John de Lancie

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person John Sherwood de Lancie, Jr. (born March 20, 1948) is an American actor, best known for his role as Q in various Star Trek series, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 and leading up to the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in 2025.

De Lancie's first television role was in Captains and the Kings in 1976. His other television series roles include Eugene Bradford in Days of Our Lives (1982–1986; 1989–1990), Frank Simmons in Stargate SG-1 (2001–2002), Donald Margolis in Breaking Bad (2009–2010), Agent Allen Shapiro in Torchwood (2011), as well as the voice of Discord in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2011–2019).

De Lancie became an outspoken secular activist and was a featured speaker at the 2016 Reason Rally and at CSICon 2019.

Early life and education

De Lancie was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 20, 1948,<ref name="birthdate"/> one of two children born to John de Lancie (1921–2002), principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1954 to 1977, and Andrea de Lancie (July 3, 1920 – October 18, 2006). His mother was French. His parents met in Paris. He has a sister.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As a child, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled to read throughout his school years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He did not learn to read until he was 12. One of his teachers recommended that his parents encourage him to consider a career as an actor. He began to act around the age of 14, performing in a high school production of William Shakespeare's Henry V.<ref name="MystiCon">Template:Cite news</ref> He went on to study acting at Kent State University (he was in attendance during the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970) and won a scholarship to Juilliard. He performed in numerous stage productions, at venues such as the American Shakespeare Festival and the Mark Taper Forum, and established a successful career in film and television.<ref name="MystiCon" />

Acting career

Film and TV career

Star Trek

Template:Main De Lancie portrayed the almost-omnipotent character Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), and in episodes of several subsequent Star Trek series taking place during that era. Q, notable for his chaotic, mischievous personality, is one of the few characters appearing in multiple series of the franchise: Eight episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation ("Encounter at Farpoint", "Hide and Q", "Q Who", "Deja Q", "Qpid", "True Q", "Tapestry", "All Good Things..."), one episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("Q-Less"), three episodes of Star Trek: Voyager ("Death Wish," "The Q and the Grey," "Q2"), one episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks ("Veritas"), and one episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ("Wedding Bell Blues"). De Lancie's son Keegan de Lancie appeared with his father as Q Junior in one episode of Star Trek: Voyager ("Q2").

Initially, de Lancie was too busy to audition for the part of Q, but Gene Roddenberry (whom he did not know) arranged a second opportunity. De Lancie recognized that even though Star Trek was only a small part of his career, it opened doors for him.<ref name=nerdist>Template:Cite AV media</ref> In a 2012 interview, he said that he recalled his original audition, after which Roddenberry approached him, touched him on the shoulder, and said, "You make my writing sound better than it is."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In April 2021, it was announced that de Lancie would reprise his role of Q in the second season of Star Trek: Picard.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He subsequently appeared in multiple episodes of seasons two and three.

Video games

De Lancie voiced Antonio Malochio in Interstate '76, Trias in Planescape: Torment, Dr. Death in Outlaws, William Miles in Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Assassin's Creed III, Fitz Quadwrangle in Quantum Conundrum, and Q in both the Star Trek: The Next Generation pinball game and the mobile game Star Trek Timelines, and portrayed Q in Star Trek: Borg. He further voiced the human emperor in Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="alienvoices" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also voiced Alarak in StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and reprised the role for Heroes of the Storm. More recently, he voiced Geist, the leader of the Templars in the XCOM 2 expansion War of the Chosen. He voiced the narrator wizard of Popup Dungeon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also voiced the Dota 2 hero Ringmaster, released in August 2024.<ref name = "Ringmaster">Template:Cite video game</ref>

Stage

File:John de Lancie Photo-Performance.jpg

De Lancie at a performance in 2007

De Lancie is a former member of the American Shakespeare Festival, the Seattle Repertory Company, South Coast Repertory, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Old Globe (where he performed Arthur Miller's Resurrection Blues).<ref name= "kentstate" /><ref name="LAphil">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="texasstate">Template:Cite web</ref> He performed and directed for L.A. Theatre Works, the producing arm of KCRW-FM and National Public Radio where the series The Play's the Thing originated.<ref name="texasstate" /><ref name="alienvoices">Template:Cite web</ref>

In the touring company Star Trek: The Music, De Lancie co-hosted and appeared with Robert Picardo (who portrayed the Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager). De Lancie and Picardo narrate around the orchestral performance, explaining the history of the music in Star Trek.<ref name="alienvoices" /> He performed Pierre Curie in Alan Alda's play Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie in 2001 at the Geffen Theater in Los Angeles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> De Lancie hosted the children's concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall during the 2003–04 season; in 2005, he hosted the children's series of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Voice acting

Known for his distinctive speaking style, de Lancie lent his voice to a number of projects. In My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, he voiced Discord, a recurring character. Discord was inspired by Q as an omnipotent being who embodies mischief and chaos, but is genuinely good-hearted and is occasionally helpful to the heroes of the show;Template:Citation needed another connection to Q is that Discord often uses fewer contractions in his vocabulary.Template:Citation needed Discord is best described as an anti-hero, also similar to Q. Initially, Lauren Faust wanted to cast someone who could impersonate de Lancie, but Hasbro suggested casting de Lancie himself. Ironically, de Lancie has stated in an interview that, in preparation for his role as Discord, he did not draw from his past experience as Q.<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref> De Lancie mentioned during a 2013 convention panel that his voice recordings of Discord are slightly sped up and lose their deep bass sound. Nevertheless, fans still praised de Lancie for his performance.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> According to Jim Miller in The Art of Equestria, de Lancie's sessions are always done by phone, but his first session as Discord was videotaped.

His other animated television roles included The Angry Beavers, Extreme Ghostbusters, Invader Zim, Duck Dodgers, Max Steel, Duckman, Young Justice,<ref name="kentstate">Template:Cite web</ref> and DC Super Hero Girls as Mr. Freeze.<ref name="MrFreeze">Template:Cite AV media</ref>

Writing

De Lancie co-wrote the Star Trek novel I, Q with Peter David, as well as co-writing the novel Soldier of Light (with Tom Cool).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He wrote the DC comic book story The Gift.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1996, along with Leonard Nimoy and writer-producer Nat Segaloff, de Lancie formed and recorded Alien Voices, a collection of audio dramas based on classic science fiction and fantasy stories, such as The Time Machine and The Lost World.<ref name="alienvoices" />

Music

De Lancie has performed as narrator with a number of major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic,<ref name="kentstate" /> the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra<ref name="LAphil" /><ref name="texasstate" /> and Symphony Nova Scotia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He provided the narration for the world premiere of Lorenzo Palomo's The Sneetches and Other Stories (based on the book by Dr. Seuss) with the Oberlin Conservatory Orchestra.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He wrote and directed ten symphonic plays, which were produced with the Milwaukee, St. Paul Chamber, Ravinia, Los Angeles, and Pasadena Orchestras.<ref name="texasstate" />

De Lancie was the writer, director and host of First Nights, an adult concert series at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic,<ref name="LAphil" /><ref name="texasstate" /> based loosely on the book of the same name by Thomas Forrest Kelly, which explored the life and music of Stravinsky, Beethoven, Mahler, Schumann, and Prokofiev. In 2006, de Lancie made his opera directorial debut with the Atlanta Opera performing Puccini's "Tosca" from May 18–21.<ref name="texasstate" />Template:Dead linkTemplate:Citation needed

In September 2019, de Lancie narrated as "Forever of the Stars" in the first ever live performances of Ayreon's Sci-Fi concept album Into the Electric Castle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Documentary

While on stage at the 2012 Ottawa ComicCon, de Lancie announced that he had made plans to co-produce a documentary about "bronies" (older, usually male teenage and adult fans of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic). He said he was taken aback by how disrespectfully national news media portrayed the brony fandom.<ref name="youtube announcement">Template:Cite web</ref> He started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the documentary, since titled Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony.<ref name="BronyCon Kickstarter">Template:Cite web</ref> The campaign began on May 13, 2012, and by June 10 had reached $322,022, becoming Kickstarter's second-highest funded film project of all time.<ref name="BronyCon Kickstarter" />

Activism

Raised by secular parents, de Lancie is an advocate for atheism and humanism. Of his education in a religious school in Philadelphia, he remembers associating religion with manipulation. Rather than developing a religious outlook, he became fascinated by an ever-changing world: "I'm wondering if one of the things at the core of believing in God, or not, has to do with change. I have grown to embrace change. Personally, I love reading the science section in the paper every morning. I'm in awe of humankind's boundless curiosity."<ref name=Palmer>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On June 4, 2016, he addressed the participants at the Reason Rally in Washington, D.C. Speaking in reference to his Star Trek character Q, he said:

On July 14, 2017, de Lancie attended the unveiling of a statue of Clarence Darrow at the Rhea County Courthouse, Dayton, Tennessee, the site of the Scopes Trial in 1925, where Darrow had argued in favor of the teaching of evolution and secular education.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

De Lancie speaking at CSICon 2019

In October 2019, de Lancie was a featured speaker at the annual conference of the Center for Inquiry, CSICon.<ref name=Palmer/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the conference he announced two new projects.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The first, an animated series, titled God's Goofs, is meant to point out that intelligent design is absurd. The second project is a play based on the historic intelligent design trial Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District (2005) in Dover, Pennsylvania — the first direct challenge brought in US federal courts testing a public school district policy that required the teaching of intelligent design.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

De Lancie is married to Marnie Mosiman, with whom he has two sons: Keegan (b. 1984) and a younger son (b. 1987).<ref name= "birthdate"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

De Lancie is an experienced sailor, spending time on the Pacific Ocean, which he said "sometimes involves very terrifying experiences."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He is long-time friends with fellow Star Trek alum Kate Mulgrew.<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref> He is also good friends with MacGyver and Stargate SG-1 star Richard Dean Anderson, with whom he has appeared in episodes of both series, and in the 1995 television series Legend.

Filmography

Film

List of performances and appearances by John de Lancie in film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1979	The Onion Field	LAPD Lieutenant No. 2
1990	Bad Influence	Howard
	Taking Care of Business	Ted Bradford Jr.
1991	The Fisher King	TV Executive
1992	The Hand that Rocks the Cradle	Dr. Victor Mott
1993	Arcade	Difford
	Fearless	Jeff Gordon
1994	Deep Red	Thomas Newmeyer
1995	Evolver	Russell Bennett
1996	Multiplicity	Ted Gray
1997	Trekkies	Himself
	Final Descent	George Bouchard
1998	Saving Private Ryan	Letter-Reader	Voice Uncredited
	You Lucky Dog	Lyle Windsor
1999	Final Run	George Bouchard
2000	Woman on Top	Alex Reeves
2001	Nicolas	Dr. Fisher
	Good Advice	Ted
2007	Reign Over Me	Nigel Pennington
	Teenius	Principal Senseman
2008	My Apocalypse	Nathan Eastman
	Pathology	Dr. Quentin Morris
2009	Crank: High Voltage	Fish Halman
	Gamer	Chief of Staff
2013	Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony	Himself	Co-producer
2015	Visions	Victor Napoli
2017	Olaf's Frozen Adventure	Mr. Olsen	Voice Featurette<ref name="btva">Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
2018	Buttons: A Christmas Tale	Johnson
2024	Identiteaze	Steve

Television

List of performances and appearances by John de Lancie in television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Barnaby Jones	Grady	Episode: "Terror on a Quiet Afternoon"
	McMillan & Wife	Powell
	SST: Death Flight	Bob Connors	Television film
1977–1978	The Six Million Dollar Man	Various Characters
1978–1979	Emergency!	Dr. Neil Colby/Dr. Deroy	3 episodes
1978	The Bastard	Lt. Stark
1979	Battlestar Galactica	Officer	Episode: "Experiment in Terra"
1981	It's a Living	Tom Morton	Episode: "The Wedding"
	Nero Wolfe	Tom Irwin	Episode: "Might as Well Be Dead"
1982–1986, Template:Nowrap	Days of Our Lives	Eugene Bradford
1983	The Thorn Birds	Alastair MacQueen	Miniseries
1986	Gone to Texas	John Van Fossen	Television film
	The Twilight Zone	The Dispatcher	Episode: "Dead Run"
	MacGyver	Brian Ashford	Episode: "The Escape"
	Murder, She Wrote	Binky Holborn	Episode: "If the Frame Fits"
1987–1994	Star Trek: The Next Generation	Q	8 episodes
1988	Trial and Error	Bob Adams	Regular cast
	Mission: Impossible	Matthew Drake	Episode: "The Killer"
	Hooperman	Lucius Cain	Episode: "High Noon"
1989	Get Smart, Again!	Major Preston Waterhouse	Uncredited
	The Nutt House	Norman Shrike	Episode: "Pilot"
1991	L.A. Law	Mark Chelios	Episode: "The Beverly Hill Hangers"
1993	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	Q	Episode: "Q-Less"
	Batman: The Animated Series	Eagleton	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
	Time Trax	Gandolf Reicher	Episode: "Beautiful Songbird"
	Matlock	Dr. Albert Levinson	Episode: "The Haunted"
1994	Without Warning	Barry Steinbrenner	Television film
1995	Legend	Janos Bartok
1996	Picket Fences	District Attorney	Episode: "Three Weddings and a Meltdown"
	Touched by an Angel	Justinian Jones	Episode: "Jones vs. God"
1996–1997	The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest	Dr. Quest	Voice, 17 episodes
1996–2001	Star Trek: Voyager	Q	3 episodes
1997	Duckman	Tyler Fitzgerald	Episode: "From Brad to Worse"
2000	The Angry Beavers	The Yak in the Sack	Voice, episode: "Yak in the Sack"<ref name="btva" />
	The Outer Limits	Donald Finley	Episode: "The Gun"
	The West Wing	Al Kiefer	2 episodes
	Sports Night	Bert Stors	Episode: "April is the Cruelest Month"
2001–2002	Andromeda	Sid Barry alias Sam Profitt	2 episodes
	Stargate SG-1	Frank Simmons, Goa'uld	5 episodes
	Max Steel	L'Etranger Military Base Guard	Voice 3 episodes
2001	Special Unit 2	King of the Links	Episode: "The Eve"
	The Practice	Walter Bannish
2002	Crossing Jordan	Medical Examiner Thaxton	Episode: "Payback"
	Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future	Gerard Hamilton	Voice, 2 episodes
2003	Judging Amy	Dr. Eagan	Episode: "Picture of Perfect"
	Duck Dodgers	Sinestro	Voice, episode: "The Green Loontern"<ref name="btva" />
2004	NYPD Blue	Scott Garvin	Episode: "Divorce Detective Style"
2004–2005	Charmed	Odin	4 episodes
2005	The Closer	Dr. Dawson	Episode: "Flashpoint
	Invader Zim	Agent Darkbootie	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2008	The Unit	Elliott Gillum	Episode: "Dancing Lessons"
2009	Greek	Himself	Episode: "The Dork Knight"
2009–2010	Breaking Bad	Donald Margolis	4 episodes
2011	Law & Order: LA	Judge Avery Staynor	Episode: "Carthay Circle"
	Franklin & Bash	Gallen	Episode "Bachelor Party"
	Torchwood: Miracle Day	Agent Allen Shapiro	3 episodes
	Young Justice	Mister Twister	Voice, episode: "Welcome to Happy Harbor"<ref name="btva" />
2011–2019	My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic	Discord	Voice, 24 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2012	NTSF:SD:SUV::	Leonardo da Vinci	Episode: "Time Angels"
	The Secret Circle	Royce Armstrong	Episode: "Crystal"
2014	The Mentalist	Edward Feinberg	Episode: "Silver Wings of Times"
	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	General Robert Landsdale	Episode: "Boston Brakes"
2015	The Librarians	Mephistopheles	Episode: "And the Infernal Contract"
2016	Justice League Action	Brainiac	Voice, 2 episodes
2017	Star Trek Continues	Galisti	Episode: "What Ships Are For"
2019	DC Super Hero Girls	Mr. Freeze	Voice<ref name="btva" /><ref name="MrFreeze" />
2020	Star Trek: Lower Decks	Q	Voice, episode: "Veritas"
2022–2023	Dota: Dragon's Blood	Lord Ritterfau	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
	Star Trek: Picard	Q	8 episodes
2024	Masters of the Universe Revolution	Granamyr	Voice; 2 episodes
2025	Star Trek: Strange New Worlds	Q	Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues"

Video games

List of performances in video games

Year	Title	Role
1996	Star Trek: Borg	Q
1997	Outlaws	Matthew 'Dr. Death' Jackson<ref name="btva" />
	Interstate '76	Antonio Malochio
1998	Star Trek: The Game Show	Q
	Interstate '76 Arsenal	Antonio Malochio
1999	Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned	Montreaux<ref name="btva" />
	Planescape: Torment	Trias the Betrayer
2000	Star Trek: ConQuest Online	Q
2011	Assassin's Creed: Revelations	William Miles
2012	Quantum Conundrum	Professor Fitz Quadwrangle<ref name="btva" />
	Assassin's Creed III	William Miles<ref name="btva" />
2014	Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff	Q
2015	StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void	Alarak<ref name="btva" />
	My Little Pony, Twilight's Kingdom Storybook App	Discord<ref name="btva" />
2016	Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars	Human Emperor
	Heroes of the Storm	Alarak
	StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops	Alarak
	World of Warcraft: Legion	Vydhar / Morphael
2017	XCOM 2: War of the Chosen	Geist
2018	Payday 2	46th President of the United States
2019	Call of Duty: Black Ops 4	Rushmore
2024	Dota 2	Ringmaster<ref name = "Ringmaster"/>

Podcast series

List of performances in podcast series

Year	Title	Role
2019	Frontiers	Narrator
2023	NPRmageddon	John
	Shuttlepod Show	guest

References

<references> <ref name="birthdate"> Template:Cite web </ref> </references>

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb name
• StarTrek.com biography Template:Webarchive
• John de Lancie Interview at AMCtv.com (archive)
• Template:Discogs artist