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