Not every Hollywood superstar gets to be Jackie Chan. It's not so much because they're afraid or incapable of performing their own stunts, but mainly because they're too valuable for a major production to risk them getting hurt. For this reason, most movie stars rely on professional stuntmen and stuntwomen to film their most dangerous scenes.
That's a well-known Hollywood fact. But did you know that some of cinema's doubles look so much like the stars they're trying to impersonate that they could almost pass as their twins? If you don't believe us, stick around for this impressive list of Hollywood lookalikes!
Johnny Depp, Tony Angelotti - Pirates of the Caribbean
In "Pirates of the Caribbean," Johnny Depp wasn't the only man in charge of portraying the iconic 'Captain Jack Sparrow.' The most dangerous scenes were left to the stuntman Tony Angelotti, who looks almost indistinguishable from Depp when fully customized.
Sadly, Angelotti's career came to an end when he suffered a nasty injury while filming the sequel to the movie. While it left a mark, it didn't prevent Angelotti from working in the industry, now as a stunt coordinator. As for Depp, he continued to appear in major Hollywood movies and received the 'Premio Donostia' in 2021.
Uma Thurman, Zoe Bell - Kill Bill
Uma Thurman is probably happy that her job as the narrator of the 2021 TV series documentary "Nature" doesn't involve mass-killing and loads of action... While filming "Kill Bill," she was pressured to appear in a dangerous car-driving scene herself and ended up crashing against a palm tree and hurting her neck!
The revelation was given by her double in the movie legendary Hollywood stuntwoman/actress Zoe Bell. Bell told New Zealand's Stuff magazine that she regretted not protecting Thurman in that particular shot and blamed the director Quentin Tarantino. She also said that the accident was covered-up by the film's producers.
Christian Bale and Tom Hardy, Bobby Holland and Buster Reeves - The Dark Knight Rises
The stuntman Bobby Holland worked as the double of Christian Bale ('Batman') in the 2012 movie "The Dark Knight Rises" and shared a behind-the-scenes snippet of the action on his Instagram profile. The British stuntman Buster Reeves also worked in the production, doubling for Tom Hardy ('Bane').
While Holland and Reeves put their body on the line for multiple scenes (including a scary "back-breaking" moment), they were lucky to get out of the movie unscathed. As for Hardy, he went on to star on the big-screen as yet another supervillain: 'Venom,' from the 2021 movie "Venom: Let There Be Carnage."
Anne Hathaway, Jolene Van Vugt - The Dark Knight Rises
The star of the 2021 movie "Locked Down," Anne Hathaway, is more accustomed to appearing in dramatic and comedic roles than working as an action hero. But in the 2012 movie "The Dark Knight Rises," director Christopher Nolan wanted her to be "strong enough" to perform her own stunts in the role of 'Catwoman.'
Imagining Hathway doing parkour and fighting bad guys for real is crazy, but she told The New Indian Express that she embraced "the physical side of the character." She didn't go over the top, though, and the experienced stuntwoman Jolene Van Vugt was eventually brought in to film the hazardous scenes.
Sacha Baron Cohen, Unidentified Stunt Double - The Dictator
It's the life of a stuntman: sometimes, you can do a great job and get none of the recognition. It's the case for this yet-to-be-identified stunt double, who worked alongside Sascha Baron Cohen in the movie "The Dictator." And doesn't he look just like Cohen's twin brother?
The fact that Cohen enlisted the services of a stunt man is surprising in itself, considering he's one of the boldest men working in the movie industry. However, he routinely works with stuntmen, including Joel Conlan in the British action flick "Grimsby." In 2021, he voiced a character in the animation movie "Luca."
Shia LaBeouf, Unidentified Stunt Double - Transformers
The 2007 blockbuster "Transformers" turned Shia LeBeouf into a major Hollywood superstar, and the young actor was credited with making some of the stunts in the movie. However, he counted on the support of an unidentified stunt double, capturing a breath alongside him in this picture from the movie's set.
Michael Bay flicks are famously dangerous, stunt-packed, and filled with on-set fires and explosions. While the man's name in the picture is unknown, LaBeouf collaborated extensively with the Hollywood stuntman Colin Follenweider in other projects. In 2021, he appeared in the documentary "A Man Named Scott."
Cameron Diaz, Kimberly Shannon Murphy - Knight and Day
Last seen running errands on Bel Air with a face mask a few days after Christmas 2021, Cameron Diaz is a former Hollywood A-lister who decided to retire from acting in 2018. In the heyday of her acting career, she starred alongside Tom Cruise in the 2010 action-comedy "Knight and Day." In the movie, she was doubled by Kimberly Shannon Murphy, an experienced stuntwoman who appeared in over 120 films and series.
Diaz was reportedly ready to do her own stunts in "Knight and Day," but some of the scenes in the movie were too dangerous for the producers to take the risk.
Tom Cruise, Casey O'Neill - Knight and Day
If Cameron Diaz asked to do her own stunts in "Knight and Day," we can only imagine that the bonafide Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise wanted to do the same. Famous for getting himself hurt while filming dangerous scenes, Cruise was doubled by the veteran stuntman Casey O'Neill, who also worked with actors such as Shia LeBeouf and Antonio Banderas.
In 2021, while filming "Top Gun: Maverick," Cruise was again forced to enlist the services of a stunt double, as some of the movie's scenes (including flying a military-grade supersonic jet) were a little too risky for him to perform.
Robert Pattinson, Paul Darnell - Twilight
The "Twilight" movies are essentially about love, but there's plenty of action in this famous vampire story. While Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's on-camera (and off-camera) romance inspired countless headlines, what to say about the bromance between Pattinson and his lookalike stunt double Paul Darnell?
Pattinson enjoyed working with Darnell so much that he ended up collaborating with him in subsequent movies, including "Remember Me" and "Water for Elephants." In 2021, DC announced that Pattinson was the man chosen to portray 'Bruce Wayne/Batman' in the 2022 superhero movie "The Batman."
Taylor Lautner, Gabriel Nunez - Tracers
To be honest, the American actor Taylor Lautner doesn't look a lot like his stunt double for the 2015 action movie "Tracers." But the man wearing what we suppose to be a black wig is none other than Gabriel Nunez, a very accomplished Hollywood stuntman who worked in over 60 movies and series, including "Ant-Man" and "Total Recall."
Made famous for portraying a kind-hearted werewolf in the "Twilight" film series, Lautner was busy working on his film comeback in 2021, the 2022 Netflix comedy "Home Team." According to Standard, he performed all the stunts in the TV series "Cuckoo," which aired between 2014 and 2018.
Natalie Portman, Sarah Lane - Black Swan
Becoming a professional ballet dancer doesn't happen overnight. In the 2010 masterpiece movie "Black Swan," actress Natalie Portman was lucky to count on the assistance of Sarah Lane, a renowned American ballet dancer. However, director Darren Aronofsky and Portman herself were harshly criticized for not giving Lane the appraisal she deserved, to the point of crediting her as "Lady in the Lane."
Aronofsky responded by saying Portman did most of the dancing scenes in the movie, but behind-the-scenes editing videos seem to prove otherwise. Despite the controversy, it's hard to deny that Portman did an excellent job in the film. In 2021, she appeared in the TV series "Bluey."
Megan Fox, Maria Papathanasiou - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Featured in the 2021 movie "Night Teeth," the American actress Megan Fox is known for being one of Hollywood's most famous bombshells. So it makes sense that her body double for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" happened to be a "fox" herself. Her name is Maria Papathanasiou, and she's an actress/model of Greek-American nationality.
An action-flick favorite, Fox had the chance to work with many talented stuntwomen in the past, including the experienced Stacey Carino, in the "Transformers" movies. This snap of Fox alongside Papathanasiou made the rounds in social media, leaving baffled commentators wondering if they were seeing double.
Harrison Ford, Vic Armstrong - Indiana Jones
No, stunt doubles are not a new Hollywood invention. They've been around for a while, as stated by this now-iconic picture of Harrison Ford shaking the hand of his "Indiana Jones" lookalike Vic Armstrong. Armstrong worked as Ford's stuntman in the first three "Indiana Jones" movies and became a renowned stunt coordinator.
These two make for quite the dynamic duo: while Armstrong worked in over 120 major Hollywood productions, Ford continued to be one of the best-known actors in the world. In 2021, he appeared as a presenter in "The 93rd Oscars."
Daniel Craig, Rick English - Skyfall
Remember Rick English, the stuntman who worked as Brad Pitt's double in "The Counselor?" He also took part in the James Bond movie "Skyfall," joining a crew of heavyweight performers from the stunt world, including Gary Powell, Roger Yuan, Mark Mottram, and Marvin Campbell. In a 2021 interview, English said that working in a Bond movie is "the pinnacle" of being a stuntman.
In the same interview, he explained how the crew managed to film the movie's now-iconic motorcycle Istanbul chase. Most of the extras were professional stuntmen, as it was simply too dangerous to use "normal" extras in the scene.
Carrie Fisher, Sandi Gross - Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
Carrie Fisher's 'Princess Leia' bikini captured the imagination of an entire generation of movie buffs, but few are aware that she used a body double for most of the action-packed desert scenes in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi." The second lady rocking the iconic 'Leia' bikini is stuntwoman Sandi Gross, who worked in the movie industry up until the early '90s.
In 2021, another snap of Fisher and Gross was shared online (via Metaflix) and got the attention of the fans. It's a picture of the two lookalike women sunbathing at the movie's set while wearing their iconic golden bikinis.
Christian Slater, Marc Shaffer - The Forgotten
Stunt performers don't just work in the movie industry. There's a lot of action and scary scenes to be filmed on the small screen as well, as stated by the 2009 TV series "The Forgotten." While the crime-drama series was over after just one season, fans will never forget (no pun intended) how much Christian Slater looked like his stunt double Marc Shaffer.
While it's uncertain whether these two worked together after "The Forgotten," we do know they remain active. Shaffer appeared most recently in "Sneaky Pete" as a stunt driver, while Slater went on to work in the 2021 Netflix animation "Inside Job."
Patrick Dempsey, Unidentified Stunt Double - Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Also known as "Transformers 3," the movie "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" made for yet another action-packed Michael Bay film that counted with a long list of stuntmen and stuntwomen and a very talented cast. Amongst the actors working in the movie was Patrick Dempsey, who counted on the support of a lookalike double to shoot his most dangerous scenes.
Perhaps best known for playing the hunky 'Dr. Derek Shepherd' in the "Grey's Anatomy" TV series, Dempsey proved once and again to have what it takes to feature in action flicks. In 2021, he was busy working in the TV series "SurrealEstate."
Bruce Willis, Stuart F. Wilson - Red
A veteran Hollywood action hero who starred in the 2021 flick "American Siege," Bruce Willis has counted on the support of the stunt double Stuart F. Wilson for a significant part of his career. In addition to being Willis' first-choice stuntman, Wilson also works as a stunt coordinator and choreography director.
Captured alongside his lookalike in this snap from the set of the movie "Red," Wilson doubled Willis in roughly 50 major features at least since 2007. In 2021, the two bald-headed lookalikes worked together again in the movie "Cosmic Sin."
Dwayne Johnson, Tanoai Reed - Pain & Gain
Considering that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has the body type of a professional wrestler at worst and a Greek God at best, getting him a suitable body double can be quite the challenge. Luckily, Johnson managed to find one guy who looks pretty much like his twin brother, and he did so by keeping it in the family!
While Johnson and his longtime collaborator Tanoai Reed are not twin brothers per se, they are distant cousins and have worked together in many major features. The two make for the perfect team at least since 2002 and have most recently worked together in the 2021 action movie "Red Notice."
Chandler Riggs, Emily Brobst - The Walking Dead
Featured in a 2021 episode of "Dead Talk Live," the former "The Walking Dead" child actor Chandler Riggs counted on the support of a lookalike stunt double during his time in the fan-favorite TV series. But how do you get a stunt double for such a young actor without jeopardizing the safety of a minor?
Well, the answer is to get Emily Brobst! Due to her short and seemingly delicate physique, this experienced Hollywood stuntwoman is the perfect choice for doubling child actors in dangerous scenes and has made it to over 110 productions since 2006, including 2021's "Fear Street: 1994."
Sean Connery, Alf Joint - Goldfinger
The late Hollywood legends Sean Connery and Alf Joint worked together in the Bond film "Goldfinger," and both played a pivotal role in their respective crafts. Connery shaped what a 'James Bond' actor looked like by portraying the first version of the secret agent on the big screen.
As for Joint, he worked as a stuntman for years and served as a mentor for other iconic doubles, including Vic Armstrong and the stunt-driving sensation Rod Woodruff. In 2021, The National named Connery one of the two best 'James Bond' actors of all time.
Julie Newmar, Marilyn Watson - Batman
While the American actress Julie Newmar is still around and has recently appeared in the 2021 documentaries "Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age" and "Ayer Nomás," she's best known for portraying 'Catwoman' in the short-lived (albeit iconic) 1966 TV series "Batman."
During her time in the show, she counted on the support of the double Marilyn Watson, who presumably did all of her stunts in the series. These two lookalikes were practically indistinguishable, especially if they were both wearing their legendary 'Catwoman' suits. The photo above was extensively shared online, making the rounds in websites such as Reddit and 9Gag.
Jennifer Garner, Shanna Duggins - Alias
Action stars and stunt doubles have a unique bond that sometimes becomes more. It's the case of Jennifer Garner and Shauna Duggins, two Hollywood professionals who became good friends after working together in "Alias." After making a name for herself in the series, Garner went on to star in less action-packed roles.
As for Duggins, she continued to work in the stunt world, albeit as a stunt coordinator. Perhaps one of Hollywood's busiest, she worked in "9-1-1," "Never Have I Ever," "Yes Day," and "True Story" in 2021 alone! Over the years, she's collected over 150 Hollywood credits as a stuntwoman and coordinator.
Andrew Garfield, William Spencer - The Amazing Spider-Man
Released in 2012, "The Amazing Spider-Man" was the movie that introduced Andrew Garfield into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And even though Garfield looks like he has the necessary body elasticity to play the web-slinging superhero, it was up to stuntman William Spencer to perform the film's most daring, dangerous scenes.
Luckily, Spencer looks a lot like Garfield, to the point of being able to take his Spider-Man mask off and still appear in the shot. The hairstyle, in particular, is scarily close! In 2021, Garfield and Spencer reprised their 'Spider-Man' roles in the blockbuster movie "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
Chris Hemsworth, Bobby Holland Hanton - Thor
As of 2021, Chris Hemsworth and his lookalike stunt double Bobby Holland Hanton have worked closely together for over a decade. Here seen enjoying a quick meal at the set of the 2011 movie "Thor" these two look like they were made for one another—not surprisingly, they have worked together in all (or at least most of) the Marvel flicks featuring 'Thor.'
The two blond-haired "twins" collaborated most recently in "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Avengers: Endgame" but took a break in 2021. While Hemsworth was busy portraying 'Thor,' he did so in the animated TV series "What If...?," for which the services of a stuntman were not required.
Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Molinari - Now You See Me
Whenever Mark Ruffalo requires the services of a stunt double, Anthony Molinari has got to be the man for the job. Not only he's an experienced stuntman, but he's also Ruffalo's lost twin brother! These two look so much alike that it's hard to tell who's who without taking a very close look at their faces.
Understandably, Ruffalo and Molinari worked together in many Hollywood features, from "Now You See Me" to the Marvel flicks featuring 'Hulk.' Not just a stuntman, Molinari is also an actor and portrayed the iconic 'Rocky Marciano' in the 2021 movie "The Survivor."
Brad Pitt, Rick English - The Counselor
The producer of the 2021 TV series "The Underground Railroad," Brad Pitt is a legendary Hollywood actor who's been a major A-lister for years. Still, it's nice to know that he cares about the safety of the people he works with, especially if they happen to look a lot like him!
In 2012, the Daily Mail captured this photo of Pitt talking to stuntman Rick English before shooting a dangerous scene in "The Counselor," and he looked very concerned about the man's safety. Luckily, it all turned out alright, and English went on to work as a stuntman in many other movies, including 2021's "Black Widow."
Jennifer Lopez, Unidentified Stunt Double - "Follow the Leader"
While the names of all the stuntmen who worked in the 2012 music video for "Follow the Leader" are listed on IMDb, it's hard to tell exactly who's the man in the picture. But one thing seems pretty obvious: the stunt double for the pop superstar Jennifer Lopez is a man! It goes to show that, with a bit of clever editing and a creative hairstyle, everything is possible in the film industry!
One of the world's busiest show-biz professionals, J-Lo continues to work extensively as an actress and singer. In 2021, she was an executive producer for the TV series "Good Trouble."
