25 of the best sister duos seen on screen

Sisters in movies — Elsa and Anna in 'Frozen'; Lindsay Lohan x2 in 'The Parent Trap'; Zoe Saldaña and Karen Gillan in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'. Photo:
Disney

Sisterhood can be one of the more complicated familial dynamics. Some sisters grow up without a care in the world, happily spending day after day together. Others grow apart over time or have such different personalities that it's hard to believe they even share the same roots.

Cinema is rife with stories about sisters, and all the complexity that that relationship entails. No matter how it's depicted, though, most center on the eternal bond that makes sisterhood so unique.

Here are our picks for the 25 best sets of sisters on film, running the gamut from besties to mortal enemies.

Hippolyta and Antiope in Wonder Woman (2017)

Connie Nielsen in 'Wonder Woman'; Robin Wright in 'Wonder Woman'. Clay Enos/Warner Bros.; Alex Bailey/Warner Bros.

How exactly did Wonder Woman build up that ferocious spirit? The answer lies in her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and aunt Antiope (Robin Wright), among the many other strong women who populate the island of Themyscira. The sisters' relationship is tenuous, with Antiope eager to train a young Diana and Hippolyta doing her best to protect her daughter, but their influence is no doubt present every time their love shines through the girl who would be Wonder Woman. —Madeline Boardman

Gamora and Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Zoe Saldaña and Karen Gillan in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'. Disney/Marvel

There's a lot to be said for the complex relationship between the green-skinned Guardian of the Galaxy Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) and her assassin sister Nebula (Karen Gillan). Childhood rivalries, shared baggage from adoptive father Thanos, and still, the long-lingering hope of redemption hang over the pair. All things considered, the sisters grapple with fairly relatable problems — they just happen to be aliens. —M.B.

Tina and Queenie in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Katharine Waterston and Alison Sudol in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. Warner Bros.

Tina (Katharine Waterston) is an ex-Auror who simply cared too much; Queenie (Alison Sudol) is a powerful mind-reader who quite literally feels for everyone. Together, the supernatural sisters form a compassionate portrait of what life looked like for young witches hiding out in the Roaring '20s, where their abilities demand secrecy in public, but their magic blossoms in private. —M.B.

Kate and Maura in Sisters (2015)

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in 'Sisters'. K.C. Bailey/Universal Pictures

Longtime pals and collaborators, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took their relationship a step further when they played onscreen sisters Kate and Maura in the aptly titled Sisters. The comedy centers on the dynamic duo throwing one last bash at their childhood home before their parents put it up for sale. —M.B.

Anna and Elsa in Frozen (2013)

In Disney's megahit Frozen, Princess Anna serenades her sister, Princess Elsa, with the tune "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" — giving sisters everywhere a new anthem. Arguably two of the more famous sisters in recent film history, Anna and Elsa, voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, respectively, form a long-awaited bond and stand by each other in the face of menacing men and dangerous powers. —M.B.

Allison and Debbie/Sadie and Charlotte in Knocked Up (2007)

Katherine Heigl and Leslie Mann in 'Knocked Up'; Maude and Iris Apatow in 'Knocked Up'. Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

While Katherine Heigl and Leslie Mann lead Knocked Up as sisters Alison and Debbie, it is Debbie's daughters Sadie and Charlotte, played by real-life sisters Maude and Iris Apatow (the daughters of Mann and writer-director Judd Apatow), that are the true stars in our eyes. Whether they're telling it like it is or telling it like it's really not when it comes to childbirth ("You have to dig and you find the little baby!"), Sadie and Charlotte have a sisterly relationship for the ages. —M.B.

Milly, Maggie, and Mae in Because I Said So (2007)

Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham, Diane Keaton, and Piper Perabo in 'Because I Said So'. Suzanne Tenner/Universal Pictures

Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham, and Piper Perabo were the three sisters of a millennial girl's dream in 2007's Because I Said So. The stars played Milly, Maggie, and Mae, the daughters of Diane Keaton's Daphne Wilder. As the title suggests, Daphne offers many unsolicited opinions and instructions to her girls, providing the simple reason of "because I said so," pushing them into new relationships and down different paths. —M.B.

Maggie and Rose in In Her Shoes (2005)

Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz in 'In Her Shoes'. Sidney Baldwin/Fox

Cameron Diaz plays Maggie, the wild-child answer to Toni Collette's responsible Rose in 2005's In Her Shoes. While the rival sisters don't think they have much in common other than the same shoe size, they eventually come to realize that they share so much more. —M.B.

Elizabeth, Jane, Kitty, Lydia, and Mary in Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Jena Malone, Rosamund Pike, Talulah Riley, Carey Mulligan, and Keira Knightley in 'Pride & Prejudice'. Focus Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Jena Malone, and Talulah Riley become the Bennet sisters for the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved tale. Each actress perfectly captured their distinct character, with Knightley earning an Oscar nomination for her performance as the witty Elizabeth. —M.B.

Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux, and Cecilia in The Virgin Suicides (2000)

Leslie Hayman, Kirsten Dunst, A.J. Cook, and Chelse Swain in 'The Virgin Suicides'. Everett Collection

The bond of sisterhood is eternal. The five Lisbon sisters of Sofia Coppola's auspicious feature directorial debut struggle under the pressures of their conservative parents, which only grows stronger after one of them ends her life. The surviving four secretly bond with a group of boys in their neighborhood, though things soon take a tragic turn. —Kevin Jacobsen

Kiki and Gwen in America's Sweethearts (2001)

Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones in 'America's Sweethearts'. Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

In 2001's America's Sweethearts, Kiki (Julia Roberts) is the awkward yet devoted personal assistant to her glamorous movie star sister, Gwen (Catherine Zeta-Jones). While helping Gwen and her estranged hubby, Eddie (John Cusack) — who are going through a messy divorce — promote their latest movie together, Kiki finally gets her moment in the spotlight when Gwen's famous ex takes an interest in her. —M.B.

Eve, Georgia, and Maddy in Hanging Up (2000)

Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, and Lisa Kudrow in 'Hanging Up'. Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

A dream team of stars, Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, and Lisa Kudrow play sisters Eve, Georgia, and Maddy in Hanging Up, the 2000 movie that Keaton also directed. Together, the three successful women, who communicate almost exclusively through clipped phone calls, must figure out how to come to terms with the tumultuous relationships they have with their father when he is on his deathbed. —M.B.

Kat and Bianca in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Julia Stiles and Larisa Oleynik in '10 Things I Hate About You'. Touchstone Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Julia Stiles and Larisa Oleynik play Kat and Bianca, two very different sisters, in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You. In this modern spin on The Taming of the Shrew, Bianca wants the typical high school experience while Kat wants none of it, creating a problem for the two as their father says Bianca can only socialize when Kat does. They find common ground in the end, finally sticking up for each other against a shared enemy. —M.B.

Annie and Hallie in The Parent Trap (1998)

Lindsay Lohan in 'The Parent Trap' — Lindsay Lohan x2 in 'The Parent Trap'. Lorey Sebastian

A young Lindsay Lohan followed in the grand tradition of Hayley Mills and played twin sisters separated at birth in 1998's The Parent Trap. When the girls — prim and proper Brit Annie and laid-back Californian Hallie — come face-to-face at summer camp, they scheme to reunite their divorced parents. —M.B.

Teri, Maxine, and Bird in Soul Food (1997)

Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, and Nia Long in 'Soul Food'. 20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, and Nia Long teamed up to play sisters Teri, Maxine, and Bird in the 1997 movie Soul Food. After they stop gathering for Sunday dinner each week following a family tragedy, the women find themselves at odds and start to drift apart. But they eventually reunite when Maxine's son schemes to use their Sunday soul food feasts as a way to bring them all back together. —M.B.

Baby Jane and Blanche in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'. Everett Collection

Sometimes sisterhood gets ugly. This wickedly delicious tale centers on a pair of aging sisters who worked as actresses in their youth and now live in a mansion. "Baby" Jane (Bette Davis) is a former child star who holds contempt for her more successful sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). Jane cares for but mostly torments Blanche, who is now paraplegic after an accident and desperate to be free from her sister. —K.J.

Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth in Little Women (2019)

Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, and Eliza Scanlen in 'Little Women'. Wilson Webb/Sony

Preceded by other adaptations of the beloved story, the foursome of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlan brought the famed sisters of Little Women to the big screen once again in 2019. The stars play the Louisa May Alcott-created characters of Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth March, as they deal with disease, jealousy, and growing up in the Civil War era. —M.B.

Winifred, Mary, and Sarah in Hocus Pocus (1993)

Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy in 'Hocus Pocus'. Buena Vista/Courtesy Everett Collection

Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker make up the magical trio of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah in 1993's Hocus Pocus and its 2022 sequel, Hocus Pocus 2. The actresses play the now-iconic Sanderson sisters, three witches who terrorize children and practice dark magic. —M.B.

Sally and Gillian in Practical Magic (1998)

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'. Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

The Sanderson sisters have a bit of competition in Practical Magic's Sally and Gillian, played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. While growing up with their aunts, the sisters learn witchcraft — and must face their family's famous curse. Decades later, the sisters are also expected to return for a sequel, as announced by Warner Bros. —M.B.

Dottie and Kit in A League of Their Own (1992)

Lori Petty and Geena Davis in 'A League of Their Own'. John Biever/Columbia Pictures

Geena Davis and Lori Petty play Dottie and Kit in the baseball flick A League of Their Own. Growing up in an Oregon farm town, the sisters' paths diverge when they are scouted for a women's baseball league. The two face off as leaders of the Peaches and Belles in the World Series, handling their complicated relationship on the baseball diamond. —M.B.

Hannah, Lee, and Holly in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, and Dianne Wiest in 'Hannah and Her Sisters'. Courtesy Everett Collection

Hannah (Mia Farrow) has a complicated relationship with her sisters Lee (Barbara Hershey) and Holly (Dianne Wiest) in the 1986 Woody Allen movie Hannah and Her Sisters. Amid affairs, betrayal, and far too much romantic crossover between the siblings, they remain close to one another, tracing their paths over the course of two years, which begins and ends with a Thanksgiving dinner. —M.B.

Betty and Judy in White Christmas (1954)

Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen in 'White Christmas'. Courtesy Everett Collection

Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen are the unstoppable duo of Betty and Judy in 1954's White Christmas. Starring opposite Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in the Irving Berlin musical, the two play young women who perform a sister act following World War II. Their collaboration gifted women everywhere with the anthem "Sisters," complete with the lyrics, "Many men have tried to split us up, but no one can/Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister." —M.B.

Esther, Tootie, Rose, and Agnes in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Lucille Bremer, Judy Garland, Joan Carroll, and Margaret O'Brien in 'Meet Me in St. Louis'. Everett Collection

Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Lucille Bremer, and Joan Carroll come together as sisters Esther, Tootie, Rose, and Agnes in the 1944 classic Meet Me in St. Louis. The musical follows the four daughters of the affluent Smith family as they begin early romances, attend holiday balls, and navigate their family's imminent move to New York. —M.B.

Babe, Meg, and Lenny in Crimes of the Heart (1986)

Sissy Spacek, Jessica Lange, and Diane Keaton in 'Crimes of the Heart'.
Keith Hamshere/De Laurentiis/Kobal/Shutterstock

Academy Award winners Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, and Sissy Spacek play the dysfunctional Magrath sisters in this Southern Gothic comedy, adapted from the play of the same name. The sisters come together after the youngest, Babe (Spacek), shoots her abusive husband, lending their support while also trading plenty of barbs. —K.J.

Related content: