Special Report

Most Famous Identical Twins of All Time

Cheyenne Buckingham

Published: April 18, 2018 4:18 pm

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 12:48 am

Attempting to achieve stardom is a daunting task, especially when going for it alone. Imagine, though, having someone who looks exactly like you going after the same dream. Would that improve your odds?

A number of the most identical twins got their start in Hollywood together by being cast in the same role or in roles made specifically for them. Not all of the most famous identical twins are actors. Some are athletes, politicians, singers, and even astronauts.

To identify the most famous identical twins of all time, 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of well-known twins from several kinds of professions using various internet sources.

Click here to see the 25 most famous identical twins of all time.

While there are numerous fraternal twins in the limelight, there are significantly fewer identical sets. In fact, identical twins only make up one-third of all twins. The difference between the two may not be as obvious as you might think.

Identical twins derive from just one egg and sperm, whereas fraternal twins are the product of two eggs fertilized by two different sperm. Thus, while identical twins don’t necessarily have to look exactly the same, they do share the same DNA. You may even be surprised to learn that some of the famous individuals on this list have an identical twin.

Of the 25 sets of twins, there are four sets where only one twin is famous. One example is Rami Malek, an Emmy-award-winning actor, who landed his first Hollywood gig in 2004 in the sitcom “Gilmore Girls.” He made his claim to fame in his role as Elliot Anderson in the drama series “Mr. Robot.” However, not many people know Rami has an identical twin named Sami, who is a middle school teacher in Los Angeles, California. The two were able to snag a spot on this list because of how prominent Rami is on his own.

In other cases, such as that of Robin and Brook Lopez, who play on separate NBA teams, both twins are equally famed. The same can be said for retired NFL players Ronde and Tiki Barber, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Giants, respectively.

Not surprisingly, an overwhelming majority of the twins on this list are well known for either starring in hit TV series and major feature films or for making their mark as singers and songwriters. More specifically, 15 of the 25 most famous identical sets of twins are in show business.

To identify the most famous identical twins of all time, 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of well-known twins from several kinds of professions using various internet sources. To be on this list, the set of identical twins had to have a combined total of at least 900,000 page views on Wikipedia between April 2, 2016 and April 2, 2018.

Source: Brian Ach / Getty Images for LocationWorld 2016

25. Mark and Scott Kelly
> Birthday: Feb. 21, 1964
> Place of birth: West Orange, New Jersey
> Famous for: American astronauts

Great minds think alike — and identical twins Mark and Scott Kelly certainly share similar interests when it comes to all things space and science. Both former NASA astronauts, the Kelly brothers have also each earned their own distinctive collection of accolades. Scott Kelly has completed two long-duration space station missions as well as two shorter trips between 1999 and 2015. His most recent trip, a year-long mission, was also used to explore how the human body adapts to long periods of staying in space. Scientists found that Scott’s gene expression had slightly altered while on the lengthy mission in space. The Twins Study, which compared the physiology and psychology of the two brothers, has enabled researchers to better comprehend the impact of space travel on the molecular level of the body.

Mark Kelly is another highly regarded individual not only in NASA, but also with the U.S. Navy. With over 6,000 flight hours, 39 combat missions, and spending more than 50 days in space, Mark is one of the nation’s most seasoned pilots.

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Source: Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images

24. Matt and Luke Goss
> Birthday: Sept. 29, 1968
> Place of birth: London, England
> Famous for: 80s boy band, Bros

Matt and Luke Goss are former members of the 1980s British boy band, Bros. The twin’s first album, “Push,” was highly appraised by worldwide fans at the time. The album went platinum seven times and earned a spot as the number one album in 20 countries. The last time Matt and Luke Goss played together was in 1989, when they headlined at iconic Wembley Stadium in London. The twins reunited for a 30th anniversary gig just last year after splitting up 24 years ago.

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23. Charlie and Max Carver
> Birthday: July 31, 1988
> Place of birth: San Francisco, California
> Famous for: Desperate Housewives and Teen Wolf

Charlie and Max Carver might as well be pegged as teenage heartthrobs. The identical twin actors have so far signed up for roles made specifically for twins. Their career took off with ABC’s long-running drama series, “Desperate Housewives,” where they played Preston and Porter Scavo, sons of Felicity Huffman and Doug Savant’s characters. The twins have gained even more attention in their roles as Aiden and Ethan in the MTV series “Teen Wolf.” Their most recent dual gig was in the three-season long HBO series, “The Leftovers.”

Source: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images for Nickelodeon Australia

22. Jessica and Lisa Origliasso
> Birthday: Dec. 25, 1984
> Place of birth: Queensland, Australia
> Famous for: The Veronicas

Millennials, remember the Australian pop duo The Veronicas from the early 2000s? Jessica and Lisa Origliasso entered the music scene in 2005 with their first album “The Secret Life Of…:” While that album was successful in Australia, it wasn’t until the sisters released the song “Untouched” from their 2007 album “Hook Me Up” that they made the charts in the U.S. By 2009, the single peaked as number 17 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Today, the once edgy, 20-year-old sisters have seemingly become more identical versions of themselves as they near their mid-30s.

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Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

21. Julian and Joaquin Castro
> Birthday: Sept. 16, 1974
> Place of birth: San Antonio, Texas
> Famous for: American Democratic politicians

The Castro brothers seem to always be in sync with each other. The identical twins both attended Harvard Law School and became influential Democratic Party politicians. Joaquin has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas’ 20th Congressional District since 2013. Julian served as the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, from 2009 to 2014, something he wanted to do since his final year at law school. He left office to join President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the secretary for Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Source: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

20. Ronde and Tiki Barber
> Birthday: April 7, 1975
> Place of birth: Blacksburg, Virginia
> Famous for: Former NFL players

Ronde and Tiki Barber have been long described as inseparable, even though they have played on opposing teams in the NFL since their professional career launched in the late 1990s. The Barber twins entered into the NFL Draft in 1997 — Tiki was drafted to the New York Giants and Ronde to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tiki played in three Pro Bowl games, and Ronde played in five. Tiki’s professional football career came to an end in 2006, but he did not escape the football realm. His career path merely switched from player to commentator. Ronde, on the other hand, retired in 2013, ending a 16-year career with the Buccaneers.

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Source: Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images

19. Harry and Luke Treadaway
> Birthday: Sept. 10, 1984
> Place of birth: Exeter, England
> Famous for: Brothers of the Head

English twins Harry and Luke Treadaway got their big break when they were just 21 years old in the film, “Brothers of the Head.” The twins played wannabe rock stars and conjoined twins Barry and Tom Howe. Since their debut film in 2005, the Treadaway twins have taken different paths in their acting careers. For nearly a decade, Harry acquired more recognizable roles in movies such as Anton Corbijn’s “Control” in 2007 and Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank” in 2009. As Harry landed roles in cinema, Luke rerouted his acting talents into the world of theater. By 2013, Luke stepped into the spotlight with his performance in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

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18. Olly Murs and Ben Hart
> Birthday: May 14, 1984
> Place of birth: Witham, Essex
> Famous for: The X Factor

Olly Murs entered the limelight in 2009, when he auditioned and then landed a spot on “The X Factor” by singing Stevie Wonder’s song “Superstition.” The aspiring singer made it all the way to the final round but lost to Joe McElderry. Despite the loss, Olly went on to release his first hit single “Please Don’t Let Me Go” one year later — the song ended up becoming number one on the charts. Since his debut song, Olly has released four more albums that all went platinum, and he has had eight singles in the top 10. Four of those singles were number one. Unfortunately, Olly and Ben don’t have the best relationship. Olly chose not to attend Ben’s wedding so that he could participate in a dress-rehearsal for “The X Factor,” which unleashed years of family drama. Ben took his wife’s last name out of spite for his family siding with Olly.

Source: Juliette London / Wikimedia Commons and Scott Gries/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

17. Jeremy and Jason London
> Birthday: Nov. 7, 1972
> Place of birth: San Diego, California
> Famous for: The Man in the Moon and Dazed and Confused

These twins went from being adored as Hollywood icons in their early 20s to being famous for their rebellious behavior as they got closer to their 30s. Unlike many of the celebrity twins on this list, the London brothers actually made their debut as stars separately. First, Jason was cast in 90s films “The Man in the Moon” and “Dazed and Confused.” Jeremy gained his fame playing in the series “Party of Five” and “7th Heaven.” Jeremy succumbed to drug addictions and ended up on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” show. By 2013, Jason was arrested after a bar fight at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona and charged with disorderly conduct.

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Source: Valerie Macon / Getty Images and Larry Busacca / Getty Images

16. Shawn and Aaron Ashmore
> Birthday: Oct. 7, 1979
> Place of birth: Richmond, Canada
> Famous for: X-Men and Smallville

Similar to the London twins, Shawn and Aaron Ashmore also didn’t get their big break in the acting world together. Shawn is best known for his role as Iceman in the X-Men movies, and he plays the hero in the video game Quantum Break. Aaron Ashmore has gained popularity in his role as Jimmy Olsen in the TV series “Smallville,” which ended in 2011. He currently plays Randall Wishart in the award-winning show, “Cardinal.”

Source: Michael Reaves / Getty Images

15. Robin and Brook Lopez
> Birthday: April 1, 1988
> Place of birth: Los Angeles, California
> Famous for: NBA players

While Robin and Brook Lopez are biologically identical twins, the two could not be more different personality and hairdo-wise. Robin is often described as aloof, and he sports an unruly curly mane and a thick beard. Brook, on the other hand, is considered to be rather intense, with short hair and a clean-shaven face. The Lopez twins share similar talents in basketball — both play for NBA teams. Brook, former center for the Brooklyn Nets, now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he will become a free agent by the end of the season. Robin is nearing the end of a four-year, $54 million contract with the New York Knicks.

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Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for WWE

14. Jimmy and Jey Uso
> Birthday: Aug. 22, 1985
> Place of birth: San Francisco, California
> Famous for: Professional wrestling tag team

Jey and Jimmy Uso aren’t your average twins — they are Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment, icons. Sons of 400-pound, WWE Hall of Fame inductee Rikishi, the Uso twins have made great efforts to follow in their father’s success. As a professional wrestling tag team, Jey and Jimmy — aka Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu — have won the WWE Tag Team Championship and the Slammy Award for tag team of the year twice. The identical twins have also won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship three times.

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13. Linda and Leslie Hamilton
> Birthday: Sept. 26, 1956
> Place of birth: Salisbury, Maryland
> Famous for: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Linda Hamilton has been acting since her debut in the drama “Night-Flowers” in 1979. Since then, Hamilton has accumulated a wealth of acting credits, most notably as Sarah Connor in the Terminator movies. Leslie, however, has spent most of her life detached from the limelight. Leslie is a registered nurse, who got a sneak peak at the famous life in 1991 with her role as Twin Sarah in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for SU2C

12. Brittany and Cynthia Daniel
> Birthday: March 17, 1976
> Place of birth: Gainesville, Florida
> Famous for: Sweet Valley High

Brittany and Cynthia Daniel are best known for their roles as Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield on the comedy series “Sweet Valley High” in the 90s. Since that show, the twins have led different lives. Brittany has continued to act over the past two decades, with her most recent role as Blair in the Golden Globe-winning TV series “Blackish.” Cynthia, on the other hand, retired from acting, with her last appearance as Bianca in “That ’80s Show.” She has since filled her time with other commitments, such as caring for her three children. With a passion for photography, Cynthia started her own business, Five Arrows Photography. Now the twins run The Sweet Life lifestyle blog, where they write about anything — from recipe roundups to fashion advice and home décor tips and tricks.

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Source: Randy Shropshire / Getty Images for Xbox

11. Jon and Dan Heder
> Birthday: Oct. 26, 1977
> Place of birth: Fort Collins, Colorado
> Famous for: Napoleon Dynamite and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The Heder twins are nothing short of a hilarious, ingenious duo. Jon is more well-known than his identical twin Dan, having accumulated over 70 acting credits since 2000. Jon is best known for his role as directionless and dopey teenager Napoleon in cult classic film “Napoleon Dynamite.” Comedy is Jon’s specialty, having also starred in “The Benchwarmers,” “Blades of Glory,” and “Just Like Heaven.” Dan has made his mark as a previsualization artist, doing the digital animation and visual effects for several movies, namely, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”

Source: Craig Barritt / Getty Images for FIJI Water

10. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss
> Birthday: August 21, 1981
> Place of birth: Southampton, New York
> Famous for: Sued Mark Zuckerberg; First bitcoin billionaires

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, while acclaimed for their own contributions to the tech field, are best known for suing Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of social media giant Facebook. In 2008, the twins were awarded $65 million in cash and Facebook stock after suing Zuckerberg for stealing their idea for the social network that has made Zuckerberg worth roughly $70 billion as of April 18, 2018. The Winklevoss twins used their newly acquired wealth to back cryptocurrency pioneer bitcoin. Their risky investment paid off as the $11 million they held in bitcoin in April 2013 turned into $1 billion by December 2017.

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Source: Tim Hipps, IMCOM Public Affairs / U.S. Army / Wikimedia Commons

9. Mo and Hassan Farah
> Birthday: March 23, 1983
> Place of birth: Mogadishu, Somalia
> Famous for: Mo is a gold medalist in both 5,000m and 10,000m races at two consecutive Olympic games

While an accomplished runner since adolescence, Mo Farah made history in 2010 when he won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races at the European Track and Field Championships. Just one week after this double win, Farah became the first British man to run below 13 minutes for the 5,000 meter race. His finish of 12:57.94 established a national record, which he then beat one year later and set a record of 12:53.11. Farah has won the gold medal in both the 10,000 meter and 5,000 meter races at two Olympic games, London 2012 and Rio 2016, as well as at the European T&F Championships, making him the first person in history to win both races on three different occasions. Mo’s twin, Hassan, is not as well known, having been separated from his brother for 12 years when they were just eight years old. Mo went with his father to England, while Hassan stayed with their mother in Somalia.

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8. Benji and Joel Madden
> Birthday: March 11, 1979
> Place of birth: Waldorf, Maryland
> Famous for: Good Charlotte

Fans of the band Good Charlotte are very familiar with this famous set of identical twins. Benji and Joel Madden made their debut in 1996, when they launched their pop punk band in garages of Waldorf, Maryland. Today, the group — which consists of Joel Madden as the vocalist, Benji Madden and Billy Martin on guitar, Paul Thomas on the bass guitar, and Dean Butterworth on the drums — has sold over 11 million albums worldwide. Their first record was released in 1999, and their last album, “Cardiology,” came out in 2010, just before they split the following year. After Good Charlotte disbanded, Joel and Benji formed their own group, The Madden Brothers. The original band got back together and released the album “Youth Authority” in 2016, followed by a four-city tour on the East Coast.

Source: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

7. Tia and Tamera Mowry
> Birthday: July 6, 1978
> Place of birth: Gelnhausen, Germany
> Famous for: Sister, Sister

While both Tia and Tamera Mowry got their start in the acting world in the early 90s, their popularity didn’t take off until they landed their own show, American sitcom “Sister, Sister.” The show ran for five years, but reruns continued to entertain pre-teens and teens well into the early 2000s. The sisters’ fame increasingly grew as they landed roles in films specifically tailored for them, such as “Seventeen Again,” which also starred the twins’ younger brother Tahj Mowry, and “Twitches.” Aside from acting, the twins have delved into their own respective interests. Today, Tia is a TV chef on her own show, “Tia Mowry at Home” on the Cooking Channel, and she has published a cookbook. Tamera co-hosts a daytime talk show called “The Real” filmed in Los Angeles, California, alongside three other women.

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Source: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

6. Rami and Sami Malek
> Birthday: May 12, 1981
> Place of birth: Los Angeles, California
> Famous for: Rami is an Emmy-winning actor for role in Mr. Robot

Rami Malek is the renowned twin, debuting on television in 2004 in his role as Andy in season four of “Gilmore Girls.” Since then, he has snagged roles in well-known movies such as “Night at the Museum,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” and “Short Term 12.” Malek’s big breakthrough role, however, happened in the past few years with the debut of the TV series “Mr. Robot.” His role as Elliot Anderson won the actor a Primetime Emmy award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 2016. His brother, Sami, is an ESL teacher at a middle school in Los Angeles, California, and is often mistaken for his celebrity twin brother.

Source: William Lovelace /Daily Express / Hulton Archive /Getty Images

5. Ronnie and Reggie Kray
> Birthday: Oct. 24, 1933
> Place of birth: London, England
> Famous for: English gangsters

To say that Ronnie and Reggie Kray are criminal/gangster legends is an understatement. Running from the police and gang-related escapades were a habitual, after-school pastime for the Kray twins. It wasn’t long after adolescence that they gained the reputation as the most dangerous men in London’s East End. The identical twins established a gang called the Firm and engaged in criminal activities ranging from robberies to firebombing. As adults, Ronnie was diagnosed with schizophrenia and Reggie was just as unstable as his brother. The Kray brothers ended up being convicted for murder and thrown in jail for life in 1968 by Inspector Leonard “Nipper” Read. Two films have been made about the Kray brothers, “The Krays,” which was released in 1990, and “Legend,” which was released in 2015.

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Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images for iHeartMedia and M Lamar / Wikimedia Commons

4. Laverne Cox and M. Lamar
> Birthday: May 29, 1972
> Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama
> Famous for: Orange Is the New Black

Many might not know that actress, producer, and transgender advocate Laverne Cox and music artist M. Lamar are identical twins. The twins were born as male in Mobile, Alabama, in 1972. Laverne had always felt feminine and faced years of bullying as a result. By her 20s, Cox began her transition into a woman while living in New York City. Today, Cox is well known for her role in the iconic Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black.” She has been nominated for a slew of awards and won the 2016 SAG Award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. Cox rules the acting scene, whereas M. Lamar brings a whole other kind of magic to the table with his music. The radical post-punk goth artist produces various works of multimedia that harmonizes music, performance, film, and political allegory into one.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

3. Dylan and Cole Sprouse
> Birthday: Aug. 4, 1992
> Place of birth: Arezzo, Italy
> Famous for: The Suite Life of Zack & Cody

Dylan and Cole’s acting careers began at 1-year-old, when the twins both played the same character, Patrick Kelly, in “Grace Under Fire.” The identical twins had various roles following their debut, but their true claim to fame came in 2005 with the launch of the Disney Channel TV series, “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” Since part two of the series, “The Suite Life on Deck,” ended in 2011, the twins removed themselves from acting so they could attend New York University. Dylan’s hiatus from Hollywood lasted until 2017, a year after Cole returned to acting as Jughead Jones in the TV series “Riverdale.”

Source: Monica Schipper / Getty Images for Diamonds Unleashed LLC

2. Brie and Nikki Bella
> Birthday: Nov. 21, 1983
> Place of birth: San Diego, California
> Famous for: Professional wrestling tag team

Brie and Nikki Bella are not your average identical twin sisters — they’re a professional wrestling tag team for World Wrestling Entertainment. The twins became famous in 2008, when they pulled a move referred to as none other than “Twin Magic” — a move that helped Brie defeat her opponent Victoria. This move consists of Brie and Nikki unknowingly swapping places during matches. This same move also helped Brie win the Divas Championship in 2011. The Bella sisters have gained even more attention being stars on on E! Network’s show “Total Divas,” which launched in 2013.

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Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

1. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
> Birthday: June 13, 1986
> Place of birth: Los Angeles, California
> Famous for: Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movies

Last but certainly not least, and arguably most famous twins of all time, are Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The Olsen sisters’ career began with a role in the eight-year-long family sitcom, “Full House.” They both played Michelle Tanner before the age of one, and once the show wrapped up their careers had just begun. Together, the twins acted in their own collection of light-hearted films. From 1992 to 2004, the Olsen girls had starred in a total of 14 Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. With the exception of acting in a few shorts and films, the Olsen twins have been absent from Hollywood and have put all of their energy into fashion. At age of 12, when they created a clothing brand that sold at Walmart. Today, the Olsen twins run two incredibly successful clothing brands, The Row and Elizabeth and James. The Olsen Twins now have an estimated net worth of $400 million. The catch? Evidently, they are fraternal twins, but we insisted on including them in this list.