Many directors have been using the trick of cloning an actor through their sibling for a long time. It's a clever way to ensure that a character's appearance remains consistent on screen. By using siblings, directors can avoid the constraints of CGI and stay true to the original script. Actor siblings have played a crucial part in bringing some of Hollywood's most famous movies to life, whether it's through subtle stand-ins or full-blown body doubles.
1. Penélope Cruz's younger sister, Mónica, was her body double in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Peter Mountain/Walt Disney Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection/East News, © Fotonoticias / WireImage / Getty Images
Mónica, Penélope Cruz's sister, stepped in as her body double for action scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean 4 because Penélope was pregnant. They bear such a striking resemblance that it may be difficult for viewers to distinguish between them.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP / East News, © Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
2. Elle played the younger version of her sister Dakota's character in I Am Sam.
East News, Mary Evans/Allstar/Graham Whitby Boot./ East News
Elle and Dakota Fanning are sisters who are 4 years apart, with Dakota being the older one. In 2001, Dakota starred in the movie I Am Sam, and Elle was selected to portray the character's younger self in the flashback scenes when she was 2 years old.
3. Chris Hemsworth isn't the only Hemsworth who played Thor.
AFP PHOTO/ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ/East News
AFP/EAST NEWS, © chrishemsworth / Instagram
The Hemsworth brothers, Luke, Chris, and Liam, are all actors. Surprisingly, all three have ties to Chris' famous role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Liam initially auditioned for the role, while Luke also portrayed Thor in a cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.
4. Jason London had to take over his brother's role in I'll Fly Away for the series finale.
Version 1: Jeremy London portrayed Nathan Bedford in the TV show “I'll Fly Away.” However, in the 90-hour-long movie that concluded the series, the character of Nathan was played by Jeremy's twin brother, Jason.
5. Xander from Buffy The Vampire Slayer was also played by Nicholas Brendon's twin brother in season 3.
In the third season of the famous series, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, viewers were introduced to a different form of the main character, Xander. This alternate version was portrayed by the actor's twin brother, Kelly Donovan.
Kelly also substituted for his brother in one episode of season 5.
6. Laverne Cox's character from Orange Is the New Black was also played by her twin brother.
Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection/East News, © Orange Is the New Black/Lionsgate Television/Netflix
Laverne Cox, a transgender woman, starred in the well-known Netflix series, Orange Is the New Black. In a flashback scene, her character Sophia was portrayed before her transition. Laverne revealed that the show's director discovered she had a twin brother named M. Lamar and insisted on him auditioning for the role. This is how he ended up playing the character of his sister!
7. Sarah Connor was played by Linda Hamilton's sister in one scene in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
In Terminator 2: Judgement Day, there are 2 Sarah Connors in a scene because the main villain pretends to be one of them. However, Linda Hamilton didn't play both parts – her twin sister, Leslie, played the role of the fake Sarah.
8. The role of Alba DeTamble from the movie, The Time Traveler's Wife, was played by sisters.
The movie The Time Traveler's Wife from 2009 features two different versions of the character Alba: one in the present and one in a flashback. The younger version of Alba is portrayed by Tatum McCann, the younger sister of actress Hailey McCann.
9. Rami Malek's twin brother, Sami, got to star alongside him in the movie, Buster's Mal Heart.
© Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty Images
Rami Malek has a twin brother named Sami Malek who looks so much like him that even their parents might have had trouble telling them apart. In a fun turn of events, Sami acted as Rami's body double in the movie, Buster's Mal Heart. It's almost unbelievable how similar they are.
10. Cole and Dylan Sprouse shared the role of Julian in Big Daddy.
Big Daddy, a popular movie from 1999, won over audiences globally as Adam Sandler's character tried to adopt a child to impress his love interest. The lovable kid was played by the Sprouse twins, Cole and Dylan. Now, 20 years later, Sandler still admires the twins' talent and good looks. He is amazed by their transformation into handsome young men.
© Big Daddy / Sony Pictures, © Joshua Blanchard / Stringer / Getty Images
11. Jill Hennessy's sister played her role on Law & Order when she was too busy.
Jill Hennessy portrayed the assistant district attorney, Claire Kincaid, on Law & Order from season 4 to season 6. However, due to a conflicting commitment, she missed filming one episode. Fortunately, her twin sister, Jacqueline Hennessy, stepped in to play Claire Kincaid instead.
12. Twins Ryder and Evan Londo played the same characters on Sons of Anarchy and Mad Men.
Michael Yarish / AMC / Courtesy: Everett Collection / East News, ?AMC/courtesy Everett Collection/East News
These twins are very talented. They worked on two major projects together. They portrayed Abel Teller on Sons of Anarchy from 2011 to 2014, and simultaneously played Gene on Mad Men from 2012 to 2015.
13. Khadijah and Malika Haqq played the same character in their debut film, Sky High.
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection/East News
In the 2005 Disney film Sky High, the character Penny possesses the ability to create copies of herself. This role was portrayed by twins Khadijah and Malika Haqq. The sisters remember their audition, mentioning that the director did not specifically seek out twins as they saw other single actors in the waiting room. However, it turned out to be a wise decision to hire them.
Preview photo credit AFP/EAST NEWS, chrishemsworth / Instagram
