Siblings are often each other’s first friends. As small children, they play with one another from dawn til dusk. As preteens, they begin to fight for their own independence. As teenagers, they finally find their own personalities and begin to settle into their own chosen friend groups. Then, as adults, brothers and sisters tend to become best friends again as they remember the unique bond only they share. Needless to say, siblings have a history filled with jokes, hardships, and stories between them. Now, try recreating this connection between two strangers on a set.
Actors who arepaired together as siblingsin a film or TV series must fully understand the dynamic between them. They have to have certain mannerism and tones when speaking to one another to truly make the audience believe their relationship is authentic. With this in mind, writers will often include inside jokes for the characters, and the directors will pinpoint exactly how they should respond to one another. If the actors are really great, they will bring their off-screen friendship into the mix and truly make the audience believe the chemistry between them.
Check out 20 of the best sibling duos in movies and TV shows.
20Monica and Ross — Friends
Among the iconic group inFriends, Monica (Courteney Cox) and Ross (Davis Schwimmer) tend to stand out from the others due to their relationship as brother and sister. They often bring up things from their shared past, and they most definitely know how to get under one another’s skin. Though Cox is older than Schwimmer, the actors perfectly portray the “protective older brother” and “bossy andcontrolling little sister” dynamic throughout the series. Fans will not soon forget that the pair even had to perform a cringey dance routine they created when they were much younger.
19Sam and Dean — Supernatural
From the crude inside jokes to the literal bullets taken for one another, there is no doubt that Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) inSupernaturalare the most believable brothers. Dean is the older brother who was constantly told to look out for his younger sibling, and even well into adulthood, he always kept that promise.
Sam, on the other hand, always felt like he lived in Dean’s shadow, and of course the two rarely talk about these things because it is easier to blast away monsters and demons than have a heart-to-heart about their feelings. When the cameras stop rolling, Ackles and Padalecki naturally continue to act like brothers, and fans absolutely love it.
18Sally and Gilly — Practical Magic
InPractical Magic, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) were raised by their aunts to believe they could do and be anything they ever wanted. However, a generational curse would make them believe otherwise. As the two got older and pursued different interests — Sally wanted a family, and Gilly wanted adventure with a bit of danger — they naturally parted ways.
Then, when Gilly finds herself in trouble with an abusive man, Sally stops at nothing to help her sister break free. The witchy sisters are kind and compassionate, and they remind audiences how powerful two women can be when they share a common goal out of passion.
17Zack and Cody — The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
Dylan and Cole Sprouse were less than a year old when they started acting. As twins, the two were often interchanged to portray a single character. Then, as they got older and were allowed to work more hours, the pair gained their own identities onThe Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
The brothers already had the natural chemistry on set, and portraying lovable goofballs who typically found themselves in trouble seemed to come naturally. After Disney, the brothers professionally parted ways to pursue their own interests as individuals rather than the collective pair they’d always been.
16Alexis and David — Schitt’s Creek
Brothers and sisters are usually able to get on each other’s last nerves because they know exactly which buttons to push. For Alexis (Annie Murphy) and David Rose (Dan Levy) inSchitt’s Creek, even as adults, they seem to find amusement in watching the other’s blood pressure rise.
David constantly feels like he is the victim of the situation and no one around him understands, and Alexis tends to only think of herself in situations and how she can come out on top. As the two grow during the six seasons, there is a clear shift in their dynamic, and they become proud of one another for all that they have accomplished when the odds were stacked against them inthis fish-out-of-water- story.
15Stefan and Damon — The Vampire Diaries
Thedark and broody vampire brothershad a hold on many fans' hearts for all eight seasons ofThe Vampire Diaries. Apparel, stationery, and everything in between were made to determine if a fan was team Damon (Ian Somerhalder) or team Stefan (Paul Wesley). Stefan was typically portrayed as the level-headed brother who wanted to fit in with his peers while Damon enjoyed causing chaos and doing what he wanted when he wanted.
While on-screen, the pair have a love-hate relationship where they are rarely on the same page — especially when it comes to a certain love interest — but off-screen, Somerhalder and Wesley have the best friendship.
14Tia and Tamera — Sister, Sister
Tia and Tamera Mowry were not in the entertainment industry for very long before they were spotted and recruited for a show that had them playing twins who were separated at birth. The sisters brought their spunk and sass to set every day onSister, Sisteras they portrayed essentially two strangers who managed a new living situation with their adoptive parents, so they could get to know one another.
Though the girls' characters had completely opposite personalities, they both made fans laugh until they cried with their crazy antics and genuine attitudes towards one another.
13Wednesday and Pugsley — The Addams Family Franchise
Though Wednesday and Pugsley Addams have been portrayed by a number of actors and actresses, the relationship between the two has mostly stayed the same. InThe Addams Familyfilms, Wednesday is portrayed as the older sister who likes to torture her gullible younger brother. Pugsley tries to do his fair share of tormenting, but he is often out-matched by Wednesday.
It is clear that the two genuinely care about one another — especially when Wednesday goes after the boys who were bullying Pugsley inWednesday— but the siblings will never admit that to themselves.
Related:Wednesday: Every Supernatural Creature in Season 1, Ranked
12Max and Dani — Hocus Pocus
There is something about the older brother and little sister dynamic that really hits home for fans. With Max Dennison (Omri Katz) as the older teen who thinks he is too cool to take care of his little sister, Dani (Thora Birch), everything feels authentic inHocus Pocus.
Dani gets on Max’s last nerves, she rats him out to their parents, and she knows how to throw a fit and get her way. Max, in turn, is understandably annoyed by his younger sister, but in the end, he does everything he can to protect her. Even when fighting off children-eating witches, the relationship between this duo is by far one of the most realistic in movie history.
11DJ and Stephanie — Full House
A single dad raising three strong-willed girls is difficult, but can you imagine the amount of petty arguments and heated debates he had to break up? When they were younger, the two eldest daughters, DJ (Candace Cameron) and Stephanie (Jodi Sweetin), did not always see eye-to-eye inFull House.
However, as the two grew up and started to find their own personalities and friend groups, they would watch out for one another and have each other’s best interest at heart. WhenFuller Housepremiered, the same love-hate sisterly bond was ever present between the two women.
