90s TV icon twins haven’t aged a drop since ditching showbiz for new career

It’s been 30 years since Sweet Valley High hit the airwaves – but its two lead stars haven’t aged a day.

Brittany and Cynthia Daniel, now 48, starred as twin sisters Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in the American comedy drama series which ran from 1994 to 1998.

The show’s popularity in the UK began in earnest in 2001 when the Disney Channel and the BBC broadcasted repeat episodes – all four seasons are available on Amazon Prime Video these days.

Now, three decades might have passed since the show aired, but the two beloved actresses seem to have discovered the secret to eternal youth – at least if you look at the reactions on their Instagram pages.

In a recent post, the duo posed side-by-side as they advertised their upcoming appearance at Florida’s 90s convention, which is taking place at Daytona Beach in September.

On Instagram, user JenCRocco said: ‘You both look just as young as you were back in your high school days. I’ve enjoyed watching you grow into amazing beautiful women!’

User @RoseMK1914 said: ‘I still can’t tell who’s who, but you’re all gorgeous!’

Elsewhere, on a post advertising the pair reuniting on screen for a Cheaper By the Dozen remake, @PhillyLBC said: ‘Seeing you both together on the screen gave me Sweet Valley High flashbacks. Just as sweet and beautiful as ever – good to see both together on the screen again!’

Years ago, but still after her stint on Sweet Valley High, Britanny starred as Megan Vandergeld in the 2004 hit comedy film White Chicks – and some fans remembered her from that film too.

Although, the Daniel twins are so identical that @CeddyMontana had to ask under a photo of the pair: ‘So which is which? Like, who played [Megan] in White Chicks?’

Sweet Valley High was based on Francine Pascal’s young adult book series of the same name. The books, which were first published in 1983, revolve around the lives of identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield.

The Wakefield twins live in the fictional town of Sweet Valley, California – readers soon fell in love with the mix of romance and drama, making the books and TV show a staple for 80s and 90s kids.

However, all good things must come to an end, and the series concluded after four seasons in 1998, the same year that books in the main novel series stopped being published.

After the conclusion of the series, the sisters continued to find work in TV, with Brittany going on to appear in Dawson’s Creek, That 70s Show, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Cynthia, however, largely turned away from acting and instead moved into photography, only appearing on screen again in sporadic appearances.

In 2006, Cynthia married actor Cole Hauser – the pair currently have three children.

While Brittany starred in sports drama The Game, she was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma and left the series in 2011. She was declared cancer free in 2014.

In 2017, she married her now-husband Adam Touni – the couple have a daughter who was born in 2021.

Watch Sweet Valley High on Amazon Prime Video.

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