Conan O'Brien Biography

Conan Christopher O'Brien has spent decades redefining comedy with his signature blend of sharp intellect, self-deprecation, and heart.

A former two-term president of The Harvard Lampoon, he cut his teeth writing for Not Necessarily the News before joining the writing teams of Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. In 1993, he launched Late Night with Conan O’Brien, a fresh, self-aware talk show that won its niche and legions of fans. After a short stint hosting The Tonight Show, he embarked on the popular TBS series Conan (2010-2021), and generated buzz with his travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go (2024 - current), in which he journeys worldwide — meeting fans and creating heartfelt, hilarious moments across cultures.

O’Brien’s versatility shines in his varied screen appearances. He voiced The Riddler in The Lego Batman Movie (2017), delivered a memorable cameo in Now You See Me (2013), appeared as himself in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), and lent his voice to Glaxxon 5000 in The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021). In a striking departure from comedy, he starred as a stoic therapist opposite Rose Byrne in the chilling A24 thriller If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, which premiered at Sundance in 2025. He also joined the cast of Toy Story 5 as a sly new character named Smarty Pants — it's set to hit theaters in June 2026.

On the awards circuit, Conan earned the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, celebrated in a star-studded Netflix special featuring John Mulaney, Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, and many more. In March 2025, he hosted the 97th Academy Awards, delivering a thoughtful and humorous opening that addressed Hollywood’s wildfires and offered his praise to the behind-the-scenes heroes — drawing critical acclaim and making it the year’s highest Oscars viewership. He’ll return as host for the 98th Oscars in 2026, becoming one of the few comedians to reprise the role under persistent demand.

Filmography:

Toy Story 5 (2026)
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025)
Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2025)
Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley (2024)
Rory Scovel: Religion, Sex, and a Few Things in Between (2024)
Gary Gulman: Born on 3rd Base (2023)
Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023)
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (2023)
Show Business Is My Life But I Can’t Prove It (2023)
Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb (2022)
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (2022)
Moses Storm: Trash White (2022)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021)
Dads (2019)
Sandy Wexler (2017)
The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
Now You See Me (2013)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop (2011)