Identical twins Christina and Caroline Alessi, who were once household names on the Australian soap ‘Neighbours‘, are barely recognisable more than three decades after their stint on the show.
The Blakeney sisters, Gayle and Gillian, who portrayed the Alessi twins, have aged gracefully into their 58th year, looking vastly different from their Ramsay Street days.
Their characters were embroiled in a slew of dramatic plots, beginning with their arrival on Ramsay Street, where they were placed under witness protection following their witnessing of a horrifying murder. The duo even capitalised on their identical appearances, posing as the same person.
They assumed the identity of Linda Giles until their ruse was discovered by local rogue, Paul Robinson. The twins also had their share of romantic entanglements, with Christina tying the knot with Paul, only for Caroline to fall for his allure and exit the neighbourhood.
The Blakeneys bid adieu to the soap at different times in 1992, made a brief return for three episodes in 2019, before finally hanging up their acting boots. Post ‘Neighbours’, the sisters launched a band named The Twins, releasing several tracks such as All Mixed Up, Mad If Ya Don’t and Wanna Be Your Lover.
After leaving the show, they both chose to relocate to California. Today, Gayle and Gillian reside in America with their respective partners and children, interestingly, both becoming mothers within weeks of each other.
Gillian and Gayle, who both have children—Stella being Gillian’s daughter and Jack plus twins for Gayle—dressed to the nines in black for a friend’s birthday bash, as seen in a 2018 Facebook video. The duo sported matching loose waves with a centre parting and similar glam makeup featuring a pink lip and smokey eye, with Gillian captioning the post: “Me and my wombmate” followed by a winky face emoji.
When they reprised their roles on Neighbours in 2019, the sisters also appeared on Loose Women looking quite different from their ’90s selves, showcasing mid-length hairstyles instead of their iconic fringes. Photos from their return to Ramsay Street captured them in stylish shirts and their brunette locks styled in loose waves.
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