What The Twins From The Shining Look Like Now

Of all the old-school horror movie kids who sent shivers down our spines, the Grady sisters from "The Shining" are most definitely at the top of that list. At just 12 years old, both Lisa and Louise Burns supplied movie buffs with nothing but nightmare fuel and quickly became one of Hollywood's favorite sinister sibling duos. "We're naturally spooky," the Burns twins shared with Cosmopolitan, reflecting on their time spent on the set of the Stanley Kubrick film. "But we did practice our timing — saying things in unison — and we worked on saying our lines in a hollow, other-worldly kind of way a number of times."

Though neither Lisa nor Louise Burns went on to pursue a career in acting, their roles as the daunting daughters of the Overlook Hotel would change their lives for good. Known as @the_shining_twins over on Instagram, the Burns girls have not only embraced their iconic personas but continue to supply fans of the 1980 horror classic with plenty of tricks and treats. "If we hadn't auditioned then, the roles would probably have gone to two girls of different ages, like the characters in the book," Lisa and Louise explained to Daily Mail. "It certainly worked in our favor because Stanley decided twins were just spookier," a statement which perhaps we can all agree on.

Eager to catch a glimpse of the girls who successfully left your hair standing on end? Here is what the twins from "The Shining" look like now.

For those of you who haven't seen "The Shining," allow us to catch you up, as it's important that you know exactly who the Grady girls are, or, were in the story. The film, based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, focuses on protagonist Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson), as he moves his family into the Overlook Hotel in hopes of curing his writer's block. His son, Danny, who already suffers from disturbing visions, begins to see those which illustrate the hotel's grim past. The audience soon learns that the hotel's original caretaker, Delbert Grady, went mad due to cabin fever, and murdered his wife and daughters (the Grady daughters) as a result.

Though it's terrifying enough for a young boy like Danny to see a pair of ghostly twins, he's eventually given a glimpse into their murder, which is quite gruesome to say the least. Their haunting chants paired with quick flashes of floodwaves of blood flowing through the hotel were enough to horrify viewers of all ages, giving the Grady twins their notoriously creepy claim to fame.

At the young age of 12, you may be wondering just how Lisa and Louise Burns dealt with filming such a bloody scene, but luckily, the girls were in the best of hands when it came to protecting their innocence. "Tom showed us how he made his 'blood' and it really looked just like the real thing. He even let us each keep a bottle, which we still have," Lisa and Louise told Cosmopolitan.

While Lisa and Louise Burns were only featured in a small section of "The Shining," their big scene was perhaps one of the most memorable of the entire film. The scene in question features the girls standing at the end of a long hallway, as they haunt the protagonist's son, Danny, with their menacing presence and creepy chant: "Come play with us, Danny, forever, and ever, and ever." The phrase still manages to give us goosebumps to this very day!

Though "The Shining" was initially released in May of 1980, this wouldn't be the only time that fans of the film would witness the twins haunting a hotel. As they travel the world for a number of events, Lisa and Louise Burns are sure to make the most of each trip, which includes snapping a photo within various inns in perfect "Shining" fashion. 

In a photo posted to their Instagram on August 2, 2014, Lisa and Louise can be seen holding their iconic stance once more. "Whilst in Kraków we haunted another hotel corridor," the ladies captioned the image, and although their baby blue dresses and knee-high socks were nowhere to be found, that didn't stop fans from losing their minds over the epic re-creation. "I love this! It's creepy, funny, and cool all at the same time lol. It's cute to see you two venture back into 'character' after all this time," one follower commented underneath the post.

Just like many movie props and wardrobe pieces from iconic Hollywood films, the blue dresses worn by the Grady sisters have been featured in a number of museums and exhibitions around the globe. Traveling from Warsaw to London, the articles of clothing have been visited by a number of horror movie fans and followers alike, including the duo who actually donned the pieces over four decades ago. "Visited our old clothes today," Lisa and Louise captioned an Instagram post, where the pair can be seen smiling as they stand in front of their respective garments. Better yet? Each sister is wearing an earring in the shape of the famous blue dress, the perfect accessory for a day spent traveling down memory lane.

In addition to the dresses being uncomfortable to wear, a tidbit of info which the Burns sisters recall quite well, there was also only one set of the notorious blue garments. This meant that the clips showcasing the Grady girls' murders had to be filmed last, and they had to be done in just one take because the blood would ruin the dresses. "I remember that was very challenging for Stanley because he liked to do many takes," Louise Burns shared with Daily Mail in an interview in 2015. "Those two dresses have since been cleaned and are touring the world, but if you look closely you can still see some blood stains on one of them."

For those of you looking to send a spooky message to your friends and family, look no further than your favorite terrifying twins: Lisa and Louise Burns. In October of 2021, the pair announced that they can now be found on Cameo, where fans can request a personalized video featuring their iconic phrase. "Available for video hotel hauntings. Ideal for Halloween greetings," the ladies of "The Shining" captioned a video posted to their Instagram. It is in this clip that both Lisa and Louise give followers a taste of Cameos to come, and let's just say, the Burns sisters still possess that creepy charm that we all know and love.

In addition to the content the twins provide on Cameo, Lisa and Louise Burns are also big on responding to fan questions via video. These responses not only allow the twins to connect with some of their most loyal followers but give them the opportunity to share some of their favorite moments from on set. In one particular video response posted to Instagram, Louise Burns spoke about one of her most treasured memories from "The Shining" days. "Every time we said goodbye to him [Stanley Kubrick], every time the filming ended at the end of every evening, he always blew us kisses," she recalled. Though the video response was dedicated to a particular fan, Burns' followers couldn't help but gush over the sweet recollection. "How lovely that you had that experience and these wonderful memories," one comment read.

Though it has been 44 years since "The Shining" made its big-screen debut, Lisa and Louise Burns continue to be a part of any and all events in relation to the film. From meet-and-greets to reunion parties, the twins are always eager to mix and mingle with fans and cast mates alike, and they have seen some pretty amazing tributes to their characters as a result. "We met a fan in Canada who had a tattoo of us on each leg," Louise told Daily Mail. "We've also met people who have us on either arm and then when they put their arms together we're holding hands. To us, that kind of thing is an incredible compliment."

Moreover, when attending horror conventions around the globe, the sisters have seen many costume renditions of the Grady daughters. Though every version is spooky in its own right, the Burns sisters do agree that it is especially creepy to see young children dressed in the famous attire.

Most recently, Lisa and Louise Burns attended a book launch in support of Lee Unkrich, film director and "The world's foremost Shining aficionado," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Imagined by Unkrich himself, the book, titled "Stanley Kubrick's The Shining," spotlights hundreds of never-before-seen images, including those of the Burns twins themselves. Though fans were given a sneak peek at a couple of the images via an Instagram post, you'll have to check out the book for yourself to see them all.