Photo of Colm Meaney
Acting

Colm Meaney

Profession
Acting
Born
May 30, 1953 · Dublin, Ireland

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

The Simpsons poster
The Simpsons
Series · 1989 · ★ 8.0
Die Hard 2 poster
Die Hard 2
Film · 1990 · ★ 7.0
Law Abiding Citizen poster
Law Abiding Citizen
Film · 2009 · ★ 7.4
Con Air poster
Con Air
Film · 1997 · ★ 6.8
The Last of the Mohicans poster
The Last of the Mohicans
Film · 1992 · ★ 7.4
Layer Cake poster
Layer Cake
Film · 2004 · ★ 6.9
Get Him to the Greek poster
Get Him to the Greek
Film · 2010 · ★ 6.0
Star Trek: The Next Generation poster
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Series · 1987 · ★ 8.4
Under Siege poster
Under Siege
Film · 1992 · ★ 6.3
Tolkien poster
Tolkien
Film · 2019 · ★ 6.9
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Series · 2005 · ★ 8.2
Far and Away poster
Far and Away
Film · 1992 · ★ 6.8

Filmography