Why are twins often cast for young roles?

Why are twins often cast for young roles? - 2 Women in Yellow and Red Dress Sitting on White Floor

I've seen it many times. Very young identical twins cast for the same role. Off the top of my head:

  • Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in Full House.

  • Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse in Big Daddy and Friends.

  • The Saunders triplets in Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone.

Why is that? Is it to comply with child labor laws?



Best Answer

The most important reason is that the number of hours a child actor can work is strictly limited by law. Movie shoots often have long days, longer than a single child actor is legally allowed to be on the set.

According to this site for would-be stage parents, children aged 2 to 5 are only allowed to work three hours per day in California.




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Why do shows hire twins?

In an interview with People, their father, Tom Londo, said that each twin had different strengths as actors, and so each one was tasked with handling different sides of the character.

How do actors play twins?

You shoot the scene twice, with the actor and a stand-in switching places, then combine the two strips of film into one. To disguise the seam, filmmakers make use of background elements in the shot, like a doorframe.



Roles You Didn't Know Were Played By Twins




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