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Colm Meaney

Colm Meaney

Actor, also producer · Born May 30, 1953 (73) · Dublin, Ireland

Golden Globe nominee

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 30, 1953 (73)
From
Dublin, Ireland
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
98 on MovieCove · 142 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What are Colm Meaney's films like?

Across their 73 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 66 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 30 · Serious 17 · Dark 19

A split, not a type: Grounded 36 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 7

Gentle 17 · Charged 32 · Intense 17

Steady 29 · Shifting 32 · Whiplash 5

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 17

Slow burn 20 · Even-paced 38 · Relentless 8

A split, not a type: Casual 30 · Engaged 29 · Full focus 7

A split, not a type: Easy watch 27 · Affecting 23 · Heavy 16

Resolved 48 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

49 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 13 of 49 analyzed roles.

Mentor
13 of 49
Shadow
11 of 49
Hero
8 of 49
Threshold guardian
6 of 49
Herald
4 of 49
Shapeshifter
4 of 49
Ally
2 of 49
Trickster
1 of 49
Show the 49 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
44
Warm
20
Melancholic
25
Hopeful
19
Contemplative
16
Other
64

How their films end · 14 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet33
  • Tragic9
  • Ambiguous14

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Colm Meaney's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 64 of their 98 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (28).

Subscription and free streaming for Colm Meaney's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

142 credits, 98 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Remarkably Bright Creatures(2026)

    as Ethan Mack

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Re-creation(2025)

    as Ian Bailey

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Bring Them Down(2024)

    as Ray

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Safe Harbor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Kieran Walsh

  • The Problem with People(2024)

    as Ciáran

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Duchess(2024)

    as Frank Monaghan

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
  • No Way Up(2024)

    as Brandon

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
  • The Santa Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as The No Man/ Bill

  • Scary Tales of New York(2023)

    Show 6 episodes · as Storyteller

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)
  • Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • There's Always Hope(2021)

    as Jonathan

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • Marlowe(2022)

    as Bernie Ohls

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • Unwelcome(2022)

    as Colm “Daddy” Whelan

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Three Day Millionaire(2022)

    Executive Producer · as Mr. Barr

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • The Serpent Queen(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Francis I of France

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Save the Cinema(2022)

    as Martyn

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Confession(2022)

    as Father Peter

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
  • Fúria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Monkey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as MacDonell

  • Pixie(2020)

    as Dermot O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Singapore Grip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as Major Brendan Archer

  • Gangs of London(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · as Finn Wallace

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
  • The Banker(2020)

    as Patrick Barker

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Seberg(2019)

    as Frank Ellroy

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Last Right(2019)

    as Detective Donall Crowley

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Tolkien(2019)

    as Father Francis Morgan

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Big Daddy

  • Will(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · as James Burbage

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
  • Halal Daddy(2017)

    Producer · as Martin Logan

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • The Journey(2016)

    as Martin McGuinness

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • The Secrets of Emily Blair(2016)

    as Father Avital

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • Pele: Birth of a Legend(2016)

    as George Raynor · as Coach George Raynor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Norm of the North(2016)

    as Grandfather (voice)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Childhood's End(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Wainwright

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows
  • I Am Your Father(2015)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • A Dangerous Arrangement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Leslie

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Miles O'Brien

  • The Devil's Hand(2014)

    as Elder Beacon

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • The Driver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as The Horse

  • The Yank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Fintan McGuire

  • Free Birds(2013)

    as Myles Standish (voice)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • A Belfast Story(2013)

    as Detective

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • One Chance(2013)

    as Roland Potts

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Alan Partridge(2013)

    as Patt Farrell

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Chief Miles O'Brien (archive footage)

  • Soldiers of Fortune(2012)

    as Mason

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
  • The Cold Light of Day(2012)

    as Bandler

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • Bel Ami(2012)

    as Monsieur Rousset

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Hell on Wheels(2011)

    Show 57 episodes · as Thomas 'Doc' Durant

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • The Perfect Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Mark O'Reilly

  • Stand Off(2011)

    as Detective Weller

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • The Conspirator(2010)

    as David Hunter

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • The Flight of the Swan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Giannopoulos

  • The Hot Potato(2012)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • Alleged(2010)

    as H.L. Mencken

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • Parked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Fred Daly

  • Get Him to the Greek(2010)

    as Jonathan Snow

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Alice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as King of Hearts

  • The Race (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Frank Kensay

  • Law Abiding Citizen(2009)

    as Detective Dunnigan

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Mercy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Damned United(2009)

    as Don Revie

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • ZOS: Zone of Separation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 8 episodes · as George Titac

  • A Deal Is a Deal(2008)

    as Tommy Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Unnatural Causes(2008)

    as Trevor Jones

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • Kings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Joe Mullan

  • Men in Trees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bob O'Donnell

  • Five Fingers(2006)

    as Gavin

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Covert One: The Hades Factor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Peter Howell

  • The Unit(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Charge D'Affaires

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Caved In(2006)

    as Vincent

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • A Lobster Tale(2006)

    as Cody

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Shelley Kelly

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Turning Green (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Tom

  • Battle of the Brave(2004)

    as Benjamin Franklin

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • Layer Cake(2004)

    as Gene

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • The Murdoch Mysteries: Poor Tom Is Cold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Inspector Brackenreid

  • Stargate: Atlantis(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Cowen

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • The Murdoch Mysteries(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Inspector Brackenreid

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • The Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Inspector Brackenreid

  • Bad Apple(2004)

    as Gibbons

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Renegade(2004)

    as Jimmy McClure

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Intermission(2003)

    as Jerry Lynch

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • King of Texas(2002)

    as Mr. Tumlinson

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Random Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Thomas Hutchings

  • Random Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Backflash(2001)

    as Gin O'Malley

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Harold Garrett

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
  • Chapter Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Frank Lazaras

  • The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Seamus Muldoon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
  • Mystery, Alaska(1999)

    as Mayor Scott Pitcher

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Four Days(1999)

    as Fury

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • This Is My Father(1998)

    as Seamus

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • Vig(1998)

    as Al Sheehan

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Claire Dolan(1998)

    as Roland Cain

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • October 22 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Steve

  • Monument Ave.(1998)

    as Jackie O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Owd Bob(1998)

    as Keith Moore

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Con Air(1997)

    as Agent Duncan Malloy

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • The Last of the High Kings(1996)

    as Jim Davern

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • The Van(1996)

    as Larry

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the Warrior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Miles O'Brien

  • Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Scarlett(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Father Colum O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows
  • The Road to Wellville(1994)

    as Dr. Lionel Badger

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Gargoyles(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Dugan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • War of the Buttons(1994)

    as Geronimo's Dad

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • The Snapper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Dessie Curley

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Emissary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Miles O'Brien

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)

    Show 173 episodes · as Miles O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Jake Slicker

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Into the West(1992)

    as Barreller

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Under Siege(1992)

    as Daumer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Last of the Mohicans(1992)

    as Major Ambrose

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Far and Away(1992)

    as Kelly

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Brooklyn Bridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Commitments(1991)

    as Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Wyatt Landon

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Come See the Paradise(1990)

    as Gerry McGurn

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Die Hard 2(1990)

    as Windsor Plane - Pilot

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Dick Tracy(1990)

    as Cop at Tess'

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom O'Flanagan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Perfect Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Meagher

  • Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)

    Show 53 episodes · as Miles O'Brien

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • The Dead(1987)

    as Mr. Bergin

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Omega Syndrome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Sean

  • MacGyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Irwin Malcolm

  • Moonlighting(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Keterina Suitor (as Colm Meany)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Dessie Curley

  • Tales from the Darkside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Constable

  • Easter 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Kevin Murphy

  • Nailed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Younger Protestant

  • Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Smolett

  • Hal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Shelter Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Jack

  • The Panic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as J. Pierpont Morgan

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 142 titles, 138 of them dated from 1978 to 2026; peak year 2012.

Film career

19782026

Peak 2012 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 25 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting142 of 142: 141 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thProducing1 of 142: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s33 · acting2000s33 · acting2010s34 · acting2020s25 · 25 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 9% of 54 roles
879707121722

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Golden Globe in 1994, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Colm Meaney's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 78; across their 66 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Midcredits score across 98 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up28
  • 50th to 74th28
  • 25th to 49th20
  • Below 25th22

Shape of the crowd

43 of their 98 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser43
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed34

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 62 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Colm Meaney's work okay for kids?

Across up to 32 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore24 titles20–89 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity32 titles15–61 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity23 titles18–83 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs22 titles23–71 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense23 titles27–72 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Colm Meaney work with?

People who share at least 2 of Colm Meaney's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter Touche shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles