Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American actor, blogger, voice actor and writer. He is known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me, Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers, and for his recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Wheaton was born July 29, 1972, in Burbank, California, the son of Debra Nordean "Debbie" (née O'Connor), an actress, and Richard William Wheaton, Jr., a medical specialist. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. Both appeared uncredited in the episode "When the Bough Breaks" of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Amy also appeared alongside Wil in The Curse.
Wheaton made his acting debut in the 1981 television film A Long Way Home, and his first cinema role was as Martin Brisby in the 1982 animated film The Secret of NIMH, the movie adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. He had a minor role in the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter as Louis' friend, but it was cut. He first gained widespread attention in 1986, for playing Gordie Lachance in Stand by Me, the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Body.
Oh my Mama
She gave me these feathered breaths
Oh my Mama
She told me use your voice,
My little bird
She said sing sing sing sing sing sing melodies
And she sang sang sang sang sang sang melodies
Oh my Mama
She did give me fancy feet
I'll be dancing on
And I'll tap tap tap my toes
Into those creaking floorboards
Oh my Mama
She took my little hand and held on tight
Oh the Mamas
Give the waters of their wells
Oh the Mamas
Give the babies this very dirt we're walking on
Oh my Mama
She gave me these feathered breaths
And your Mama
She gave you those feathered breaths too
And when the sky drops all those feathers
And when the birds sing in the morning
I'll be a mama
I'll have a daughter
I'll be a mama
I'll have a daughter
And I'll give her melodies
I'll give her melodies
(repeat)
And she'll be
My little bird
And then she'll fly