Colm Meaney

Biography

Colm J. Meaney (born May 30, 1953) is an acclaimed Irish actor. Born in Dublin, Meaney discovered his passion for acting in his youth and later honed his craft at the Abbey Theatre School before joining the National Theatre of Ireland. He achieved global recognition for his iconic portrayal of Chief Miles O'Brien within the Star Trek franchise, seamlessly transitioning the character from Star Trek: The Next Generation to a leading role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine across a staggering 225 total episodes. Beyond science fiction, Meaney is deeply revered for starring as the quintessential working-class father in all three film adaptations of Roddy Doyle’s beloved Barrytown Trilogy: The Commitments, The Snapper (which earned him a Golden Globe nomination), and The Van. A highly versatile character actor, his prolific Hollywood filmography includes memorable roles in major blockbusters such as Die Hard 2, The Last of the Mohicans, Con Air, and Layer Cake. On the small screen, he delivered powerhouse performances as the ruthless railroad tycoon Thomas C. Durant in AMC's Western series Hell on Wheels and the crime boss Finn Wallace in Gangs of London. An accomplished stage veteran of Broadway and the West End, Meaney was honored with the prestigious Irish Film & Television Academy’s (IFTA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. He continues to remain a vibrant force in the industry, starring in high-profile projects such as the Netflix feature adaptation Remarkably Bright Creatures and the crime drama series The Yank, which reunited him on screen with fellow Star Trek alumnus Kate Mulgrew.

Known For

Law & Order

The Simpsons

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

MacGyver

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Stargate Atlantis

All Movies (115)

• Remarkably Bright Creatures2026 · as Ethan Mack
• Re-Creation2025 · as Ian Bailey
• The Legend of the Happy Worker2025
• Bring Them Down2025 · as Ray
• The Problem with People2024 · as Ciáran
• Duchess2024 · as Frank Monaghan
• The Ballad of Davy Crockett2024 · as Caleb
• No Way Up2024 · as Brandon
• In the Land of Saints and Sinners2023 · as Robert McQue
• There's Always Hope2023 · as Jonathan
• Marlowe2023 · as Bernie Ohls
• Unwelcome2023 · as Colm “Daddy” Whelan
• Three Day Millionaire2022 · as Mr. Barr
• Save the Cinema2022 · as Martyn
• Confession2022 · as Father Peter
• The Monkey2021 · as MacDonell
• Pixie2020 · as Dermot O'Brien
• The Banker2020 · as Patrick Barker
• Seberg2019 · as Frank Ellroy
• The Last Right2019 · as Detective Donall Crowley
• Tolkien2019 · as Father Francis Morgan
• What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine2018 · as Self
• National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof2018 · as Big Daddy
• Halal Daddy2017 · as Martin Logan
• The Journey2017 · as Martin McGuinness
• The Secrets of Emily Blair2016 · as Father Avital
• Pelé: Birth of a Legend2016 · as George Raynor
• Pelé: Birth of a Legend2016 · as Coach George Raynor
• Norm of the North2016 · as Grandfather (voice)
• I Am Your Father2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• A Dangerous Arrangement2015 · as Leslie
• Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...2014 · as Miles O'Brien
• The Devil's Hand2014 · as Elder Beacon
• The Yank2014 · as Fintan McGuire
• Free Birds2013 · as Myles Standish (voice)
• A Belfast Story2013 · as Detective
• One Chance2013 · as Roland Potts
• Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa2013 · as Patt Farrell
• Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds2013 · as Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
• Soldiers of Fortune2012 · as Mason
• The Cold Light of Day2012 · as Bandler
• Bel Ami2012 · as Monsieur Rousset
• Muide Éire2011 · as Self
• The Perfect Stranger2011 · as Mark O'Reilly
• Whole Lotta Sole2011 · as Detective Weller
• The Conspirator2011 · as David Hunter
• The Flight of the Swan2011 · as Giannopoulos
• The Hot Potato2011 · as Harry
• Alleged2010 · as H.L. Mencken
• Parked2010 · as Fred Daly
• Get Him to the Greek2010 · as Jonathan Snow
• The Race2009 · as Frank Kensay
• Law Abiding Citizen2009 · as Detective Dunnigan
• The Damned United2009 · as Don Revie
• Three and Out2008 · as Tommy Cassidy
• Unnatural Causes2008 · as Trevor Jones
• Kings2007 · as Joe Mullan
• Five Fingers2006 · as Gavin
• Caved In: Prehistoric Terror2006 · as Vincent
• A Lobster Tale2006 · as Cody
• Turning Green2005 · as Tom
• Battle of the Brave2004 · as Benjamin Franklin
• Layer Cake2004 · as Gene
• The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold2004 · as Inspector Brackenreid
• The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying2004 · as Inspector Brackenreid
• Bad Apple2004 · as Gibbons
• Renegade2004 · as Jimmy McClure
• Deep Space Nine: Ending an Era2003 · as Self
• The Boys & Girl from County Clare2003 · as Jimmy
• Intermission2003 · as Jerry Lynch
• King of Texas2002 · as Mr. Tumlinson
• How Harry Became a Tree2002 · as Harry
• Random Passage2002 · as Thomas Hutchings
• Backflash2002 · as Gin O'Malley
• Chapter Zero1999 · as Frank Lazaras
• Mystery, Alaska1999 · as Mayor Scott Pitcher
• Four Days1999 · as Fury
• This Is My Father1999 · as Seamus
• Money Kings1998 · as Al Sheehan
• Claire Dolan1998 · as Roland Cain
• October 221998 · as Steve
• Monument Ave.1998 · as Jackie O'Hara
• Owd Bob1998 · as Keith Moore
• Con Air1997 · as Agent Duncan Malloy
• The Last of the High Kings1996 · as Jim Davern
• The Van1996 · as Larry
• The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations1996 · as Self
• Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond1996 · as Self
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior1995 · as Miles O'Brien
• The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain1995 · as Morgan the Goat
• The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek1995 · as Self
• The Road to Wellville1994 · as Dr. Lionel Badger
• War of the Buttons1994 · as Geronimo's Dad
• Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation1994 · as Self
• The Snapper1993 · as Dessie Curley
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes1993 · as Himself
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary1993 · as Miles O'Brien
• Into the West1992 · as Barreller
• Under Siege1992 · as Daumer
• The Last of the Mohicans1992 · as Major Ambrose
• Far and Away1992 · as Kelly
• The Commitments1991 · as Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
• Come See the Paradise1990 · as Gerry McGurn
• Die Hard 21990 · as Windsor Plane - Pilot
• Dick Tracy1990 · as Cop at Tess'
• Perfect Witness1989 · as Meagher
• The Gambler: The Legend Continues1987 · as Tinkerer
• The Dead1987 · as Mr. Bergin
• Omega Syndrome1986 · as Sean
• Easter 20161982 · as Kevin Murphy
• Nailed1981 · as Younger Protestant
• Shelter Me—
• The Panic— · as J. Pierpont Morgan
• The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes— · as Jack
• Hal—

All TV Shows (39)

• Safe Harbor2025 · as Kieran Walsh
• The Santa Stories2023 · as The No Man/ Bill
• Scary Tales of New York2023 · as Storyteller
• The Serpent Queen2022 · as Francis I of France
• Fúria2021
• Back to Barrytown2021 · as Self / Narrator
• The Singapore Grip2020 · as Major Brendan Archer
• Gangs of London2020 · as Finn Wallace
• Will2017 · as James Burbage
• The Cowboy2016 · as Self
• Childhood's End2015 · as Wainwright
• The Driver2014 · as The Horse
• Hell on Wheels2011 · as Thomas 'Doc' Durant
• Alice2009 · as King of Hearts
• Mercy2009
• ZOS: Zone of Separation2009 · as George Titac
• Men in Trees2006 · as Bob O'Donnell
• Covert One: The Hades Factor2006 · as Peter Howell
• The Unit2006 · as Charge D'Affaires
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia2005 · as Shelley Kelly
• Stargate Atlantis2004 · as Cowen
• The Murdoch Mysteries2004 · as Inspector Brackenreid
• Random Passage2002
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent2001 · as Harold Garrett
• The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns1999 · as Seamus Muldoon
• Scarlett1994 · as Father Colum O'Hara
• Gargoyles1994 · as Mr. Dugan (voice)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine1993 · as Miles O'Brien
• Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman1993 · as Jake Slicker
• Brooklyn Bridge1991
• Law & Order1990 · as Wyatt Landon
• The Simpsons1989 · as Tom O'Flanagan (voice)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation1987 · as Miles O'Brien
• MacGyver1985 · as Irwin Malcolm
• Moonlighting1985 · as Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany)
• Screen Two1985 · as Dessie Curley
• Tales from the Darkside1984 · as Constable
• Strangers1978 · as Peter Smolett
• The Late Late Show1962 · as Self