A charismatic actor with piercing blue eyes, Colm Meaney has established himself as one of the leading figures in Irish cinema and television. From The Commitments to Star Trek and Hell on Wheels, his impressive filmography and acting skills have made him a star in Ireland and far beyond. Portrait of a passionate and committed artist.
Born into a modest Dublin family in 1953, Colm Meaney developed a passion for acting at an early age. After studying at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his theatrical career in Ireland in the 1970s. A prolific decade followed, during which he performed over twenty plays with various Irish troupes. His raw talent and stage presence quickly made him a rising star on the Irish theater scene.
Although he appeared in a few films in the early 80s, it was his role in the famous 1991 musical The Commitments that brought him to the attention of the general public. He plays Jimmy Rabbitte, manager of a Dublin soul band. This was followed by an intense decade of filming, during which he distinguished himself in some fifteen Irish and international films, including Under Siege, The Snapper and The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.
But the role that made him world-famous was that of Chief Miles O’Brien in the flagship science-fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation, then Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for 7 seasons in the early 90s. His character, an irascible, big-hearted chief engineer, is fast becoming a Star Trek fan favorite! This exposure opened the door to Hollywood and numerous supporting roles in American blockbusters such as Dick Tracy, Killer: One Day Too Many and Get Him to the Greek.
Despite his success on the other side of the Atlantic, Colm Meaney remains very attached to his Irish roots. Throughout his career, he continued to appear regularly in films and series produced in Ireland. He starred in Kings in 2007, then played Harry Morgan in the acclaimed 5-season series Hell on Wheels, about the construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States.
More recently, he lends his features to Tom Garvey, the violent patriarch of a Mafia family in 2016’s The Journey. The same year, he returned to the stage in Ireland with the lead role in the award-winning play The Property Man, directed by his friend Jim Sheridan. Proof that at nearly 70, Colm Meaney’s passion for Irish cinema and stage remains intact!
With a hundred films and series to his credit in a career spanning almost 40 years, the indefatigable Colm Meaney has carved out a special place for himself on the Irish cultural scene, moving with equal talent from the small to the big screen. A prolific actor with a certain charisma, his weathered face remains one of the most recognizable figures of the Irish film industry. And at nearly 70 years of age, he still hasn’t decided to hang up the show business he’s so passionate about!
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