Colm Meaney
Born: 1953-05-30 in Dublin, Ireland
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2026
- Remarkably Bright Creatures as Ethan Mack
2025
- Safe Harbor as Kieran Walsh
- Bring Them Down as Ray
- Re-Creation as Ian Bailey
- The Legend of the Happy Worker
2024
- No Way Up as Brandon
- Duchess as Frank Monaghan
- The Ballad of Davy Crockett as Caleb
- The Problem with People as Ciáran
2023
- In the Land of Saints and Sinners as Robert McQue
- Marlowe as Bernie Ohls
- Unwelcome as Colm “Daddy” Whelan
- Scary Tales of New York as Storyteller
- The Santa Stories as The No Man/ Bill
- There's Always Hope as Jonathan
2022
- The Serpent Queen as Francis I of France
- Three Day Millionaire as Mr. Barr
- Save the Cinema as Martyn
- Confession as Father Peter
2021
- Fúria
- The Monkey as MacDonell
- Back to Barrytown as Self / Narrator
2020
- Gangs of London as Finn Wallace
- The Banker as Patrick Barker
- The Singapore Grip as Major Brendan Archer
- Pixie as Dermot O'Brien
2019
- Tolkien as Father Francis Morgan
- Seberg as Frank Ellroy
- The Last Right as Detective Donall Crowley
2018
2017
- Will as James Burbage
- Halal Daddy as Martin Logan
- The Journey as Martin McGuinness
2016
- Norm of the North as Grandfather (voice)
- Pelé: Birth of a Legend as George Raynor
- The Cowboy as Self
- The Secrets of Emily Blair as Father Avital
2015
- Childhood's End as Wainwright
- I Am Your Father as Narrator (voice)
- A Dangerous Arrangement as Leslie
2014
- The Driver as The Horse
- The Devil's Hand as Elder Beacon
- Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things... as Miles O'Brien
- The Yank as Fintan McGuire
2013
- Free Birds as Myles Standish (voice)
- One Chance as Roland Potts
- Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa as Patt Farrell
- Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds as Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)
- A Belfast Story as Detective
2012
- Bel Ami as Monsieur Rousset
- The Cold Light of Day as Bandler
- Soldiers of Fortune as Mason
2011
- Hell on Wheels as Thomas 'Doc' Durant
- The Conspirator as David Hunter
- Whole Lotta Sole as Detective Weller
- The Hot Potato as Harry
- The Flight of the Swan as Giannopoulos
- The Perfect Stranger as Mark O'Reilly
- Muide Éire as Self
2010
- Get Him to the Greek as Jonathan Snow
- Parked as Fred Daly
- Alleged as H.L. Mencken
2009
- Law Abiding Citizen as Detective Dunnigan
- Mercy
- Alice as King of Hearts
- The Damned United as Don Revie
- ZOS: Zone of Separation as George Titac
- The Race as Frank Kensay
2008
- Three and Out as Tommy Cassidy
- Unnatural Causes as Trevor Jones
2007
- Kings as Joe Mullan
2006
- The Unit as Charge D'Affaires
- Men in Trees as Bob O'Donnell
- Covert One: The Hades Factor as Peter Howell
- Five Fingers as Gavin
- Caved In: Prehistoric Terror as Vincent
- A Lobster Tale as Cody
2005
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Shelley Kelly
- Turning Green as Tom
2004
- Stargate Atlantis as Cowen
- Layer Cake as Gene
- Blueberry as Jimmy McClure
- The Murdoch Mysteries as Inspector Brackenreid
- Battle of the Brave as Benjamin Franklin
- Bad Apple as Gibbons
- The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying as Inspector Brackenreid
- The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold as Inspector Brackenreid
2003
- Intermission as Jerry Lynch
- The Boys & Girl from County Clare as Jimmy
- Deep Space Nine: Ending an Era as Self
2002
- Backflash as Gin O'Malley
- King of Texas as Mr. Tumlinson
- Random Passage
- How Harry Became a Tree as Harry
- Random Passage as Thomas Hutchings
2001
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Harold Garrett
1999
- The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns as Seamus Muldoon
- Mystery, Alaska as Mayor Scott Pitcher
- This Is My Father as Seamus
- Four Days as Fury
- Chapter Zero as Frank Lazaras
1998
- Owd Bob as Keith Moore
- Claire Dolan as Roland Cain
- Money Kings as Al Sheehan
- Monument Ave. as Jackie O'Hara
- October 22 as Steve
1997
- Con Air as Agent Duncan Malloy
1996
- The Last of the High Kings as Jim Davern
- Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond as Self
- The Van as Larry
- The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations as Self
1995
- The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain as Morgan the Goat
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior as Miles O'Brien
- The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek as Self
1994
- Gargoyles as Mr. Dugan (voice)
- Scarlett as Father Colum O'Hara
- The Road to Wellville as Dr. Lionel Badger
- War of the Buttons as Geronimo's Dad
- Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation as Self
1993
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Miles O'Brien
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman as Jake Slicker
- The Snapper as Dessie Curley
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes as Himself
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary as Miles O'Brien
1992
- Under Siege as Daumer
- The Last of the Mohicans as Major Ambrose
- Far and Away as Kelly
- Into the West as Barreller
1991
- Brooklyn Bridge
- The Commitments as Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
1990
- Law & Order as Wyatt Landon
- Die Hard 2 as Windsor Plane - Pilot
- Dick Tracy as Cop at Tess'
- Come See the Paradise as Gerry McGurn
1989
- The Simpsons as Tom O'Flanagan (voice)
- Perfect Witness as Meagher
1987
- Star Trek: The Next Generation as Miles O'Brien
- The Dead as Mr. Bergin
- The Gambler: The Legend Continues as Tinkerer
1986
- Omega Syndrome as Sean
1985
- MacGyver as Irwin Malcolm
- Moonlighting as Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany)
- Screen Two as Dessie Curley
1984
- Tales from the Darkside as Constable
1982
- Easter 2016 as Kevin Murphy
1981
- Nailed as Younger Protestant
1978
- Strangers as Peter Smolett
1962
- The Late Late Show as Self