Aaron and Shawn Ashmore have spent much of their careers confusing audiences—and it’s easy to see why. The Canadian brothers are identical twins, born on October 7, 1979, in Richmond, British Columbia. They began acting as children after a talent agent approached their mother, and even early casting decisions sometimes came down to a coin toss. Shawn later recalled that casting directors would occasionally bring them both back and literally flip a coin to decide which twin would get the job.

Their careers eventually took different paths, although both became familiar faces in television and film. Shawn Ashmore became widely known as Bobby Drake/Iceman in the X-Men movies and later appeared in shows including The Rookie and The Following. Aaron Ashmore, meanwhile, played Jimmy Olsen on Smallville, Steve Jinks on Warehouse 13, and John Jaqobis on Killjoys. Because both brothers appeared frequently in science-fiction, superhero, and television projects, viewers naturally assumed they were sometimes the same actor.

That confusion continues today. When Aaron appeared as Gil Timmins on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, some viewers who recognized him from The Rookie were convinced Shawn had simply appeared in another show. Fans online have repeatedly admitted they had watched both actors for years without realizing they were twins. Their nearly identical appearance, similar voices, and overlapping types of roles make the mix-up particularly understandable.

And there’s one fun fact that makes the story even better: they have actually played the same character. Aaron portrayed Jimmy Olsen on Smallville, while Shawn later played Jimmy Olsen in the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand. So although Iceman and Jimmy Olsen aren’t the same person, the Ashmore twins have both, at different times, worn the name “Jimmy Olsen.”