John de Lancie, born March 20, 1948, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an American actor best known for portraying Q, the mischievous, omnipotent being, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Lower Decks, and Picard. His career spans film, television, theater, and voice acting, making him one of Star Trek’s most iconic guest stars.

De Lancie grew up in Philadelphia, where his father was the principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He struggled with dyslexia as a child but found confidence in acting. He studied at Kent State University and later won a scholarship to Juilliard, where he trained in classical theater.

His television career began in 1976, with roles in Captains and the Kings, Days of Our Lives, MacGyver, Stargate SG-1, Breaking Bad, and Torchwood. In 1987, he was cast as Q, appearing in eight episodes of The Next Generation, one episode of Deep Space Nine, and three episodes of Voyager. He reprised Q in Lower Decks (2020) and Picard (2022–2023).

Beyond Star Trek, de Lancie voiced Discord in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2011–2019) and appeared in Crank: High Voltage, Reign Over Me, and Multiplicity. He co-founded Alien Voices with Leonard Nimoy, producing audio dramas of classic sci-fi stories.

De Lancie has been married to Marnie Mosiman since 1984, and they have two children, including Keegan de Lancie, who played Q Junior in Voyager. He is an advocate for secularism, speaking at Reason Rally and CSICon.