14 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Twins

Twins! They’re just like us. Really, we are. I am a full-time twin (on call 24/7) to my genetically-identical counterpart Abby. Our story is that my cellphone-less dad was on a suuuper long bike ride when he got an overwhelming feeling that he should turn around to go home to his extremely pregnant wife (nice, dad). In true twin telepathic fashion, my mother — the real MVP of this entire situation — was at home going into labor when he arrived. Abby and I were born just one minute apart after a slightly stressful birth (I’m told) in which I allegedly bit her ear in order to be born first. Spoiler alert: It worked.

After being labeled “Baby A” and “Baby B” in our incubators at the hospital, we went home to our Post-It note-labeled cribs. From there, we quickly became Mary-Kate and Ashley’s biggest fans (our parents limited how many times PER DAY we were allowed to watch You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s Mall Party). It always felt cool to identify with celeb twins like the Olsens (I have always been Ashley while Abby is def MK), Tia and Tamera and the virtual LiLo twins in The Parent Trap — all experiences twin-less individuals will never have. So, to give you some insight on just what it’s like to have an identical PIC, and because every set of multiples has interesting nuggets of info to share, so I’m divulging 14 twin tidbits that give you a taste of life as a double.

1. Yes, we experience unexplainable feelings and connections: It’s really difficult to articulate what this means to “normal” people (lol) but my sister and I have always felt a remarkably special connection to each other, and I know many other sets of twins (we stick together) that also attest to this. Above is a photo of when my sister and I flew into Austin from different states and showed up in unplanned, 100% identical outfits.

2. Boring family events are more tolerable: I mean enjoyable. Your Great Step-Aunt’s 90th birthday party instantly becomes a fun time because you have someone to hang with. Case in point: a family wedding is much more fun if you and your sister *both* recently turned 21. You both are stoked and likely on the same level. You wouldn’t get that with an older or younger sibling; it just wouldn’t be the same.

3. Who’s older doesn’t really matter: Until someone wants it to (I am one minute older than my sister). If we want to get technical, whoever was born firstdoes have more life experience than the other, but let’s be real: no one cares and it doesn’t really count. It’s always, always, alwayssss the first question people ask — followed by, “By how much?” Just. Don’t.

4. You drop *everything* when your twin needs you: No. Matter. What. Like any siblings, you’ll inevitably hit some rough patches in your relationship. My sister was dealing with a super lame roommate situation when we were going through one of our rough patches (which for us means not talking for three to five days) and she called me out of the blue to vent. We both knew being there for each other was infinitely more important than whatever our stupid argument was. You can also be there for each other when you’re both experiencing seasickness at the same time as the below photo shows.

5. We always talk to other twins: Twins are drawn to other twins; Abby and I are really close with four other sets of twins. My sister and I met these 80-year-old twin sisters at Costco once who were eating pizza together, just the two of them — it was very #twinspirational. It was a routine they’d had for years. We talked to them about their relationship and it was such a memorable life moment. More recently, my sister and I were approached by 6-year-old twin girls who ended up giving us advice (it was “don’t steal each other’s boyfriends,” which is a great general life tip). There’s something about twins — we just want to talk to each other.

6. We have different tastes: In life, in love, in fashion, in a lot of things. We are not carbon copies of one another, but there are definitely undeniable parallels among our tastes. We have ordered identical meals from restaurants more times than I can count.

7. We finish each other’s sentences: It can be annoying, it can be cute and it can get weird. Happens all the time.

8. Never tell a twin, “There are two of you!”: That’s both a rude and untrue statement. No two people are exactly the same, and while twins are often similar, they are two separate individuals who deserve to be treated and referred to as such.

9. We appreciate separate birthday things: I have barely ever celebrated “my” birthday — there have been two birthdays I haven’t spent with my sister and I felt weirdly self-obsessed saying it was “my” birthday. It means so much when loved ones take the time to send two totally different birthday greetings, or gifts or whatever! It really is a nod to our individuality when someone has taken the time to think of what *I* specifically want as opposed to what “they” would want.

10. We can try on clothes for each other: I personally despite trying on clothes, so if I’m shopping with my twin, I will try to coerce her into trying on some stuff for me. I used to do this all the time during my childhood with sunglasses specifically; it was literally like looking in a mirror. Ha!

11. We describe ourselves as the same, but different: It’s so true. We look the same — but different! We talk the same — but differently! With each similarity, there is also a difference and it’s important for you non-twins to recognize.

12. Yes, we were dressed alike when we were younger: It was mostly precious but sometimes confusing. Our matching outfits often differed a little bit with me always wearing a purple version while my sister wore pink (see, the same but different!) Thankfully, my parents are relatively normal, so this only lasted for a few years and they always let us be individuals, so it never got weird.

13. Switching places isn’t as easy as it sounds: I don’t know any twins who have ever successfully pulled this off. I also don’t really know when or why this would be a good idea other than for people’s enjoyment.

14. Not all twins know if they’re fraternal or identical: Most do, but my sister and I *just* found out we are identical (this is the third most frequently asked twin question). All it takes is a simple cheek swab test and you can finally KNOW WHAT YOU ARE.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a twin? Share your experiences in the comments below.

We almost broke our necks reading headlines about Angelina Jolie and her potential new boyfriend, but the rumors were quickly shut down. Yeah, yeah, yeah...cue the world's smallest violin, I know.

Angelina's been through a very public divorce with her ex-husband Brad Pitt, so we know better than to expect her to display something new for the tabloids just yet. It did, however, make us start thinking about her past dating history. It's time to take a walk down memory lane, because these romances are filled with fellow entertainers and lessons learned!

Ex-Husband Jonny Lee Miller

United Artists/Getty Images

Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller entered each other's orbit during the filming of Hackers. This 1995 movie has everything to do with it's name, and ends with said Hackers ultimately unraveling a greater conspiracy. As is sometimes inevitable, Jonny and Angelina got close throughout filming, but went their separate ways once their time on set ended (via US Weekly).

They didn't stay apart for too long because they eventually got married the following year. It's even reported that Angelina proudly made a dark statement during their small wedding by wearing a t-shirt with Jonny's bloodied name written on it. She didn't do it to be gross though, but wanted to solidify their vows. "You’re about to marry him. You can sacrifice a little to make it really special," she remembers telling herself (via The New York Times). But, their marriage dissolved in less than two years and they decided to get divorced in 1999, according to US Weekly.

The two would go on to be amicable with each other, with Angelina even referring to Jonny as a "great friend" (via US Weekly). Earlier this year, Jonny sat down with Johnny Vaughan of Radio X to reveal something shocking. "I jumped out of an airplane...I was dating a young lady called Angelina," he said. He then shared that it was Angelina who encouraged him to do this daredevil feat with her. "She is cool as a cucumber. Fearless, that woman."

Ex-Girlfriend Jenny Shimizu

Dario Cantatore/Getty Images

During the brief time Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina weren't communicating, the Maria actress entered her first relationship with a woman. Jenny Shimizu and Angelina co-starred in another mid-'90s movie called Foxfire that centered the lives of teens and the bad decisions that land them in precarious situations.

Recounting how she felt about Jenny Shimizu, Angelia told Girlfriends magazine, "I fell in love with her the first second I saw her. Actually, I saw when she was being cast in Foxfire, and I thought she had just read for my part," she said. Ironically, her future ex-husband Brad Pitt was mentioned in the same interview, but the two hadn't met yet.

There's not much info about Angelina and Jenny's relationship beyond this, so it seems like things didn't last long.

Ex-Husband Billy Bob Thornton

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Here's where Angelina's relationships truly started to getting interesting. After things ended with Jonny Lee Miller and Jenny Shimizu, her next partner was none other than Billy Bob Thornton. InStyle recalls the two co-starred in Pushing Tin together, a movie about the ins and outs of two co-workers' fraught romantic relationships. Given the movie released in 1999, everyone didn't know how to respond to Angelina and Billy Bob's marriage the next year.

Unfortunately, even Laura Dern was caught by surprise — she and Billy Bob were allegedly engaged at the time. "I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married, and I’ve never heard from him again," she said, according to ABC News. That's...not the way to go about things, but apparently Angelina and her new husband didn't care at the time.

From then on out, Angelina and Billy Bob frequented red carpet events together. They didn't shy away from pulling off, uh, interesting stunts, that left everyone speechless. No one will ever forget when Billy Bob unashamedly admitted the two got frisky before walking the red carpet at the premiere of Gone in 60 Seconds.

However, their marriage dissolved because of their "different lifestyles," according to Billy Bob (via E! News). "So, that's really — that's the only reason we're probably not still together, maybe, because of a different path in life we wanted to take," he said.

Ex-Husband Brad Pitt

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

This divorce breaks our hearts to revisit, but here we go! Everyone knows Brad and Angelina starred in the hit movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but we also could tell their intense chemistry had nothing to do with playing their respective roles. These two had such sizzling energy onscreen that it didn't take long for people to speculate Angelina was the reason Brad decided to part ways with Jennifer Aniston.

However, Angelina reportedly denies that was the case. She did notice she and Brad were excited to see each other at work though. "Because of the film, we ended up being brought together to do all these crazy things, and I think we found this strange friendship and partnership that kind of just suddenly happened," she said (via PEOPLE). According to the same outlet, it didn't take long for Brad and Angelina to move forward with their feelings once it was clear Jennifer was going to be out of the picture.

Though Brad and Angelina expanded their brood to include six children — Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne — a terrible incident unraveled everything. According to the BBC, Angelina accused Brad of become a belligerent drunk during a flight that resulted in injuries. She didn't waste time filing for divorce, which spoke volumes to us.

Um, The Weeknd?

Theo Wargo/Getty Images For US Weekly

Much to our surprise, Angelina Jolie and The Weeknd were rumored to be getting close around two years ago. They were seen on several 'dates,' one being at Giorgi Baldi, which continued to make people believe they were secretly dating (via Daily Mail). Since neither confirmed or denied the nature of their relationship, it's hard to say if there's any merit to the rumors.

We'll just have to speculate and keep it moving!

Is Angelina Jolie dating anyone these days? 

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC

Last year, Angelina spoke with WSJ Magazine to talk about about her life and career. She intimately revealed that her body reacted to all the pressure from going through her divorce from Brad which serves as a stark reminder why stress is never good for anyone! "I suddenly had Bell’s palsy six months before my divorce," she shockingly admitted. She also made it clear her focus was on her kids and nothing else. "They are the closest people to me and my life, and they’re my close friends."

Despite being recently linked to British rapper Akala, Angelina put an end to rumors they're dating today. A source said, "They all work together," referring to Akala's relationship with someone else. "Angelina remains focused on her family and is not dating at this time," (via PEOPLE).

The common theme throughout Angelina Jolie's dating history is her attachment to unconventional romances. Maybe she didn't always make the best choices in love, but it doesn't seem like they've create a hole in her heart. We can't wait to see who she finally lands with next!

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It takes a lot for me to love a hair product. I’ve always kept maintenance around my locks super low-key, usually opting for the cheapest and most seemingly-effective shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in treatments you can find at the drugstore. To make a long story short, I’m not picky.

At the beginning of this year, I sought out to upgrade my self-care routines (albeit in small, affordable ways) so I could look and feel my best. Knowing hair care had become an afterthought, I figured why not switch up Old Reliable (AKA the Pantene shampoo and conditioner combo I’d used for years)?

I’m not knocking Pantene in any way, but after using the same products over and over again across countless showers, my locks became noticeably tired. Thus, I stumbled into Target to explore their perpetual collection of hair care and landed on what I think is now the best, most joy-evoking drugstore shampoo and conditioner I’ve ever experienced.

Meredith Holser

Other than the beautiful bottles, the Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo + Conditioner set caught my eye for claiming stronger, longer, and healthier hair. I had seen the brand’s hair oil go TikTok-viral a few months prior, which gave me all the approval I needed to add the duo to my cart.

After 10 months of consistent use, I’m loving the set. Though I don’t necessarily use it for hair growth alone, I have observed accelerated growth as well as improved strength in my strands.

The conditioner in particular has earned a mass amount of bonus points in my book for depositing noticeable moisture to my locks after shampooing and providing a fairly no-fuss detangling routine, which is my most urgent hair concern.

Meredith Holser

The Mielle conditioner contains biotin (for “longer, healthier hair”), coconut oil, and babassu seed oil that work to moisturize and soften your hair after a good wash. This isessential since I’ve found that most shampoos strip oils from my scalp and hair – not a bad thing though. It’s what shampoos are made to do, but my hair craves more moisture!

The conditioner is also infused with rosemary and mint essential oils which increase blood circulation, allowing more oxygen to reach the scalp, thus stimulating hair growth.

Meredith Holser

Before drying + styling

As I mentioned, my hair has that classic “squeaky clean” feel after shampooing, and though that’s what I want from a shampoo, it doesn’t help to use only shampoo once my hair’s dried. Without conditioner, my hair definitely lacks moisture and feels dry and stiff – even while I’m still in the shower. This conditioner feels ahh-mazing and never fails to restore all the necessary moisture my locks have lost after a thorough wash!

When using it, I use 1 to 1 ½ pumps of the product. I typically focus it around the ends of my hair (where there’s the most damage) before working the remaining product closer to my scalp. I leave it on for around 5 minutes while I wash my body and face before thoroughly rinsing it out. My hair feels super silky and detangled after the conditioning’s done!

The Verdict

Meredith Holser

After drying + styling

Where a conditioner’s performance really matters for me is making my hair look soft and healthy after it’s dry, so I can go on to style it without pesky knots and further damage. Brushing my hair post-conditioner is always a breeze with this Mielle pick, and the same goes for styling. I use an air styler and it glides smoothly and easily through my strands for a nice at-home blowout every single time.

More than anything, this is the best drugstore conditioner to leave my hair looking supremely shiny after all is said and done. I know that using it consistently over the course of this year has set my hair up to be super healthy so I never have to worry about excessive dryness breakage!

Try It For Yourself

Amazon

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Conditioner

I bought this bottle (12 fluid ounces) back in January, and haven't had to restock it just yet. For $10, I can certify it's a really great deal and I've absolutely gotten my money's worth. Plus, for the results this conditioner delivers, it feels just like a luxury hair care product. It also goes for around the same price (there's a 12-cent difference) at Target!

Amazon

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo

I also highly recommend you use the conditioner in conjunction with the coordinating shampoo. It has a delicious rosemary and mint scent that leaves your scalp feeling uber-refreshed after a thorough wash. This bottle currently goes for $9 on Amazon and $10 at Target.

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The age of the movie star might have been replaced by the age of the fictional character, but there are still more than a few actors audiences L-O-V-E. Rachel Zegler, Florence Pugh, and Madelyn Cline are just a few of the stars who make the list, but there's one A-lister who's finally making his return to the big screen: Tom Holland!

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed on October 21 that the Spider-Man actor would join Christopher Nolan's new movie alongside Matt Damon and I have never leapt down an internet rabbit hole so fast. If you're wondering 'What movie is Tom Holland making?' then look no further. Here's everything you need to know about the new movie before it hits theaters.

  • Tom Holland is finally starring in a new movie.
  • After The Crowded Room "absolutely broke" him, he decided to take a break from Hollywood.
  • The new film, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matt Damon, is coming next summer.


AppleTV+

Tom Hollandand Matt Damon will star in Christopher Nolan's new movie for Universal Pictures. The film is still unnamed for now, but if these two actors are involved, it's sure to be one heck of an action movie. We don't have an official synopsis yet, but sources told THR that it likely won't be set in the present day. The movie is scheduled for July 17, 2026 and Deadline reports they're expected to begin filming at the beginning of 2025.

Considering Tom is one of my favorite actors ever, I'm super excited to see him return to the screen — especially given how devastated I was when he said he needed a break from acting. "This show absolutely broke me in every way possible,” he said at the premiere for AppleTV+ show The Crowded Room in New York City. “I just kept my head down. I dug my heels in, and I just tried my best.”

"I'm no stranger to hard work," he told ExtraTV. "I've lived by the idea that hard work is good work. Then again, the show did break me. There did come a time where I needed a break and disappeared and went to Mexico for a week and had time on a beach and laid low. I'm now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was."

Sony Pictures

This reminds me of Emma Watson's recent break from acting following 2019's Little Women, and her comments that being a child actor left her feeling "caged."

“The thing I found really hard was that I had to go out and sell something that I really didn’t have very much control over," she told The Financial Times. "To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?’ It was very difficult to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn’t get to be involved in the process.”

Bero

Both Emma and Tom have been able to step into more senior creative roles...and they both happen to be in the drink space (Emma and her brother Alex launched Renais gin in April 2023, while Tom announced his new non-alcoholic beer BERO on October 16).

“After two years on my sobriety journey, I wanted to create something that reflected my lifestyle and values," Tom Holland said in a statement. “This beer isn’t just for those on a similar path, but for everyone who appreciates quality, craftsmanship and living life to the fullest."

Here's hoping you get to cheers a BERO on the set of your new movie, Tom!

Check back here for the latest Tom Holland movie news! And read up on his adorable relationship with Zendaya, of course.