Acting · Dublin, Ireland · Born May 30, 1953
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.
MovieRemarkably Bright Creatures
2026
as Ethan Mack
MovieRe-Creation
2025
as Ian Bailey
MovieThe Legend of the Happy Worker
2025
MovieBring Them Down
2025
as Ray
TVSafe Harbor
2025
as Kieran Walsh
MovieThe Problem with People
2024
as Ciáran
MovieDuchess
2024
as Frank Monaghan
MovieThe Ballad of Davy Crockett
2024
as Caleb
MovieNo Way Up
2024
as Brandon
TVThe Santa Stories
2023
as The No Man/ Bill
Scary Tales of New York
2023
as Storyteller
MovieIn the Land of Saints and Sinners
2023
as Robert McQue
MovieThere's Always Hope
2023
as Jonathan
MovieMarlowe
2023
as Bernie Ohls
MovieUnwelcome
2023
as Colm “Daddy” Whelan
MovieThree Day Millionaire
2022
as Mr. Barr
TVThe Serpent Queen
2022
as Francis I of France
MovieSave the Cinema
2022
as Martyn
MovieConfession
2022
as Father Peter
TVFúria
2021
MovieThe Monkey
2021
as MacDonell
TVBack to Barrytown
2021
as Self / Narrator
MoviePixie
2020
as Dermot O'Brien
TVThe Singapore Grip
2020
as Major Brendan Archer
TVGangs of London
2020
as Finn Wallace
MovieThe Banker
2020
as Patrick Barker
MovieSeberg
2019
as Frank Ellroy
MovieThe Last Right
2019
as Detective Donall Crowley
MovieTolkien
2019
as Father Francis Morgan
MovieWhat We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
2018
as Self
MovieNational Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
2018
as Big Daddy
TVWill
2017
as James Burbage
MovieHalal Daddy
2017
as Martin Logan
MovieThe Journey
2017
as Martin McGuinness
MovieThe Secrets of Emily Blair
2016
as Father Avital
MoviePelé: Birth of a Legend
2016
as George Raynor
TVThe Cowboy
2016
as Self
MovieNorm of the North
2016
as Grandfather (voice)
TVChildhood's End
2015
as Wainwright
MovieI Am Your Father
2015
as Narrator (voice)
MovieA Dangerous Arrangement
2015
as Leslie
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
2014
as Miles O'Brien
MovieThe Devil's Hand
2014
as Elder Beacon
TVThe Driver
2014
as The Horse
MovieThe Yank
2014
as Fintan McGuire
MovieFree Birds
2013
as Myles Standish (voice)
MovieA Belfast Story
2013
as Detective
MovieOne Chance
2013
as Roland Potts
MovieAlan Partridge: Alpha Papa
2013
as Patt Farrell
MovieStar Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
2013
as Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
MovieSoldiers of Fortune
2012
as Mason
MovieThe Cold Light of Day
2012
as Bandler
MovieBel Ami
2012
as Monsieur Rousset
MovieMuide Éire
2011
as Self
TVHell on Wheels
2011
as Thomas 'Doc' Durant
MovieThe Perfect Stranger
2011
as Mark O'Reilly
MovieWhole Lotta Sole
2011
as Detective Weller
MovieThe Conspirator
2011
as David Hunter
MovieThe Flight of the Swan
2011
as Giannopoulos
MovieThe Hot Potato
2011
as Harry
MovieAlleged
2010
as H.L. Mencken
MovieParked
2010
as Fred Daly
MovieGet Him to the Greek
2010
as Jonathan Snow
TVAlice
2009
as King of Hearts
MovieThe Race
2009
as Frank Kensay
MovieLaw Abiding Citizen
2009
as Detective Dunnigan
TVMercy
2009
MovieThe Damned United
2009
as Don Revie
TVZOS: Zone of Separation
2009
as George Titac
MovieThree and Out
2008
as Tommy Cassidy
MovieUnnatural Causes
2008
as Trevor Jones
MovieKings
2007
as Joe Mullan
TVMen in Trees
2006
as Bob O'Donnell
MovieFive Fingers
2006
as Gavin
TVCovert One: The Hades Factor
2006
as Peter Howell
TVThe Unit
2006
as Charge D'Affaires
MovieCaved In: Prehistoric Terror
2006
as Vincent
MovieA Lobster Tale
2006
as Cody
TVIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005
as Shelley Kelly
MovieTurning Green
2005
as Tom
MovieBattle of the Brave
2004
as Benjamin Franklin
MovieLayer Cake
2004
as Gene
MovieThe Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold
2004
as Inspector Brackenreid
TVStargate Atlantis
2004
as Cowen
MovieThe Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying
2004
as Inspector Brackenreid
TVThe Murdoch Mysteries
2004
as Inspector Brackenreid
MovieBad Apple
2004
as Gibbons
MovieBlueberry
2004
as Jimmy McClure
MovieDeep Space Nine: Ending an Era
2003
as Self
MovieThe Boys & Girl from County Clare
2003
as Jimmy
MovieIntermission
2003
as Jerry Lynch
MovieKing of Texas
2002
as Mr. Tumlinson
MovieHow Harry Became a Tree
2002
as Harry
MovieRandom Passage
2002
as Thomas Hutchings
TVRandom Passage
2002
MovieBackflash
2002
as Gin O'Malley
TVLaw & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Harold Garrett
MovieChapter Zero
1999
as Frank Lazaras
TVThe Magical Legend of the Leprechauns
1999
as Seamus Muldoon
MovieMystery, Alaska
1999
as Mayor Scott Pitcher
MovieFour Days
1999
as Fury
MovieThis Is My Father
1999
as Seamus
MovieMoney Kings
1998
as Al Sheehan
MovieClaire Dolan
1998
as Roland Cain
MovieOctober 22
1998
as Steve
MovieMonument Ave.
1998
as Jackie O'Hara
MovieOwd Bob
1998
as Keith Moore
MovieCon Air
1997
as Agent Duncan Malloy
MovieThe Last of the High Kings
1996
as Jim Davern
MovieThe Van
1996
as Larry
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
1996
as Self
MovieStar Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
as Self
MovieStar Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior
1995
as Miles O'Brien
MovieThe Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
1995
as Morgan the Goat
MovieThe New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
1995
as Self
TVScarlett
1994
as Father Colum O'Hara
MovieThe Road to Wellville
1994
as Dr. Lionel Badger
TVGargoyles
1994
as Mr. Dugan (voice)
MovieWar of the Buttons
1994
as Geronimo's Dad
MovieJourney's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
1994
as Self
MovieThe Snapper
1993
as Dessie Curley
MovieStar Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
1993
as Himself
MovieStar Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary
1993
as Miles O'Brien
TVStar Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Miles O'Brien
TVDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
1993
as Jake Slicker
MovieInto the West
1992
as Barreller
MovieUnder Siege
1992
as Daumer
MovieThe Last of the Mohicans
1992
as Major Ambrose
MovieFar and Away
1992
as Kelly
TVBrooklyn Bridge
1991
MovieThe Commitments
1991
as Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
TVLaw & Order
1990
as Wyatt Landon
MovieCome See the Paradise
1990
as Gerry McGurn
MovieDie Hard 2
1990
as Windsor Plane - Pilot
MovieDick Tracy
1990
as Cop at Tess'
TVThe Simpsons
1989
as Tom O'Flanagan (voice)
MoviePerfect Witness
1989
as Meagher
MovieThe Gambler: The Legend Continues
1987
as Tinkerer
TVStar Trek: The Next Generation
1987
as Miles O'Brien
MovieThe Dead
1987
as Mr. Bergin
MovieOmega Syndrome
1986
as Sean
TVMacGyver
1985
as Irwin Malcolm
TVMoonlighting
1985
as Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany)
TVScreen Two
1985
as Dessie Curley
TVTales from the Darkside
1984
as Constable
MovieEaster 2016
1982
as Kevin Murphy
MovieNailed
1981
as Younger Protestant
TVStrangers
1978
as Peter Smolett
TVThe Late Late Show
1962
as Self
Shelter Me
MovieThe Panic
as J. Pierpont Morgan
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
as Jack
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