Career
Stage
De Lancie began his professional career in theatre. He worked with major regional companies including the American Shakespeare Festival, the Seattle Repertory Company, South Coast Repertory, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Old Globe Theatre.2 Later stage work included a production of Arthur Miller's Resurrection Blues.
Television
His first television credit was the miniseries Captains and the Kings (1976).3 He spent several years on the daytime serial Days of Our Lives (1982-1986; 1989-1990) as the eccentric Eugene Bradford, a role that built his recognizability with daytime audiences.2
The role that defined his career arrived in 1987, when he was cast as Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation.2 Q is an omnipotent being who delights in testing humanity, frequently targeting Captain Jean-Luc Picard. De Lancie appeared in eight episodes of The Next Generation (1987-1994), and Q's popularity led to recurring appearances in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Lower Decks.2 He reprised the character for Star Trek: Picard (seasons 2-3), and returned again for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2025), cementing Q as one of the most enduring characters in the Trek universe.2 He co-wrote the Star Trek novel I, Q with author Peter David.2
Other notable television roles include General Frank Simmons, a recurring antagonist in Stargate SG-1 (2001-2002); Donald Margolis, the father of Jesse Pinkman's girlfriend Jane, in Breaking Bad (2009-2010); and Agent Allen Shapiro in the BBC/Starz co-production Torchwood: Miracle Day (2011).3
Since 2011, de Lancie has voiced Discord, a chaotic spirit of disharmony, in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (24 episodes through 2019).2 The character was explicitly inspired by Q, which led to a devoted adult fan following among the Bronies community. De Lancie created and co-produced the documentary Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony (2012), funded via a Kickstarter campaign that raised $322,022.2
Film
De Lancie's film credits include The Onion Field (1979), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), an uncredited appearance as a letter reader in Saving Private Ryan (1998), Reign Over Me (2007), and Crank: High Voltage (2009).3
Voice acting and animation
Beyond Extreme Ghostbusters and My Little Pony, de Lancie's distinctive voice has appeared in Invader Zim, Duck Dodgers, Young Justice, and DC Super Hero Girls (as Mr. Freeze, 2019).3
Video games
His video game credits include reprising Q in Star Trek: Borg and Star Trek Timelines; William Miles in Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011) and Assassin's Creed III (2012); Alarak in StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (2015); and Geist in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen (2017).2
Music and narration
Growing up in a household centered on classical music, de Lancie developed a parallel career as a narrator for orchestral performances. He has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and others.2 In May 2006 he made his operatic directing debut, helming Puccini's Tosca for the Atlanta Opera.2
Ghostbusters
Extreme Ghostbusters (1997)
De Lancie guest-starred in Extreme Ghostbusters in the episode "Heart of Darkness," voicing the main antagonist Edward Kirilian.1 In the episode, Kirilian is a scientist who built a gateway machine, Kirilian's Gateway, hidden in a civil defense shelter beneath an abandoned New Jersey junior high school. His goal was to breach the ghost dimension and open a cross-dimensional rift to the Netherworld, using stolen objects including the LB-7 laser device and the Toltec Skulls. Kirilian brought Egon Spengler to witness what he called "the dawn of a new age" before Egon overloaded the machine by tearing out its control panel.4 De Lancie's theatrical, commanding delivery was well suited to Kirilian's grandiose villainy.
Personal life
De Lancie married actress Marnie Mosiman in 1984.2 They have two sons: Keegan de Lancie (born 1984), who appeared alongside his father in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Q2," and Owen (born 1987).2 De Lancie is an experienced ocean sailor on the Pacific.2
De Lancie is an outspoken advocate for secular humanism and science education. On May 28, 2016, the American Humanist Association presented him with its Humanist Arts Award.2 On June 4, 2016, he spoke at the Reason Rally in Washington, D.C.2 In July 2017 he attended the unveiling of a Clarence Darrow statue at the site of the 1925 Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee, and in October 2019 he announced projects related to the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District evolution case.2
