Do you believe in love at first sight? It’s rare to hear a real-life love story like that. Especially one that ends in a marriage that’s lasted over two decades!
Conan O’Brien stands out in a bold cobalt blue tuxedo with black lapels, while Liza Powel stuns in an elegant pastel draped gown at the 2025 Oscars (Credit: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy)
Nowadays, if you ask a couple how they met, it’s usually a simple story – online. Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble don’t create romantic or exciting stories but often show the reality of this digital world.
For couples who met before dating apps existed, the stories are much more enjoyable. Liza Powel and Conan O’Brien’s one-of-a-kind love story is a great example.
Liza Powel and Conan O’Brien: Love at First Sight
Liza and Conan met in 2000 when she appeared on his talk show Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He described the moment he saw her as love at first sight. Although Liza is 5 feet and 8 inches (172 cm), she’s still shorter than her husband, who is 6 feet 4 inches in. (193 cm).
Conan O’Brien and Liza Powel exude classic elegance at an HBO event, with Liza elevating her little black dress with chic black-and-gold strappy sandals (Credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN / Avalon / FayesVision)
They were filming a parody commercial for the worst advertisers in this particular episode. Liza Powel worked for the advertising agency producing this commercial and appeared on the show.
Years later, when Piers Morgan was interviewing Conan, Conan told him, “Somewhere, in the vault at NBC, there’s footage of my literally falling for my wife on camera.”
This clip is now up on YouTube. How many couples can say they have video footage of the moment they met and fell in love? Not many!
When recalling the moment, Conan said he fell in love with his wife because “she is incredibly beautiful, very intelligent, and funny, and a really good person.”
Liza and Conan Relationship History
After meeting in 2000, the two dated for nearly 18 months before marrying on January 12, 2002, in Powell’s hometown of Seattle. It was a traditional wedding held at St. James Catholic Church on a rainy day.
This is the same church Liza grew up in. She wore a lace jacket over her lace gown with a bouquet of red roses. Conan wore a black suit, and the bridal party had coordinating attire.
The following year, Liza and Conan welcomed their first child, a daughter named Neve, on October 14th. A couple of years later, in 2005, their son Beckett was born on November 9th, making them a family of four.
Conan O’Brien and his wife, Liza Powel, explore Ireland in 2012 with their children, Neve and Beckett, bundled up in rain-ready outfits and cozy blue boots (Credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN / Avalon / FayesVision)
The O’Brien family is close-knit. They take active roles in their children’s lives, from school drop-offs to volunteering at school events.
They previously lived in Brentwood, California, before moving to Pacific Palisades in 2011. In 2021, Conan O’Brien purchased a luxurious $23 million oceanfront mansion in Carpinteria, California, where they now reside. The stunning home boasts breathtaking ocean views, an expansive outdoor area, and direct beach access—an ideal retreat for the late-night host and his family.
In 2008. Liza Powel O’Brien showcased a timeless aesthetic by pairing a white bandage dress with classic gray suede pumps, exemplifying understated elegance. The bandage dress, known for its body-hugging silhouette, has made a notable comeback, capturing the curiosity of fashion enthusiasts. By combining this iconic dress with neutral-toned accessories, Liza achieved a harmonious balance, highlighting her sophisticated style.
Liza Powel exudes effortless elegance in a chic white bandage dress paired with classic gray suede pumps, while Conan O’Brien keeps it timeless in a sharp black tuxedo and polished dress shoes at the 2008 Emmy Awards (Credit: Carlos Diaz / INFphoto)
When Conan was dropped from The Tonight Show in 2010, Liza is said to have stood by him and supported him when he became depressed. Her unwavering support helped him through these dark times.
Liza Powel: Wife, Mother, and Playwright
Liza was born Elizabeth Ann Powel on November 12, 1970, in Brainbridge Island, Washington, to Jack and Ann Powel.
Her father is relatively famous in her community as a guitarist for a well-known brand, “The Dixieland,” which continues to play at a local creole restaurant every Monday.
As a child, she was an active member of the same Catholic church where she and Conan were married. She exhibited a strong passion for writing from a young age, which helped shape her education and career later in life.
Liza attended the University of Columbia School of Arts and received a master’s degree in fine arts.
Conan O’Brien looks dapper in a classic tuxedo, while Liza Powel keeps it chic and cozy with a deep-hued scarf and minimal makeup (Credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN / Avalon / FayesVision)
When she met Conan, she worked for the advertising agency Foote, Cone & Belding. To explore more of her creativity, she left her job as a copywriter and then ad executive to pursue screenwriting.
Liza is now a playwright and has written for several shows that have been seen in theatres and festivals in LA, New York, and Seattle. She also sits on the reading committee for the Ojai Playwrights.
In addition to being an active playwright, she works with the Children’s Defense Fund’s “Beat the Odds” program that helps at-risk students who are academically talented. She turned 50 in 2020 and is 5 feet 8 inches tall – a good match for her 6 foot 4 inches tall husband.
Liza Powel stuns in a sleek plum blazer paired with a black top, while Conan O’Brien complements her in a bold blue suit with a patterned tie at The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends held at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on November 21, 2019 (Credit: Nikki Nelson / WENN / Avalon / FayesVision)
Liza keeps a quiet profile, staying off social media and leaving her husband to the spotlight. One of the few photos of the family seen all together is from a beach holiday in France.
Conan O’Brien: Husband, Father, Comedian, and Host
Conan O’Brien was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on April 18, 1963. He grew up in a highly accomplished family—his father, Thomas O’Brien, was a distinguished physician and epidemiologist who attended Harvard Medical School
His mother, Ruth O’Brien, was a prominent attorney in Boston. The O’Brien household was lively, with four sons and two daughters.
Among his siblings, Kate O’Brien pursued a career in acting, making her debut in The Fighter, starring Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Mark Wahlberg. While she has yet to become a household name, she remains dedicated to her craft.
Conan’s academic excellence was evident early on. He served as the school newspaper’s editor at Brookline High School, showcasing his sharp wit and writing prowess. His talent earned him a spot at Harvard University, where he studied History and Literature, further honing the skills that would later define his career.
Mary Lynn Rajskub talks about her Las Vegas wedding in Las Vegas on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien in 2009 (Credit: NBC)
Through his extracurricular activities, like writing for Harvard Lampoon humor magazine, he realized his comedic abilities. In his junior year, he became Harvard Lampoon’s president while his future boss at NBC, Jeff Zucker, was president for The Harvard Crimson.
With an impressive resume at such a young age, it’s no surprise that Conan has an exceptionally high IG. He is said to have an IQ of 160, equal to that of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles and became a writer. In 1988, he was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live, a legendary position in which he spent three years.
In 1991, he quit SNL without knowing what he would do next. Shortly after leaving SNL, he got a call from The Simpsons, offering him a job as a writer—a highly sought-after position at the time!
Conan eventually moved to Beverly Hills, thanks to his friend and former girlfriend, Lisa Kudrow. The “Friends” actress encouraged him to be in front of the camera instead of behind it. At the time, he dismissed it and continued writing for the Simpsons for the next few years.
As former Late Night host David Letterman prepared to retire, executive producer and former SNL boss Lorne Michaels started looking for a replacement and called on Conan.
Conan O’Brien hosts ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,’ one of the world’s most popular comedy podcasts, blending humor, wit, and candid celebrity conversations
To get the role, he had to do a test audition, which included guests Jason Alexander and Mimi Rogers and an audience full of Simpsons writers. He delivered an opening monologue that impressed all viewing executives and was given the role of the new host of Late Night.
Conan held the prestigious and iconic position of late-night host until 2009. In the final episode, which aired on February 20, 2009, he thanked those who had helped him get to that point, including his wife and children.
Following this, he moved to The Tonight Show; however, it did not perform as well, and ratings dropped significantly.
After Jay Leno replaced him, he got his self-titled show Conan on TBS and a weekly podcast called Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. In May 2022, he sold his podcasting network to SiriusXM for $150 million.
Liza Powel and Conan O’Brien Net Worth
The combined net worth of this power couple is quite substantial. Conan has many impressive career accomplishments, and more are in the works.
At the 2010 Emmy Awards, Liza Powel O’Brien masterfully elevated her black beaded fringe dress by pairing it with bold purple suede platform heels. This added a vibrant pop of color that showcased her flair for combining classic elegance with contemporary touches.
Pairing a black dress with colored heels is a chic way to inject personality into an outfit, as discussed in our article on what color shoes to wear with a black dress.
Liza Powel stuns in a chic black beaded fringe dress paired with bold purple suede platform heels, while Conan O’Brien keeps it classic in a sharp black tuxedo and polished dress shoes at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on August 29, 2010 (Credit: Bruce Fredericks / INFevents)
After about a year with The Tonight Show, he reached a deal with NBC that paid him $45 million, $12 million of which was given to his staff, who moved with him from LA to New York. Not a bad payout for a year of work!
It seems as if each project comes with a significantly hefty paycheck. With vacations in France and a $23 million beachfront mansion in Carpinteria, California, we can assume their net worth is high. They also previously owned a Brentwood estate, which they sold before moving to Pacific Palisades.
In 2021, they purchased a $23 million oceanfront mansion in Carpinteria, California. Additionally, they had a Central Park West Penthouse in New York City that was put on the market for $35 million.
Conan O’Brien keeps it timeless in a classic black suit, while Liza Powel stuns in an elegant white embroidered gown cinched with a statement belt, paired with sparkling heels and a metallic clutch
Although little is known about Liza’s income as a former advertising executive and playwright, the couple is believed to have a combined net worth of $200 million as of 2025.
The couple has been together for over twenty years, a truly extraordinary accomplishment in Hollywood. Although they maintain a quiet life, it seems they are just as much in love as they were that first day on set when it was “love at first sight.”
On March 2, 2025, Liza Powel O’Brien was there to support her husband, Conan O’Brien, as he hosted the Oscars. The comedian and late-night host walked the red carpet in a classic black tuxedo paired with polished dress shoes, while Liza stunned in a draped pastel gown, cinched at the waist for an elegant silhouette.
She completed her look with sparkling gold strappy sandals and matching accessories, exuding timeless Hollywood glamour. Don’t miss our article covering the hottest heels at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars Viewing Party!
Conan O’Brien keeps it classic in a sharp black tuxedo and polished dress shoes, while Liza Powel O’Brien stuns in a draped pastel gown paired with elegant gold strappy sandals at the 2025 Oscars (Credit: Valerie / MediaPunch / INSTARimages)
While Liza Powel O’Brien consistently stuns with her elegant red carpet fashion, Conan has had his fair share of unforgettable fashion moments, too—though not always in the traditional sense.
From his signature late-night suits to unexpected wardrobe choices, the comedian isn’t afraid to take risks with his style. But one of his most talked-about fashion statements? A pair of skin-tight jeggings that took late-night television—and the internet—by storm.
Conan O’Brien’s Jeggings Adventure: A Hilarious Fashion Statement You Can’t Miss!
Here’s another reason to love Conan O’Brien.
After confessing to Tim Gunn during an interview about his obsession with jeggings and Tim Gunn telling him that men do wear them, too, Conan then pondered whether he could wear them for an entire show.
True to his new motto, “If I say something on this show, I do it,” Conan O’Brien wore man jeggings to the show the very next day.
The results were hilarious but also unexpectedly disturbing, as Conan chose to wear these teeniest, tightest men’s jeggings in the most unflattering wash ever made.
Please don’t say I didn’t warn you. What’s been seen cannot be unseen. Here’s Conan O’Brien rockin’ a pair of men’s jeggings on his show:
Conan O’Brien Takes a Fashion Risk: Daringly Dons Men’s Jeggings on Live TV!
So, does Conan look hot in his acid-wash skin-tight jeggings or not?
He might have gotten away with it had he not paired it with his usual shirt, tie, and blazer outfit, but I have to salute Conan. It takes a lot of guts to wear skin-tight clothes on national television.
Fashion Meets Comedy: Conan O’Brien Boldly Sports Skin-Tight Jeggings, Making a Uniquely Comical Style Statement!
Even the usually tightly clothed Kardashian sisters Conan interviewed that night were upstaged by the jeggings, and that’s saying something, as the Kardashians are generally in the spotlight wherever they go.
Do you think you could wear these men’s jeggings (aka super-skinny jeans) if you’re a guy, or do you know someone who could? Or do you think men shouldn’t even touch jeggings with a ten-foot pole?
Thank god Conan O’Brien isn’t a fashion icon to start a jeggings trend among men. Or has he already? Let’s hope it’s not as bad as the pair Conan himself wore, or else we would all have to burn our eyes.