Crew Profile: Miles O'Brien

How a bit part became the Enterprise-D's transporter chief as Colm Meaney powered up his acting career

As I work through the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes for WAMTNG, an inevitably recurring theme has been the gradual development of Colm Meaney’s character from his humble origins as ‘Battle Bridge Conn’, through a brief stint in security, up to becoming our beloved Transporter Chief. He not only got a job, he got a surname - and eventually a forename too! - and an entire rank and Starfleet career path previously not hinted at came into being.

But Colm Meaney’s rising star within TNG is only half of his story, as the increasing attention they paid him on the show came with greater opportunities elsewhere in television and film, and eventually launched a career that many of the bit part players in Trek could only dream of…