If you’re a fan of entertainment, movies, and TV, then you probably think that having an identical twin leads to endless shenanigans. Well, in some cases, fact can be much weirder than fiction. And those awkward moments and mix-ups that you’ve seen on the screen? They sometimes happen in real life, too.

The members of the sprawling r/AskReddit community shared their top twin stories, including some moments that might make you facepalm with secondhand embarrassment. Scroll down for our collection of the best tales.

#1

Was going down an escalator at a casino. Look across and see my brother! Get the excites and yell HEY BRO! Start waving for his attention!
Was waving to myself in a mirror.

Image credits: Tonyracs

#2

My twin brother died in a car wreck and my family suggested that I should date his girlfriend because…grief, I guess?

REAL F****N’ AWKWARD, MOM

Image credits: anon

#3

This story is so prime and I’m so excited to tell it.

I used to do musicals. Like singing dancing musicals.

My brother came to a performance and was at the greeting line afterwards. He goes up to the lead actress in the show as says “great job, congrats, what a show” to which she responds “oh I wasn’t in the show actually it was my twin sister. But you were fantastic” To which my twin brother says “I wasn’t in the show either”

And that’s when the actual lead actress and I walk up wondering why they both look so damn confused.

I’ve been laughing about it for years

Image credits: Stovential

When you’re an identical twin, you almost undoubtedly have a unique link with your sibling. That said, it’s also fair to assume that everyone wants to be seen as an individual, too, not just as another ‘copy’ of someone else. After all, it’s very likely that one day, you’ll live in a completely different place from your twin. So, in the meantime, it’s vital to develop an identity of your own and to build up your self-confidence.

Twins Trust explains that some identical twins might hold themselves back from outperforming their siblings. Meanwhile, others become extremely competitive. While it’s nearly impossible to stay away from playing favorites, parents should strive not to label their twins with specific traits.

#4

My mom is an identical twin. She and her sister were always dressed alike and hated it so one year for Halloween my grandpa took my mom costume shopping and my grandma took my aunt. When they got home they were so excited to show eachother their costumes, but when they came out of their room they were wearing the same thing.

Image credits: thiscrazycouple

#5

My Grandpa has a twin brother, and they look nearly identical even now in their late 70s.

My mom told me that when I was a toddler we were at a family reunion. Apparently my grandpa was holding me and talking to my parents and then his twin brother walked up to us and my reaction was to say, stunned and wide-eyed, “Two Grandpa’s!!”

I must have been really happy to have not one, but two amazing Grandpas to interact with.

Edit: Added missing “us”

Image credits: Oogamz

#6

Mr Clark.

I grew up in a small town where if you were walking down the road and your neighbors were outside, you smiled and waved.

For years, I would take walks as a kid, smiled and waved all the time to a dear old gentlemen, Mr Clark.

I was sad when I learned he passed away, he was well liked in the community.

A couple of weeks after he passed, I went for a walk as I approached his house, I saw a familiar face.

It was Mr Clark.

Mr Clark was dead.

A chill went through me, I felt frozen but yet able to walk. I felt sheer terror.

In that second, it was confirmed.

GHOSTS ARE REAL.

But no one would believe me, so I kept it to myself. For a couple of weeks, I saw Mr Clark in his yard a couple of times and I hurried on by his house as fast as I could.

That feeling of sheer terror always at the surface, Mr Ghost Clark was a little off. He didn’t smile, he didn’t wave.

I couldn’t take it any more so I mentioned Mr Clark to my besties mom who lived 3 houses down from Mr Clark.

Mr Clark was a twin. The happy twin passed and the curmudgeon Clark was still alive and kicking.

I will never forget the feeling of nearly losing my bowels the first time I saw Ghost Clark after he passed.

I will also never forget the laughter my friends mom couldn’t hold back when I told her my ghost story.

Image credits: darthsmuse

For example, you should not call one twin ‘the naughty one’ while the other gets branded as ‘the clever one.’ (Society will, almost inevitably, do the labeling for them. So, it’s important to avoid it at home as much as possible).

Parents ought to find something that they can encourage and praise in both children, not just one of them.

#7

My sisters are twins. Their favorite story is when one of their boyfriend’s tries to show the wrong twin this weird a*s mole on his butt cheek. Both Sisters are extremely squeamish. So boyfriend thought it was just her being grossed out.

Unfortunately, my dad walked in on him chasing the wrong twin around the kitchen with half of his butt hanging out. My dad just turned around and walked out.

That boyfriend also had a thing for eating raw vegetables like onions, garlic, and potatoes.

EDIT:

the raw vegetables thing was weird because he’d find them in the kitchen, and start snacking on them like they were apples or a cupcake. Garlic and onions are a thing, sure. But the potato was weird.

He got the mole removed at both of my sister’s requests.

My sister and him broke up after she lost him at a mall and had him pages over the intercoms. He felt like a “child”. In her defense, he was on those little mall trains riding around and he had her car keys. They’re still friends though.

Sister’s update on him:

He’s now a pediatric cancer doctor. He is a lovely weirdo and has since married a wonderful woman, has a full soccer team of kids. My sister and her husband had dinner with them last Christmas time. He really grew into his childishness, as it now helps him with his patients. Wife loves his silliness.

…He still eats raw potatoes though, so you can’t win at everything…

EDIT 2:

My sister’s shared this to him. He says there’s nothing wrong with eating raw vegetables, but the potatoes were originally a joke that started getting to big and became part of his identity. It made others laugh and made people around him open up more and be comfortable with you they were. (Or so he claims.)

He says to do yearly mole checks. Have a friend or partner (but not your partner’s twin) help you identify any concerning moles. Follow ABCDE on moles:
Asymmetry. Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving. And Wear sunscreen!!!

Image credits: lady_molotovcocktail

#8

Slightly off topic.

I knew some identical twins who were both in the trades. One a plumber and the other an electrician. Once in a while they’d end up on the same job site. They would steal each other’s work shirts, wait for a foreman to tell one of them to complete a task. Then “f**k you I’m not doing that” and walk away. Loved working with those 2, they were a good time.

Image credits: F_bothparties

#9

Dad’s friend is a twin. Lives in Chicago. His twin brother lives in Boston. On the same day, both twins fell off a ladder and broke the same leg.

Image credits: sydneyjrw

It’s perfectly fine for identical twins not to be completely identical. Parents should allow them to have individual goals and interests. It can also be healthy for the kids to spend some time apart from their siblings and have some time alone with their parents. Twinversity notes that twins should be encouraged to choose their own activities.

It’s essential for parents not to constantly label their kids as ‘the twins.’ They’re individuals, even if they were born together and look alike. For instance, when you’re celebrating their birthdays, you shouldn’t automatically default to getting them shared cards and gifts.

#10

Two stories from my grandmother (Joan) and her identical twin (Jean)

first, longggg time ago, my grandmother Joan was dating someone and he wanted to take her hiking. But when the time came she really just didn’t feel like it. So Jean took her place for the afternoon and went hiking. Their younger sister Kathy started taunting the boyfriend when he got home with Jean – she kept singing “i know something you don’t knowwww.” I think she eventually gave it away him. That man is not my grandfather.

Secondly, after Joan got married and had a few kids and Jean had become a nun, they tried an experiment on my uncle, who was a toddler at the time. They switched clothes so that Joan was wearing a nun habit and Jean was in regular mom clothes, then they both went into my uncles room after he woke up from his nap. He stared at them for a few seconds and then reached out for Joan, his mother, in the habit. He somehow just knew.

Image credits: slabofmarble

#11

I fancied a twin in high school and couldn’t realise why in one class she spoke to me yet in another didn’t know what the f**k i was on about. It took me 4 months and just bumping into them both on the walk home and I literally went “there’s 2 of you!”

Image credits: ramboacdc

#12

I’m not a twin, but my mum and aunt are identical twins. As they’ve gotten older I think they are more distinguishable but from behind most people think they look exactly the same.

My aunt and uncle were round for dinner and my aunt was in the kitchen preparing some food when my step dad came in, hugged my aunt from behind and kissed her neck.

All my aunt said was “Wrong sister.”
Everyone thought it was hilarious but my step dad was very apologetic and embarrassed for a long time lmao.

He said that the reason he thought it was my mum, was that my mum and aunt had the same haircut at the time and my aunt had put on my mum’s jumper. Take what you will from that lmao.

Image credits: BurntChristmasTrees

Of course, from a practical standpoint, having two separate parties on the same day might be excessive, not to mention costly.

You could make the twins feel individually special by getting them separate cakes or singing ‘Happy Birthday’ for each one in turn. What’s more, don’t forget that your twins might have different friends who will have to be invited to the party.

#13

Only tangentially related to topic but, I feel like sharing.

On my last day as manager of a restaurant, a new girl was hired. I continued to drink there, and she and I got to know each other a little. Mostly just drink and smoke. Gave her a ride here and there. Texted and such. Went on for a year.

Then I started seeing her fairly frequently at a new place. She’d always hug me and seemed genuinely happy to see me. It was nice. I could feel real affection in her hugs.

One day I saw her, and everything seemed like usual but, I didn’t feel anything when we hugged. I was confused but, I figured maybe it was my imagination since I hadn’t done anything wrong. Tbh, it really bothered me, I thought about it all week.

Then the next week I saw her with her identical twin. I was surprised, and Very relieved. (Turns out it happens all the time and her sister plays along as if she knows me because it’s faster than explaining.)

Tl;dr: I can’t Visually tell the difference between identical twins, but I Can tell the difference between sincere and insincere hugs.

Also, now that I know, even though they appear identical, it’s easy to tell the difference.

#14

This is actually my friend’s story.

She went to see a play at a university with her identical twin. He sister said that there was a shortcut to the theater by cutting through some class building. My friend didn’t think that made sense, but her sister seemed confident about it, so she followed along. Then suddenly her sister opens a classroom door and says, “Let’s go in here.”

My friend goes inside, and freaks out when she sees a bunch of paintings of what looks like herself, completely naked.

It turns out her sister had posed nude for an art class, and thought that would be a fun surprise.

Image credits: boffotmc

#15

I’ve told this story before but it’s even more fitting here:

My identical twin sister was dating the president of a fraternity on campus, and during one of the frat’s “date night” events she went with her bf and I was set up as a date for one of his brothers. Towards the end of the night I got separated from my date, and my sister’s extremely drunk boyfriend put his arm around me while sis was in the bathroom.

Bf leaned in to kiss me (venue was super dark so I think it was an honest mistake) so I backed up to set the record straight. He asked if I was down for a threesome.

With my own twin sister. I still feel bad for ditching my date but *shudders* I had to get out of there asap. Ew ew ew.

Which of these stories piqued your interest the most, dear Pandas? Do you have any amusing, embarrassing, or straight-up hilarious twin-related stories of your own to share? Have you ever mixed up twins growing up? If you’re a twin yourself, how has your relationship with your sibling changed over the years? Let us know in the comments.

#16

My little brother and sister are twins and both of them have multiple flat spots on their heads (not noticeable through their hair). This is because before they were born they would head butt each other inside of my mother, the doctor said a lot of the kicking she felt were actually head butts

Image credits: cnest777

#17

My Dad and Uncle are twins..2/3 times a year they’ll show up to dinner or they’ll be at each other houses wearing the exact same outfit only different brands. At first it was funny but now we know it just happens.

People mix them up all the time, multiple times a month they’re telling people they’re not the other haha.. acquaintances and work associates have thought they’re having an affair, my Dad was confronted once and had to explain to the guy (who was a couple drinks in apparently) that he’s not his brother.

An actual story from when they were kids… They’re almost 3 years and share a room with 2 wooden frame twin beds. That Christmas they got a plastic tool chest toy set thing. My grandma says it wasn’t more then 3 weeks after Christmas when she goes into their room and the beds are completely taken apart the head and foot board bolts were removed the slats were removed and separated..They had no idea how it happened. My grandpa called up the company handyman who put it back together. Couple days later same exact thing only my grandparents are pissed now. They got rid of the wood bed frames and got 2 metal cots with the springs which lasted about a week, my grandma walks into their room and found one of the beds completely taken apart each spring removed. The twins though they were working together on the second cot, one of the them was grabbing the fabric and pulling it to ease the tension and the other was using the back of the plastic hammer to pry out the spring.
They ended up losing tool chest privileges.

Image credits: CJamT3

#18

I was with my twin brother at the supermarket this one time, and judging from this story I’m guessing that obviously we look the same from the back, but not exactly the front because I’m a female. My brother’s girlfriend was shopping at the same store as us that day and comes up behind me and smacks my bottom saying “Hey love” jokingly I turn around and say it back. The look on her face made me regret what I did….

Image credits: DashedAxe3D

#19

My twin brother went out to pick up some wine and his girlfriend (at the time) came over and thought I was him. She was probably really horny but without hesitating she began to kiss me and it took me by surprise, to the point where i was frozen in shock. I was about to get her off me, but that was when he walked in…

Image credits: diegoloor

#20

My ex was once scrolling through FB and said ‘you look really hot in this photo’.

It wasn’t me.

Image credits: anon

#21

I went to a funeral of a friends father, I had no idea that the deceased had an identical twin. It felt really strange to see the guy in the coffin sat at the front row of the Church.

Image credits: Ar72

#22

I dated an identical twin back in high school. Her sister had recently broken up with her boyfriend. The ex-boyfriend and his mom were walking through the park and saw my girlfriend and I kissing. Without the slightest display of emotion, she turns to her son and says “Ah, so that’s why she left you.”

#23

Not a twin, but I was dating one.

They shared a bedroom, we were at an age that we’d still live at home. I walked in on “my” twin, fresh out of the shower. She was butt naked and stood with her back to me, so I walked up and grabbed her from behind, pulling her closer to me when she asked:
“Alwin_?”
“Wrong twin”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Our secret?”
“yeah… Sorry about that. Bye.”

#24

There was a f****d-up story about the twins in my country. Two baby girls were swaped in hospital, and one twin came back home with other family, their daughter stayed with her ‘twin sister’. Girls were completely different, but the family thought they are just not identical twins.

They found out the truth when all 3 girls were in high schools. The real twins were constantly called differently and strangers would approach them and say hi. They lived in a relatively small town, so finally some common friends organised their meeting.

Although they look identical, they are completely different people, eg. one of them likes metal music and wears black clothes. The story didn’t end up well, although they sued the hospital, both families are devastated by the whole story.

#25

I’m not the twin, but I was dating a guy on and off for years (long distance) and eventually came to find out that the guy I had been on and off dating was f*****g his twin brother & his twin brother’s wife.

I couldn’t believe it at first, but then a whole lot of things started to make sense, the more I thought about it. I’d been friends with him a solid fifteen years, and in that whole time he never really dated anyone but me. But he spent so much time with his twin brother & even more with his twin brother’s wife.

We’re no longer dating.

#26

I’m not a twin, but dated one of two twin brothers in high school. The other twin also had a girlfriend at the school. One day, someone in my class pulls me aside to nervously tell me he thinks my boyfriend is cheating on me…he was fairly new at the school and didn’t know yet there were twins. It gave us all a good laugh when the story got around and the guy was pretty relieved to hear there was no cheating going on.

#27

Not embarrassing but my geography teacher has a twin brother and when he left a few people without a grade meaning they had to take summer exams, a few of the kids gathered and broke his twin brothers nose and gave him a black eye. They were pretty surprised to see him the next day without a scratch.

#28

My husband has an identical twin. When my husband and I got engagement photos done, Facebook automatically tagged my husband’s brother in a bunch of our photos, and I posted them without realizing.

Image credits: Menellas

#29

Not embarrassing, but my twin sister is dating a guy that friend zoned me.

*Edit* I’ll add some context.

I really liked this one guy. Super nice and funny and smart and he was pretty cute too. I confessed that I liked him and got friend zoned. It stun and he stopped talking to me after that, which totally sucked.

A month later or so my sister told me about the same guy and how they both liked it each other. I was pretty sad about it, not gonna lie, but they’ve been dating for almost 3 months now and they’re a cute couple.

It does sting when she tells me how great they’re doing and how he is always at our house, but she’s happy, so it’s okay.

Edit (7/10/2020): They broke up because he cheated on her with her friend. Guess I dodged a bullet

#30

One of my good friends in college, we’ll call her Ellie, has a twin sister (we’ll call her sister). Sister had a boyfriend while Ellie was blissfully single. We were all over at Sister’s place making dinner together and having some beers.

Ellie went to grab something out of the fridge, so her back was to the room. Sister’s boyfriend walked by, gave her a casual but firm butt grab and went on his way to the counter to, idk, chop something. Ellie gasped and turned around. The room stopped. We all just stared and waited for Boyfriend to notice he’d grabbed the wrong twin. You could see the exact moment he realized Sister, his girlfriend, was not, in fact, at the refrigerator. She was on the other side of the room.

He slowly looked back down at the cutting board; he couldn’t even process the shame. He apologized profusely. Ellie was horrified for a second but after she realized it was an honest mistake, she thought it was funny. He literally could not make eye contact with her for a week.

Edit: spelling

#31

My girlfriend told me about a production of Twelfth Night that was able cast identical twins for the main role.

At one point one of them walked off one side of the stage and the other walked on from the opposite side in a different costume seconds later. Most of the audience just thought they were doing really fast quick changes.

In the version they used for the dvd a guy in the audience near the camera very loudly said “what the f**k?!” when this happened.

#32

Not a twin.

Dated a twin on and off for awhile. In middle school, I would get a call from my boyfriend. We’d chat for a bit and then he’d have to go so his brother could have his phone time (these were the days before cell phones). Then we’d hang up and I’d get another phone call a minute later. From my boy friend. Turns out the first call was from his twin brother. Boyfriend would get pissed.

He tried that a few more times. Then I learned to tell their voices a part.

Edit: thanks for my first silver!!!

#33

My identical twin brother, my wife, and myself all went to school together and got jobs at the same place after passing boards. Since there are some rules regarding family working together, I was not hired to the same unit as my wife. But my twin was. It was a lot of fun, taking lunches together, etc. But there was one social worker who just couldn’t grasp that my brother and wife were not the married ones. She’d compliment me on how cute they were together, comment on social media how great a couple they were, even talk about how much my kids ‘take after their dad’ (referring to him). It’s all benign and we laugh about it, but she really laid it on thick.

#34

I tried to date this girl from class and we were going out on dates and everything but out of nowhere she stopped talking to me because her friends saw me with another girl ( my twin sister) at the movies and thought I was playing her but they didn’t know I have a twin sister.

#35

Not a twin, but I had a pair of teachers at my middle school who were identical twins. They tended to dress similarly and I spent a lot of time confused as to how they could move around the school so quickly until someone told me there were two of them, and that they were twins. This was right before one of them got pregnant though, so I would have figured it out eventually

#36

My cousin married a twin, accidently groped the wrong tooshy at their wedding reception in front of both families. No alcohol involved but there were some tempers and some tears.

#37

When I was a baby my dad was supposed to take my brother to a doctor’s office because he was sick and he took me instead my dad realized that it was me and got my brother to the doctors turns out he just had a cough.

#38

My twin brother is gay so early in highschool before people knew he had a twin I was groped by a gay man…

#39

My grandma and her sister were twins. Her sister was going to be a nun so couldn’t be involved in any affairs. Some guy asked the sister out, who sent my grandma in her place, tasked with ending the date poorly.

I’d like to say there’s a funny ending that the guy is my granddad, but he’s not, he’s just some random dude.

#40

I’m not a twin, but I knew some in hs.

There were these two identical girls who were your kind of typical sl*tty experimental girls, and they revealed to me they would practice making out on each other. Additionally they shared a boyfriend at some point without telling him they were two separate people. But when he found out, he was real upset because if they were lying about that, then what else was going on behind his back.