(written from a Production point of view)
Peter Brett Cullen (born 26 August 1956; age 63) is the actor who portrayed Deral in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine third season episode "Meridian". Cullen has found success in feature films, with supporting roles in movies including The Dark Knight Rises, Joker, National Security, The Replacements, Something to Talk About, Apollo 13, Leaving Normal, and Ghost Rider.
Although he has not been a regular on any long-running television series, he has had other notable roles. He spent three years as "Dan Fixx" on the TV drama Falcon Crest and two years he portrayed "Marshal Sam Cain" on The Young Riders.
He played Apollo 15 commander David Scott in HBO's From the Earth to the Moon. Others who appeared in the mini-series are Sam Anderson, David Andrews, Dan Butler, David Clennon, Ronny Cox, J. Downing, Ann Cusack, David Drew Gallagher, Jerry Hardin, Clint Howard, Daniel Hugh Kelly, John Carroll Lynch, Dakin Matthews, Kieran Mulroney, Conor O'Farrell, Holmes R. Osborne, Ethan Phillips, Harve Presnell, Mark Rolston, Stephen Root, Alan Ruck, and Winona Ryder.
He is currently well-recognized for his role as Detective Burnett on the critically-acclaimed Desperate Housewives (along with Teri Hatcher, Steven Culp, Mark Moses, Brenda Strong, and the late Hamilton Camp). He has also been featured in a recurring capacity on True Detective, Narcos, The Blacklist, The Mountain, Once and Again (with William O. Campbell and Susanna Thompson) Suddenly Susan, Ugly Betty (with Alan Dale, Vanessa Williams, and Tony Plana), Friday Night Lights, and Damages (with Michael Nouri)
In 2019 he appeared as Thomas Wayne in Joker, (which also featured TNG guest star Jeff McCarthy).
He has also made guest appearances on The Mentalist (with fellow DS9 guest star Gregory Itzin and Jamie McShane), Without a Trace (with Enrique Murciano), Ghost Whisperer (with Ann Cusack), Family Law (with Christopher McDonald and Julie Warner), The Outer Limits (with Kevin Tighe), Ally McBeal (with Jerry Hardin), the original V (with Jeff Yagher and Leslie Bevis), M*A*S*H (with David Ogden Stiers), and The Incredible Hulk (with Anne Lockhart).
He played Arnold Vinick's running mate, Governor Ray Sullivan, on The West Wing, along with Stephen Root, Tim Kelleher, and J. Patrick McCormack.
He also made a number of appearances on Lost playing Goodwin, one of the "Others", appearing with Daniel Dae Kim, Terry O'Quinn, Sam Anderson, and Alan Dale. Cullen has since guest starred in Under the Dome. Currently Cullen stars as moneyed attorney Michael Stappord on the Lifetime drama series Devious Maids. In the first season Cullen co-starred with Stephen Collins.
Cullen also owns a production company with the musician Meat Loaf known as "The Yellow Rose, Inc."
Filmography 
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- The Sitter (1991; with Kimberly Cullum and Eugene Roche)
- Gridiron Gang (2006; with The Rock, Michael Jace, and Mary Mara)
