13. Nicholas Brendon
Nicholas Brendon, born Nicholas Brendon Schultz, is probably best known for his hunky role as Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. What may not be quite as well known is that he has a twin, Kelly Donovan. Kelly Donovan Schultz, his identical twin brother, has actually stood in for him from time to time in the series.
Kelly Donovan (born April 12, 1971 as Kelly Donovan Schultz in Los Angeles, California), is also an American actor. He is best known for his work as the stand-in for character Xander Harris, the role portrayed by his identical twin brother, Nicholas Brendon on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as sharing the role on-screen in only one episode. He has also appeared on other television shows such as Alias as a stunt double.
As a child, he always dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but he “lost the passion for it” at 20.
Instead, he decided to become an actor in an attempt to overcome his stuttering issues, which had first become apparent at age seven, and had made him so fearful of speaking or interacting with strangers that it stopped from having relationships and dating until 21 or even 22.
Brendon remembers, “Every day I still have to remind myself to slow down and concentrate. Constant repetition of tongue-twisters was like lifting weights for me, but patience and persistence have paid off.”
He gave up acting two years later because he “couldn’t stand the politics in Hollywood.” Brendon then returned to school to study medicine, which also didn’t work out. He then tried his hand at a variety of jobs, including plumber’s assistant, veterinary janitor, day care counselor, waiter, and production assistant for the television show Dave’s World.