Scholastic Choics

X Twin
- Denise Rinaldo

Shawn Ashmore, 23, plays Iceman in X-2, the sequel to X-Men, which opens in May. On top of playing a superhero, Shawn is also a twin. Choices asked Shawn about his relationship with, twin brother, Aaron, who is also an actor.

CHOICES: Are you fraternal or identical?

Shawn: Technically, we don't know. There's a DNA test you can have done to find out, but we never had it done because we were never really concerned. When we were younger we definitely looked identical, but now look fairly different, so I assume we're probably fraternal.

CHOICES: Did you ever fool people when you were kids?

Shawn: People got us mixed up all the time, so we didn't even have to try. There was one gym teacher in high school who called us both Aaron. I don't even know if he knew there were two of us in the class.

CHOICES: Do you have a special connection?

Shawn: I always know how he's feeling, but that's because we know each other so well. I think that's where the ESP myth comes from. Twins know each other better than anybody else in the world. The other day, somebody asked me, “Do you know when he's going to call?” I said, “Yeah, but that's because I have Caller ID:”

CHOICES: Did your parents treat the two of you as individuals?

Shawn: Yes. They supported both of us in choices, and we've become very different people. I think it's important for people to know that. Even myself, when I look at other twins, I kind of assume they're totally similar. There's a human instinct to think that if people look the same, they are the same. But that's not the situation.

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