
In 2025, McLaren took on the role of Officer Dwayne Andrews in *Wayward*, the Netflix limited series starring [Toni Collette](https://www.edgepedia.org/toni-collette) and [Mae Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/mae-martin) that examines the troubled teen industry.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren) • [7](https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/10/23/wayward-star-brandon-mclaren-reflects-on-career-craft-and-humanity/) A *Time* review describes his character as the local partner who initially reassures Martin's newly arrived police officer that the town's open-minded community will treat him like "one of the guys."[8](https://time.com/7319656/wayward-review-netflix/) In interviews about the series, McLaren described his recent characters as connected by a search for belonging, and noted that he worked with his acting hero Toni Collette on the show.[7](https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/10/23/wayward-star-brandon-mclaren-reflects-on-career-craft-and-humanity/)
He has also expanded into production: he executive produced and starred in the independent film *Almost Anything*, which premiered at the Cinequest festival in 2015, and has writing and producing credits on the 2015 film *Milwaukee*.[2](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf) • [9](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2015979/filmography)
## Music and personal life
Outside acting, McLaren has recorded music with his brother Brent; the pair released a hip hop album with R&B and Caribbean influences, *Songs for TV*, under the name McLaren.[4](https://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/entertainment-and-culture/item/105266-brandon-jay-mclaren) • [5](https://www.amny.com/news/brandon-jay-mclaren-talks-new-series-firefly-lane-remake-of-turner-hooch-and-breaking-the-power-rangers-curse/) He resides in Los Angeles.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/)
## References
1. [Brandon Jay McLaren – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1564963/)
2. [Brandon Jay McLaren biography, Disney+ press kit (Turner & Hooch)](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/t_h_brandon_jay_mclaren_05f4648f.pdf)
3. [Brandon Jay McLaren – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15178/brandon-jay-mclaren)
4. [Staying power: our Autumn cover star Brandon Jay McLaren – FQ Magazine](https://www.fqmagazine.co.uk/entertainment-and-culture/item/105266-brandon-jay-mclaren)
5. [Brandon Jay McLaren talks new series 'Firefly Lane,' remake of 'Turner & Hooch' and more – amNewYork](https://www.amny.com/news/brandon-jay-mclaren-talks-new-series-firefly-lane-remake-of-turner-hooch-and-breaking-the-power-rangers-curse/)
6. [Brandon Jay McLaren – TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brandon-jay-mclaren/)
7. ['Wayward' Star Brandon McLaren Reflects on Career, Craft, and Humanity – The Nerds of Color](https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2025/10/23/wayward-star-brandon-mclaren-reflects-on-career-craft-and-humanity/)
8. ['Wayward' Is a Psychological Thriller With Rare Insight – Time](https://time.com/7319656/wayward-review-netflix/)
9. [Filmography: Brandon Jay McLaren – elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2015979/filmography)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames M to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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