If you’ve ever seen a photo of the O’Brien family and thought your eyes were playing tricks on you, you aren't alone. The legendary late-night host is one of six children, and the genetic lottery in that Brookline household was, frankly, a bit repetitive. We’re talking about a family where the "Irish genes" didn't just whisper; they screamed. But when people ask which of Conan O'Brien's brothers looks just like him, the conversation almost always lands on one specific sibling: Luke O'Brien.
It’s actually kinda eerie. While Conan’s older brother Neal and his younger brother Justin certainly share the family’s signature features, Luke is the one who fans often mistake for Conan in disguise. Honestly, there have been moments—specifically during Conan’s Kennedy Center Honors appearance or in old family photos—where Luke looks like he could be Conan’s stunt double or, at the very least, a version of Conan who chose a much more sensible career path.
Why Luke O'Brien is the Ultimate Conan Doppelganger
Luke O’Brien is frequently cited as the twin Conan never officially had. While they aren't actually twins, they are what people playfully call "Irish twins" due to the close proximity of their ages. The resemblance is so striking that it has become a recurring joke within the Team Coco community.
You’ve probably seen the Reddit threads. Fans post photos of Luke and swear they’re looking at Conan wearing a slightly different wig. One of the most famous examples came from a photo of Conan, his wife Liza, their kids, and Luke. Fans were genuinely confused, with some commenters joking that Luke looked like "Conan doing a bit" or "Conan in prosthetics for a sketch."
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The Physical Hallmarks of an O'Brien
What makes the resemblance so potent? It’s basically a checklist of very specific traits:
- The Hair: While Conan’s pompadour is a feat of engineering, Luke shares that same thick, reddish-tinted hair.
- The Bone Structure: Both brothers have that distinct, angular jawline and high forehead that Conan often mocks on his own show.
- The "Beady" Eyes: Conan frequently jokes about his "small, beady Irish eyes," and it seems Luke inherited the exact same pair.
The Rest of the O'Brien Clan: Neal and Justin
It wouldn't be fair to say the other brothers don't look like him at all. They do. It's just... different.
Neal O’Brien, the eldest, has been described by some fans as the "Über-Conan." He’s the one Conan often tells stories about on his podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. Neal is the brother who supposedly lives in their childhood home and has an encyclopedic knowledge of old TV shows. Visually, Neal looks like the "sturdy" version of the O'Brien mold. He’s got the height and the face, but he carries himself with a different energy than the frenetic, "clown-like" persona Conan adopted for TV.
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Then there’s Justin. Justin is the youngest brother, and while the resemblance is there, he’s often seen as the one who escaped the most "extreme" versions of the Conan features. He’s a Harvard grad and a lawyer, and while you can definitely tell he’s an O’Brien, he doesn't usually trigger the "wait, is that Conan?" double-take that Luke does.
The Sisters and the Mother: Strong Genes All Around
We can't talk about which of Conan O'Brien's brothers looks just like him without mentioning that the resemblance actually starts with their mother, Ruth O’Brien. Conan has admitted many times that he is basically a male version of his mom. When you see photos of Ruth, you see Conan’s face. It’s that simple.
His sisters, Kate and Jane, also carry the torch. Kate O’Brien actually appeared in the movie The Fighter, and fans were quick to point out that she looks exactly like her famous brother. It’s a family where the DNA was essentially "copy-pasted" across six different people.
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Misconceptions: The "Missing" Brother and Celebrity Lookalikes
There’s a long-running bit Conan does about a "missing" brother named Ben. According to Conan’s dark humor, Ben was the brother they "used to have" before he was supposedly buried in the backyard. To be clear: Ben does not exist. It’s just one of those weird, macabre stories Conan tells to mess with his younger siblings.
Also, people often confuse certain actors with Conan’s actual brothers. For years, fans thought Joel Edgerton might be related to Conan because of a certain facial similarity. Conan even did a segment on his TBS show called "Joel Edgerton & Conan: Separated At Birth?" where they compared photos. While the resemblance is funny, Joel is definitely not part of the O'Brien family tree.
What This Means for the Fans
The fascination with Conan’s lookalike brother Luke stems from our love of "glitch in the matrix" moments. Seeing a "civilian" version of a famous person is always fascinating. Luke represents the version of Conan that didn't go to Hollywood—the one who stayed out of the spotlight but still carries the unmistakable O’Brien brand.
If you’re looking for more "Conan-verse" lore, the best place to start is the Conan O'Brien Must Go series on Max. While his brothers don't always appear on camera, the way Conan interacts with his Irish roots gives you a huge window into why he and his brothers look the way they do.
Actionable Next Steps for O'Brien Obsessives:
- Check out the Kennedy Center Honors footage: Look for the wide shots of the O'Brien family in the balcony. That’s the best "in the wild" look at Luke you’ll get.
- Listen to the "Neal" stories: Search for podcast clips where Conan talks about his brother Neal. It doesn't give you a visual, but it gives you the soul of the O'Brien family dynamic.
- Follow "Team Coco" on Instagram: They occasionally drop archival family photos where the "who is who" game becomes truly challenging.
Essentially, if you see a tall, pale man with reddish hair and a sharp wit who isn't hosting a podcast, you've probably found an O'Brien brother. But if he looks so much like Conan it's actually confusing? That’s Luke.