We all know the famous twins, like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson (duh), but there are a surprising amount of celebrities that are twins and we just never knew about it. Mostly, because the twin brother and sister chose not to live the famous life.
While there are some twin siblings that followed in their famous other half’s footsteps, others went a completely different route. Take a look at the celebrities and their twins. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to be surprised by pretty much every pair!
Sami and Rami Malek
Here’s a set of identical twins that have been hiding in plain sight right. Sami and Rami Malek have been in Hollywood this whole time! Apparently, when they were growing up, they did the classic twin trick where they would pretend to be each other and skip classes!
Maybe that explains Rami’s ability to be such a versatile actor! After getting his big break in ‘Mr. Robot,’ Rami won an Oscar for his stellar performance as Freddie Mercury in the biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’
Scarlett and Hunter Johansson
Who here knew that Scarlett Johansson had a twin? I sure didn’t! Scarlett has been a Hollywood name for a long time now, ever since she appeared in 1998’s ‘The Horse Whisperer.’ Since then, she’s made a real dent in Hollywood.
Hunter Johansson appeared with his famous sister in ‘Manny & Lo,’ but spends most of his professional time with various charities. He even worked on Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Laverne and M. Lamar Cox
Fans of Netflix’s ‘Orange Is the New Black’ might be shocked to see that one of the show’s biggest stars was originally an identical twin before her transition. Laverne and M. Lamar are now twins and share a special bond with each other.
Even though her twin brother M. Lamar is not an actor, he cameoed in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ in a flashback. He played Laverne’s character, Sophia, before her transition.
Alanis and Wade Morissette
Did you know that Alanis Morissette has a twin? She doesn’t seem to talk about her brother, Wade, but he’s actually a musician as well. He also practices yoga and Reiki. The two of them co-wrote a yoga book in the past.
Alanis and Wade are still close to this day and respect each other’s careers. Who knows, if we’re lucky, we might even see them perform a song together one day. Looks like musical talents runs in this family.
Ashton and Michael Kutcher
I had no idea Kelso has a twin! Our beloved ‘That 70s Show’ star Ashton Kutcher has a lesser-known twin, Michael Kutcher, who suffers from cerebral palsy. He’s actually widely known as a motivational speaker.
The two of them have a special bond and refer to each other as their best friend. Michael had a heart transplant when they were 13, but it never stopped him enjoying his brother and their family!
Gisele and Patricia Bündchen
I can imagine that being the twin sister of one of the world’s famous supermodels has its perks. Patricia Bündchen rides along with her famous sister, Gisele, as she travels all around the world. They attend parties and red-carpet events together quite often.
She also gets to watch her brother-in-law, Tom Brady, at the Super Bowl. And she for sure gets front row seats! Sometimes it’s better to enjoy all the perks of fame without being famous.
Vin Diesel and Paul Vincent
If you ever wondered what Vin Diesel would look like with hair, you can get a good idea by looking at his twin brother, Paul. The two don’t look alike at all, especially with his hair contrasting Vin’s Mr. Clean look.
The ‘Fast and Furious star’ is all muscle-y for his action movies, so it gives even more of a contrast between these two. Vin and Paul look so different that you would never guess that they’re twins!
Giovanni and Marissa Ribisi
I’m a huge fan of Giovanna Ribisi. Come on now – Phoebe’s brother? He was amazing. Anyway, this famous set of twins are both talented actors. They have both appeared in indie and mainstream movies.
Giovanni has been in ‘Avatar,’ ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ ‘Friends,’ and ‘Sneaky Pete.’ Marissa, on the other hand, has been in ‘Dazed and Confused,’ ‘The Brady Bunch Movie,’ and ‘Pleasantville.’ She took a break from the spotlight to raise her kids.
Jon and Dan Heder
Who knew ‘Napoleon Dynomite’ himself is an identical twin? These brothers must turn a few heads when they walk down the street together. Jon’s breakout role in the 2004 movie had people talking for years.
His brother Dan works with, only behind the scenes. They manage their own production company together. Did you know that they grew up as practicing Mormons and supported Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential race?
Efren and Carlos Ramirez
Speaking of ‘Napolean Dynomite,’ what are the chances that two leading actors are both identical twins? Well, as it turns out, Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro, is also a twin. His shot to fame also resulted from this movie.
Efren’s brother, Carlos, is also a Hollywood actor. The twins both live in Hollywood, where they had a falling out. Apparently, Carlos was impersonating Efren without his permission. Not cool, bro. Not cool.
Isabella and Isotta Rossellini
The actress from the classics like ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Death Becomes Her’ was born in Rome, Italy on June 18, 1952, along with her twin, Isotta. You probably also know that both ladies are the daughters of Roberto Rossellini and award-winning actress Ingrid Bergman.
You won’t be surprised to hear that Isotta isn’t as famous as her sister, but she also appeared in films over the years, mostly documentaries. The most famous would have to be ‘Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words.’
Elvis and Jesse Presley
I think most people don’t know that Elvis Presley was one half of a set of twins. Elvis and his brother Jesse were born in Mississippi on January 8, 1935. Why do people not know of this fact? Because Elvis was born 35 minutes after his twin who was, unfortunately, stillborn.
Can you imagine if the King of Rock n Roll was actually a duo? Who knows, maybe the two would have performed together. With talent like that, it must have been genetic.
Kiefer and Rachel Sutherland
The 80s heartthrob and star of ‘24’ Kiefer Sutherland have a twin, and her name is Rachel. The two are very close and sometimes even work together. She’s a post-production supervisor on film and television sets, helping out with his projects.
Currently, Kiefer is in the Netflix drama ‘Designated Survivor. ’ Maybe we’ll even see Rachel drop a cameo. The two would probably work as well on-screen together as they do behind the scenes.
Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Donovan
This is a pair of identical twins who took different names in order to help people tell them apart, which is hard to do, considering just how similar they look. You might recognize Nicholas for playing Xander Harris on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’
Unfortunately, Nicholas might be the “troubled one” of the two as he tackled issues with alcoholism and got in trouble with the law. His brother, Kelly, continued to work on TV shows doing stunt work and other small roles.
Jill and Jacqueline Hennessy
These Canadian twins are each success stories in their own right. Jill is an actress most popular for her role in ‘Law and Order,’ whereas Jacqueline is a popular TV host in Canada.
Jacqueline is quite a smarty, too. She has a doctorate in French literature. The two are close even though they live in different countries. They communicate often despite the distance between them.
Olly and Ben Murs
Olly Murs found after his stint on ‘The X Factor’ in the UK way back in 2009. His appearance on the talent show contest had its controversy, though. He had to miss Ben’s wedding to stay in the live shows, which caused a big rift between them.
Olly didn’t end up winning, but, as is often goes with runners-up, he established a strong career anyway. The two are reportedly working on rebuilding their relationship.
Joseph and Jacob Fiennes
Yes, they are brothers of the hugely famous actor Ralph Fiennes. Jacob Fiennes is the lesser-known twin of Joseph Fiennes, who has starred in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ opposite Gwyneth Paltrow.
The family clearly has an acting gene. His twin Jacob, however, keeps a low-key life out of the entertainment industry. He lives in Norfolk and is a conservationist.
Judy and Joselin Reyes
You probably know Judy Reyes from her part as Carla in ‘Scrubs’ from 2001 to 2010. Recently, she worked on ‘Devious Maids.’ Joselin has appeared in shows, too, like ‘Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.’
The sisters aren’t identical, which had its perks – it helped them shape their own careers. The two are best friends and make sure to speak to each other regularly despite their work schedules.
Eva and Joy Green
Eva Green played alongside Daniel Craig in the 2006 James Bond film ‘Casino Royale.’ She rose to fame after her amazing performance in the movie. She continued acting and starred in the ‘Penny Dreadful’ TV series.
Her twin is less than likely to follow in her Eva’s footsteps. Joy enjoys a quieter life in the Normandy countryside, where the sisters are originally from, where she is out of the public eye raising her horses.
Jenna and Barbara Bush
These twins stayed out of the spotlight during their father’s presidency from 2001 to 2009. It’s an unwritten rule understood by the press that young children of White House members are off-limits. So most people didn’t know these two even existed!
Today, and two presidents later, Jenna Bush Hager is married with two daughters. She even fills in for Kathie Lee Gifford on ‘The Today Show.’ Barbara Pierce Bush stays out of the public eye, is unmarried, and lives in New York as the head of Global Health Corp.
Aaron and Angel Carter
As another example of a musical family with close bonds, here is Aaron Carter and his twin sister Angel. Angel and Aaron aren’t as popular as their older brother Nick Carter who the whole world knows from the Backstreet Boys.
When Angel got married in 2014, Aaron was the one who walked her down the aisle and gave her away. How sweet! Whatever happens in the future, these two will surely remain close.
Parker and Christopher Posey
Parker Posey is popular for her roles in indie films, appearing in movies such as ‘Lost in Space,’ ‘Scream 3,’ ‘Blade: Trinity,’ and ‘Superman Returns.’ She’s part of a group where she often appears in Christopher Guest movies.
So chances are you’ve seen a lot of her. But her lesser-known twin bro, Christopher, is likely someone you’ve never seen before. He’s a practicing lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mo and Hassan Farah
The Olympic and World champion Mo Farah has a twin brother that not many people know about. Hassan chose to stay in Somalia while his twin brother, Mo, relocated to the UK when they were eight years old.
Mo lived with their father and gained an interest in running. And the rest is history. The twins went 12 years before they were reunited. Today, Mo is the most decorated athlete in British history!
Linda and Leslie Hamilton
The starlet of the ‘Terminator’ franchise has an identical sister, Leslie. While her sister kicks action movie butt and kills robots from the future, Leslie is out saving real lives as a nurse.
Leslie Hamilton actually played as Sarah Connor in ‘The Terminator 2: Judgement Day’ after director James Cameron wanted a specific shot that required some tricks. Linda was married to Cameron briefly, but the marriage didn’t last.
Siva and Kumar Kaneswaran
Siva Kaneswaran is one of the guys from The Wanted, a British boy band that rose to fame back in 2009. The two appeared on ‘Rock Rivals’ the year prior and have stayed close even when one of them became super famous.
Now they’re in their 30s and are vocal on Twitter, where they interact with fans and give personal and professional updates. Kumar is a strong supporter of Siva and his success.
Dylan and Cole Sprouse
Another set of child stars to hit the list is the Sprouse twins, who started acting at the age of one! They played Patrick in ‘Grace Under Fire.’ Throughout the 90s, they appeared often as the same character, such as in ‘Big Daddy’ and ‘Friends.’
They actually rose to fame when they starred in the Disney show ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.’ They took a break from acting to focus on getting their education before they went back in 2017.
Charlotte and Samantha Ronson
Charlotte is the unknown twin of Samantha Ronson, who is the lesser-known sister of Mark Ronson, the British music producer. The twins live in America (California and New York) where they follow their dreams.
Samantha is a DJ, and Charlotte runs a fashion store. Samantha is probably best known for dating Lindsey Lohan for a short period. The twin sisters remain close and enjoy flying to visit one another. Mark lives in London.
Ronnie and Reggie Kray
These two weren’t celebrities in the popular sense of the word, but they were definitely infamous. The criminal/gangster duo was well-known in London for taking the police and other gangs across the country. In 2015, Tom Hardy starred as both of these twins in the biopic ‘Legend.’
These identical twins ran a gang called The Firm and engaged in, let’s say, “questionable” behavior. The two were extremely unstable and went down in history as one of the most legendary duos.
James and Oliver Phelps
These twins rose to fame as the Weasley brothers from the Harry Potter franchise. They played Ron’s twin brothers, Fred and George. The actors captured the hearts and minds of fans for 10 years while they were on screen.
Rumor has it that they skipped school to do the audition and only told their parents after they got the part! That is the most Weasley thing ever, right? Sometimes you do what you gotta do.
The Olsen Twins
I don’t think it would be fair to have a list of twins without a nod to the most famous pair of all. Mary-Kate and Ashley rose to fame by playing Michelle on ‘Full House.’ They weren’t even a year old, and they were already raking in the dough.
They went on to star in many films and TV shows before leaving the acting world to focus on fashion. In 2007, the Olsen twins were named the 11th richest women in the world!
Ronde and Tiki Barber
What are the odds that two identical brothers would play in the NFL? Ronde and Tiki Barber were both drafted in 1997, after attending the University of Virginia. Ronde played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tiki for the New York Giants.
And yes – you guessed it – they had to play opposite each other! And more than once. Today, they even continued down the same career as sports correspondents.
Tasha and Sidra Smith
You might recognize their faces from Tasha Smith’s time on ‘Empire,’ playing Carol, the sister of Tajara P. Henson’s character. Since 2015, Tasha has been on the FOX show. She’s been a part of Hollywood since 2007 when she starred in ‘Why Did I Get Married.’
Her twin Sidra isn’t an actress, but she works as a full-time director and producer. So she is indeed in the same industry. The major difference between the two is the shaved head!
Tia and Tamera Mowry
These identical twins are best known for their 1990s sitcom, ‘Sister, Sister.’ Tia and Tamera Mowry were actually born in Germany and rose to fame as child actors.
With a career lasting over 20 years, they most recently were on the show ‘Tia and Tamera,’ a reality show that highlighted their everyday lives as celebrity twins.
Joel and Benji Madden
Everyone knows these for their rock star days in the band Good Charlotte. The band was active on and off for 24 years, ever since they formed the group in 1995. That’s pretty long for a rock band!
Joel and Benji were born in Maryland. The twins enjoy their celebrity wives, too, as Joel has been married to Nicole Richie for 8 years and Benji married Cameron Diaz in 2015.
Billy Dee and Loretta Williams
You might not be aware that this ‘Star Wars’ actor has a twin. Lando Calrissian has a twin sister, Loretta, and they were both born in New York City in 1937.
He might be most popular for his Star Wars character, but Billy Dee Williams was supposed to play Two-Face in Tim Burton’s sequel to ‘Batman Returns.’ He went on to voice Two-Face in ‘The Lego Batman’ movie.
Daryl and Evan Sabara
This ‘Spy Kids’ Daryl Sabara star has a fraternal twin, Evan. They’re both actors, but Evan stays behind the camera, usually doing voice work. As you can see, these twins definitely aren’t identical.
Interestingly, there’s a big height difference between the two, which is maybe why they never appear together as on-screen brothers. Daryl married singer Meghan Trainor in 2018.
Aaron and Shawn Ashmore
These twins are identical and don’t feel bad if you can’t tell them apart! Shawn (right) has appeared as Iceman in the X-Men movies, and Aaron had parts in ‘Smallville’ and ‘Killjoys.’
These Canadian bros are clearly fans of superheroes! They both have enjoyed successful careers, and both have enjoyed audiences of fans in different franchises.