Summary
- Sibling relationships can be just as impactful as romantic ones, with brother and sister duos providing memorable bonds in entertainment.
- Whether they're bickering or teaming up, famous brother and sister characters add unique storylines and dynamics to TV shows and movies.
- From Guardians of the Galaxy to Frozen, the love and support shared between siblings in film and television can be heartwarming and relatable.
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 will be surprised to know that some of the most memorable character bonds are between siblings. 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.
The 55 Best Movies Of All Time
Screen Rant breaks down the best movies of all time, from old classics to modern masterpieces across multiple genres of cinema.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.
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 shown to be 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.
23 Ruby & Leo Rossi
CODA (2021)
Sometimes a brother and sister relationship in a movie is most interesting for how combative it is. CODA's main characters are a family of 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 as she is refusing to pursue it. Ruby and Leo's relationship shows that love between siblings can exist beneath a rocky surface.
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-ope 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 life regular siblings whenever they are not running for their lives.
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 young Enola has become.
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 are 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.
Stream on Hulu.
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 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.
Rent on Vudu.
18 Padraic & Siobhan
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. Padraic and Siobhan 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 Siobhan making plans to leave the island and its toxicity and Padraic 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.
Stream on Max & Hulu.
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.
Stream on Netflix.
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.
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.
Stream on Disney Plus.
14 Ron & Ginny Weasley
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.
Stream on Max & Peacock.
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.
Stream on Disney Plus.
12 Klaus & Violet
A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)
A Series of Unfortunate Events is a movie, show, and book series 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.
Stream on Netflix.
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 relationship before finding out they were related.
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.
Stream on Disney Plus.
10 Phineas & Candace Flynn
Phineas & Ferb (2007-2024)
This is one of the most fun siblings in television history, with the famous brother and sister duo Phineas and Candace constantly winding each other up and frustrating the other to the point of annoyance. Candace is desperate to catch her brother and his inventions, telling him off to their parents, and seeing her fail each time, leading to some of the best Phineas and Ferb episodes, is always hilarious.
However, even though they do annoy each other and push each other's buttons, they can be kind and caring towards each other when they need to be, just like any great set of siblings.
9 Dwayne & Olive
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine is a very heartfelt film about family and being yourself. The youngest, Olive, wants to win a Little Miss Sunshine child pageantry contest, and the family band together to get her there, so she can have her dream come true. However, it is slowly revealed that while everyone in the family is ambitious and has dreams, none of them get what they want because society is just one big beauty contest in which they are all losers.
The brother, Dwayne, hates his family and does not even say a word for the first half of the film until he has a breakdown when he realizes he is colorblind and can never go to the Air Force Academy. The only person who could console him is Olive, his sister. Later on, he defends Olive and even dances silly with her when people at the beauty contest start to boo her. They are certainly an example of one of the sweetest famous brother and sister relationships in movies.
Stream on Hulu.
8 Jon Snow & Arya Stark
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
There's a lot of famous brother-and-sister relationships within Game of Thrones, with one, in particular, standing out for being a little too close. However, the bond between Jon Snow and Arya Stark really is the most fun to watch throughout, and the two have some of the best sibling quotes on Game of Thrones.
They might spend most of the show split apart, but any time they hear about each other, their faces light up, plus, the moment they finally meet again is one of the very best in the series. Their reactions showcase the shock of each other still being alive, and the sheer love that they have, even if they're not proper siblings. Jon often felt like an outcast amongst his siblings but he and Arya were always closer than the rest due to their similar personalities.
Stream on Max.
7 Nick & Margo Dunne
Gone Girl (2014)
The siblings in Gone Girl are one of the strongest that has ever been shown in film and television. The bond that Nick and Margo have is incredibly close, and the love and trust they have for each other is obvious, with Margo being one of the few people who actually believes her brother.
She's committed to helping clear his name as much as humanly possible, and she goes to great lengths to do so. The seriousness of the film doesn't really get to showcase the funnier side that their relationship might have, but the love between them is clear.
Stream on Max.
6 Bart & Lisa Simpson
The Simpsons (1989-Present)
The Simpsons is known as one of the best shows of the 20th century, so of course, the main kid characters, Bart and Lisa, are one of the most famous brother and sister duos in the world of television. They are not exactly opposites in terms of personality, but they are pretty different and butt heads a lot in the show.
The two often fight like a brother and sister are expected to, but always end up accepting each other in the end.
Bart is a mischievous rebel with sharp wit and often disrespects authority while Lisa is incredibly intelligent, politically aware, and liberal. The two often fight like a brother and sister are expected to, but always end up accepting each other in the end. Also, "Bart" was Lisa's first word, which shows the strong bond they really have.
Stream on Disney Plus.