
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.
Filmography

Remarkably Bright Creatures
2026
as Ethan Mack

Re-Creation
2025
as Ian Bailey

The Legend of the Happy Worker
2025

Bring Them Down
2025
as Ray

The Problem with People
2024
as Ciáran

Duchess
2024
as Frank Monaghan

The Ballad of Davy Crockett
2024
as Caleb

No Way Up
2024
as Brandon

In the Land of Saints and Sinners
2023
as Robert McQue

There's Always Hope
2023
as Jonathan

Marlowe
2023
as Bernie Ohls

Unwelcome
2023
as Colm “Daddy” Whelan

Three Day Millionaire
2022
as Mr. Barr

Save the Cinema
2022
as Martyn

Confession
2022
as Father Peter

The Monkey
2021
as MacDonell

Pixie
2020
as Dermot O'Brien

The Banker
2020
as Patrick Barker

Seberg
2019
as Frank Ellroy

The Last Right
2019
as Detective Donall Crowley

Tolkien
2019
as Father Francis Morgan

What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
2018
as Self

National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
2018
as Big Daddy

Halal Daddy
2017
as Martin Logan