30 Best Brother And Sister Duos In Film & TV History

Summary

• Siblings have unique bonds in entertainment, from Disney to popular TV shows like Bob’s Burgers and Game of Thrones.
• The sibling dynamic ranges from protective to rocky relationships, like in Stranger Things and The Royal Tenenbaums.
• Iconic brother and sister duos like Luke and Leia in Star Wars showcase strong family connections in film and television.

The bond between siblings has been a longtime fascination for film and television shows, leading to some of the most famous brother and sister duos in film and television history. Those who think romance is the pinnacle of an interesting relationship need to look closer at these memorable bonds between sibling characters. Popular shows like Supernatural have a brother duo as their main characters, and one of Disney’s biggest hits, Frozen, is all about the love between sisters rather than a princess and prince finding each other.

Besides brother and brother and sister with sister duos, though, there are also very memorable brother and sister characters at the heart of the best TV shows and movies ever. The relationships between siblings can lead to some unique storylines within television or movies. Whether it’s being as protective as possible or having characters who wind each other up, there is something funny and relatable about the most famous brother and sister duos, and it’s led to tons of great team-ups in entertainment.

30 Tina, Gene, & Louise

Bob’s Burgers (2011 – )

There are several great brother-and-sister relationships on Fox’s Sunday Night animation block. The antagonism between siblings is obvious from Bart and Lisa Simpson to Meg and Chris on Family Guy. However, the entire sibling relationship is what carries Bob’s Burgers, as it is the three kids (Tina, Gene, and Louise Belcher) whose loving dynamic provides the beating heart of this popular animated series.

A Bob’s Burgers movie came out in 2022.

When it comes to these kids, it is Tina and Louise who have the most authentic relationship of the three, but this is also likely because Gene is so much closer to their mom, Linda, than his sisters. However, while Louise is always trying to help Tina discover herself, it is Tina and Gene who share the most realistic relationship when it comes to big sisters and little brothers, where Louise is often more willing to stick to herself.

29 Tyreese & Sasha

The Walking Dead (2012-2015)

Tyreese Williams showed up on The Walking Dead in season 3 with his younger sister, Sasha. When they arrived, Tyreese was very protective of his sister and did what he could to keep her from being hurt, as the zombies and evil survivors threatened them at every turn. However, Sasha was just as resilient without her brother’s protection. She was a firefighter before the apocalypse and remained by her brother’s side after it started, fighting for survival.

The siblings did begin to grow apart over time, with Sasha falling in love with another survivor named Bob, and Tyreese starting to question his place and seek pacifism in the face of danger. Sadly, in season 5, Sasha watched both her boyfriend Bob and her brother Tyreese die, and it pushed her to become a stronger, more self-reliant character until she finally also sacrificed herself. While together, though, Tyreese and Sasha seemed almost unbeatable as they watched each other’s backs.

28 Billy & Max

Stranger Things (2018-2019)

Max and Billy are the brother and sister duo from Stranger Things, but they never seem on the same page. That all changed when Billy realized he had to be there for Max when her life was on the line, and that is where their sibling relationship shined through. Throughout most of the series, Billy is mean to Max, and Max hates him for how he treats her and almost dismisses her as his little sister.

Billy spent most of the series as a selfish jerk, but then he sacrificed his life to save Max.

However, what really makes this brother-and-sister TV combo so important is what happens when Billy dies. Earlier in the series, Max wished Billy was dead, but she never expected her wish to come true the way it did. Billy spent most of the series as a selfish jerk, but then he sacrificed his life to save Max and Eleven, dying at the Mind Flayer’s hands to save them both and making Max regret ever making that previous wish. If Billy had lived, he may have seen his behavior for as problematic as it was and made efforts to repair his relationship with Max.

27 Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch

MCU

The relationship between Pietro and Wanda Maximoff was very important in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even though the brother and sister duo only really played a role in one movie in the entire franchise. After appearing in a post-credit stinger, the twins finally made their big MCU debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Hydra had raised them as weapons after their home was destroyed by technology taken from Stark International, so they thought Iron Man was responsible and became enemies of the Avengers.

However, the twins ended up helping the Avengers when they learned the truth, although it all ended in tragedy when Quicksilver sacrificed his life to save others and Wanda was left alone with her new family of the Avengers. Sadly, many more tragedies caused by first the Civil War and then by Vision’s death finally broke Wanda. Her “brother” made a return in WandaVision, although it was not really Pietro (and was played by Fox’s Quicksilver in Evan Peters), but his death set her on her road to evil in the end.

26 Richie & Margot

The Royal Tenenbaums

The relationship between Richie and Margo was complicated in The Royal Tenenbaums. In the Wes Anderson masterpiece, Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) has three kids that he raised in a strict environment that left all of them facing serious mental health issues as adults. Of the three, it was Margot and Richie that shared the closest relationship, and that almost turned into something more as Richie had an unrequited desire for his sister that he kept repressed as he grew up.

This all led to a very important moment in the movie where Richie finally realized he could never be happy when he learned about Margot’s secret life. Richie strips himself of all his defenses (as symbolized when he shaves his beard and takes off the sunglasses he always wears), and then slits his wrist. However, Richie didn’t die, and his survival made Margot understand his feelings, and the two shared a kiss in a private moment. It was a controversial, problematic sibling relationship, but a memorable one.

25 Peter Quill & Mantis

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Franchise (2014-2023)

While Gamora and Nebula get most of the attention as the sibling relationship in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, another heartwarming one emerged later in the franchise to great effect. Mantis is introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as the minion of Quill’s father, Ego the Living Planet. However, she eventually works with the Guardians to defeat him only to later reveal that she is actually another of Ego’s offspring, making her Quill’s sister.

The revelation gave Mantis a more rounded character in the MCU and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special explored her anxiety about telling Quill the truth in fear that he would not accept her. However, the two develop a simple yet sweet bond, providing these two intergalactic misfits with a sense of family and belonging. They are very different, but their sibling love only builds to the final Guardians movie, and they ended up as close as anyone.

Watch on Disney+

24 Naru & Taabe

Prey (2022)

Not only did Prey revitalize the Predator franchise with a fresh new take on the story, but it also delivered a touching and heroic brother and sister team. The movie is set in the 1700s and follows the Comanche woman Naru who desires to be a hunter like her brother Taabe. However, their way of life is threatened by outsiders, including a deadly Predator alien who comes to Earth hunting for sport.

The movie is a thrilling adventure in which the heroes have to outwit and outrun the advanced extraterrestrial on their trail. However, the heart of the movie is Naru showing her brother that she is more capable than she is given credit for. He is a stern yet protective sibling, but it is moving to see him grow prouder of his sister while she proves she is the one who can save the day. The most impressive part is that there is very little dialogue and they still remain close.

Watch on Hulu

23 Ruby & Leo

CODA (2021)

Sometimes a brother and sister relationship in a movie is most interesting for how combative it is. CODA‘s main characters consist of a family with members who are all deaf people aside from the one daughter, Ruby whose dreams of being a singer conflict with her own feelings of responsibility to her family. This causes tension with Ruby’s brother Leo who feels that he can help manage the family’s fishing business without relying on Ruby.

For much of the movie, their relationship is not overly warm, and it is not helped by the fact that Leo begins dating Ruby’s best friend. However, a pivotal scene allows the siblings to hash out their issues with each other. Leo is annoyed by feeling babysat by his young sister just because she isn’t deaf, but he is also frustrated that she has genuine talent but is refusing to pursue it. Ruby and Leo’s relationship shows that love between siblings can exist beneath a rocky surface.

Watch on Apple TV+

22 Lex & Timmy

Jurassic Park (1993)

Seeing siblings go through a harrowing adventure together can endear them in the hearts of the audience, as is the case with young Lex and Timmy in Jurassic Park. The grandchildren of the park’s owner, John Hammond, come to visit the not-yet-open Jurassic Park, which ends up being a terrible idea as the kids are thrown from one life-and-death scenario to another.

From a T-rex attacking their jeep in the middle of a tropical storm to being hunted by a trio of raptors in the kitchen, it is amazing that Lex and Timmy not only survive the whole ordeal but are still able to take the time to tease each other like regular siblings whenever they are not running for their lives. When the movie was first released, the biggest complaints were about the two kids, and while they often made the worst choices possible, their brother-sister bond is the one thing that felt real.

21 Enola & Sherlock

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

While there have been many Sherlock Holmes movies and shows over the years, his sister Enola Holmes was unknown to many until she got to step into the spotlight in her own movie. Millie Bobby Brown stars in Enola Holmes as the youngest of the Holmes siblings who seeks to make a name for herself as a detective as well, but needs to buck the conventional view of women at the time. Henry Cavill takes on the role of Sherlock in the franchise.

The first movie sees him in a small supporting role, mildly annoyed yet impressed with his younger sister’s rebellious antics. However, Enola Holmes 2 sees the brother and sister teaming up on the same case, which leads to a softer side of the notoriously prickly detective as he grows impressed with the detective the young Enola has become. The movie also shows a rough relationship between Enola and Mycroft to show how much better Sherlock is.

Watch on Netflix

20 Alexis & David

Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

David and Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek begin the series as spoiled adult siblings who are not really big parts of each other’s lives. They are self-centered and have their own social lives, but they suffer the same downfall together as the Rose family loses all their money and is forced to move to a small town.

Sharing a small motel room certainly forces David and Alexis to spend more time together, and they gradually begin to care more about one another, from David helping to get Alexis and Ted together to Alexis walking David down the aisle at his wedding. However, the fact that they still squabble and fight like child siblings also makes them more endearing. The idea of siblings who have grown apart, only to find each other again when the chips are down, makes this a great pairing on TV.

19 Sammy & Terry

You Can Count On Me (2000)

The indie comedy You Can Count on Me is a hilarious and touching story of a brother and sister reuniting as adults and facing their less-than-perfect adult lives together. Sammy (Laura Linney) and Terry (Mark Ruffalo) were bonded as children after losing their parents to a car crash but grew apart as they got older. After not seeing him for a long time, Terry shows up at Sammy’s house and their complicated relationship is reignited.

Sammy and Terry make for such a great brother-sister duo because they are imperfect, yet they are the only ones who understand each other and their struggles because of the past they share. Neither sibling is perfect, and they both have roblems in life, but they soon realize that as different as they think they are from each other, it is their bond that can help them move forward and find happiness. Linney earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the movie.

18 Pádraic & Siobhán

The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022)

The Banshees Of Inisherin is set on a small Irish island where the community is quite small, leaving no secrets between anyone who lives there. Pádraic and Siobhán are siblings who share a small house and a small bedroom together yet the confined nature of their relationship does not diminish the love they have for each other.

Some of the most heartbreaking aspects of the movie deal with Siobhán making plans to move away from the island and its toxicity and Pádraic refusing to leave the only home he has ever known. It is a bittersweet ending to The Banshees of Inisherin that one sibling might find happiness while the other sinks deeper into sorrow. While the main focus was on Colm and Pádraic, two lifelong friends who suddenly find their friendship falling apart, Siobhán is a nice counterbalance to that story.

17 Ferris & Jeanie

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Sometimes the most entertaining brother-sister relationships are the contentious ones. In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the audience follows the fun-loving Ferris (Matthew Broderick) as he goes on his wild day of skipping school, but there is also a parallel adventure of his sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) hoping to catch him in the act and ruin his fun.

This kind of brother-sister is relatable as it is hard to see a sibling getting away with something that the other sibling cannot. However, in the end, when Ferris is cornered and threatened to be exposed, it is Jeanie who comes to the rescue and preserves his lie. The movie really shows how the best brother and sister stories feature two people who will do everything to torture each other, but when someone else tries to hurt them, they will always be there to stand up for each other.

16 OJ & Emerald

Nope (2022)

Of all the brother-sister bonding activities out there, trying to capture a UFO on camera is certainly a unique one. That is the mission of OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) in Nope. Following the death of their father, OJ and Emerald become partners in the family horse business, taking for a complimentary if imperfect team as OJ knows the business and Emerald is more of the salesperson.

The alien in Nope provides a new venture for them as they go to great lengths to get footage of the extraterrestrial visitor. The way these two encourage this strange idea is charming as is the excitement they share with the now-famous hand-clap moment. The best parts of this movie shows how this brother and sister duo will always fight and disagree with each other, but it is clear that the love was always there when the going gets tough.

Stream on Amazon Prime Video

15 Mabel & Dipper

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Another famous brother and sister duo are twins Dipper and Mabel, who won the hearts of many fans when Gravity Falls was released in 2012. The two of them are living with their great uncle Stan over the summer, and see a lot of what makes the show special through the family interactions. Dipper is the more serious and ambitious one who is trying to unlock the secrets of the town, while Mabel is incredibly outgoing, silly, and fun.

Sibling relationships are a big part of the show, so their connection and trust in each other are often explored. While people talk about the strange occurrences and mysteries of the town, it is really this theme of family that helps the popular animated series work so well. Dipper and Mabel have very different personalities and interests, but they are clearly siblings who grow together as they explore the mysteries in the town, highlighting the importance of their brother-sister relationship.

14 Ron & Ginny

Harry Potter (2001-2012)

The Harry Potter franchise plays host to quite a few excellent siblings, two of whom are from the Weasley family. However, there is something special about the relationship between the famous brother and sister duo Ron and Ginny. These likable Weasley siblings go through a lot together, with many of those moments being quite difficult, yet they always come out on the other side even stronger.

It’s the type of relationship where they can mock each other, but nobody else can hurt them.

They’re a classic brother and sister duo in the fact that they are able to wind each other up, but then also be very caring. It’s the type of relationship where they can mock each other, but nobody else can hurt them, or else they will become defensive, which is great to see. It is also very interesting to see that this brother and sister duo are also the two most important romantic partners in the series, with Ginny marrying Harry and Ron marrying Hermione in the story’s end.

13 Max & Dani

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Max and Dani are a famous brother and sister team with a wider age gap than a lot of the others, but that is part of what makes them so interesting in their dynamic. Max is a teenager who wants to do teen activities, and that causes friction with his little sister, Dani, who wants him to take her trick-or-treating.

However, their sibling bond is put to the test by three witches, but it’s more than strong enough to survive. Had Dani and Max not fought over Halloween activities, the Sanderson sisters never would’ve been brought back, and Hocus Pocus wouldn’t have happened. The entire movie is based on sibling rivalry, with the witch sisters terrorizing the town, but it is the relationship between these two kids that really offers the heart needed for viewers to buy into the danger.

12 Klaus & Violet

A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)

A Series of UnfortunateEvents started as a book, then received both a movie and TV adaptation. The story is about the strength of a family overcoming hardships together. However, the parents are dead, and the three siblings have to depend on each other. The older ones are Klaus and Violet, and this famous brother-and-sister relationship is the most prominent in the series.

They are always together and have a very healthy sibling relationship built on trust and teamwork. Having each other is probably the least unfortunate thing in their lives. They also both have to act as parents to their youngest sibling, Sunny, and while all three kids are important, it is the relationship between the older two that carries through and helps them hang on and survive when the entire world seems to be outside to tear them down.

11 Luke & Leia

Star Wars (1977-2019)

Luke and Leia from the Star Wars franchise are both intergalactic rebels that the world of movies and pop culture will never forget. One of the most famous brother and sister duos in the history of film, they are also known for having a romantic attraction before finding out they were related. However, luckily, Leia finds true love with Han Solo, while Luke continues to become a great Jedi Master.

Not only are they brother and sister, but they are twins. Twins have always been a huge subject of fascination, making Leia and Luke all the more iconic. As one of the best sets of movie twins, Luke and Leia’s team-up is something for the history book as they both were integral to the success of the rebellion. They finally had their biggest moment at the end when Luke sacrificed his own life to save his sister and her part of the Rebellion, proving he was always there when she needed him.