Sister, Sister On Netflix: 15 Famous Guest Stars You May Not Remember
If you're feeling an unexpected jolt of sibling synchronicity today, that's probably because — for the first time in human history — the beloved sitcom Sister, Sister is available to stream on Netflix.
And whether you choose to do a complete series binge from pilot to finale, or you'd prefer to simply bounce between seasons, you're guaranteed to encounter some familiar (and unexpected!) faces.
We're not just talking about celebrities making cameos as themselves, though there were also plenty of those. We're talking about side characters played by the likes of Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union and the late Brittany Murphy — all before any of them even dreamed of becoming household names. We're also looking back at a few seasoned entertainers, including RuPaul and Sherman Hemsley, who contributed memorable characters to the Sister, Sister canon.
Sister, Sister made household names out of Tia and Tamera Mowry, who starred as estranged twins who reunite as teenagers. The cast also included Jackee Harry as Tia's adoptive mother Lisa, Tim Reid as Tamera's adoptive father Ray, and Marques Houston as next-door neighbor Roger. After airing for two seasons on ABC (1994–1995), the show relocated to The WB, where it ran for four more (1995–1999).
Scroll down for a list of 15 famous faces you may not remember from the show's original run, then drop a comment with your thoughts below. Did any other faces surprise you during your binge?
BARRY WATSON
Before he ascended to 7th Heaven, Watson guest-starred in Sister, Sister's two-part holiday episode in Season 3 ("Thanksgiving in Hawaii") as a surfer dude named Barney.
BRITTANY MURPHY
The late, great Murphy played Sarah, a pal of Tia and Tamera's, for six episodes during the show's first two seasons. She made her debut in Season 1's "First Dates."
CHRISTINA MILIAN
Milian's appearance in Sister, Sister's fourth season premiere ("When A Man Loves Two Women") marked the actress' official TV debut. This was her first of two guest spots.
DAPHNE REID
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's second Aunt Viv guest-starred in a Season 4 episode ("Double Exposure") as Charmagne, a potential love interest for Ray. And if you're wondering why she and Tim Reid had such good chemistry, it might have something to do with them being real-life spouses.
DONALD FAISON
Three years after becoming Clueless (and three years before slipping into his Scrubs), Faison guest-starred in a Season 6 episode of Sister, Sister ("Greek To Me") as the head of a fraternity being investigated by Tamera's boyfriend.
GABRIELLE UNION
The L.A.'s Finest star appeared in a handful of episodes in Seasons 4 and 5, including one very special installment ("Guardian Angel") in which her character was revealed to be — gasp! — a shoplifter.
KEIKO AGENA
Yes, Gilmore Girls fans, that's Stars Hollow's own Lane Kim playing an unnamed student interviewer in the Season 2 episode "Kid In Play."
KENAN THOMPSON AND KEL MITCHELL
The iconic '90s comedy duo guest-starred in a Season 4 episode ("Inherit the Twin") as Tia and Tamera's lawyers in student court.
LARRY WILMORE
Yes, the former Nightly Show host played a bus driver in one episode of Sister, Sister (Season 1's "Out Alone"), but let's not bury the lede here — he also worked on the show's writing staff from 1994 to 1996, ultimately penning two episodes himself.
RACHAEL HARRIS
Lucifer's future therapist recurred in Sister, Sister's sixth season as Simone, Tia and Tamera's snarky college R.A. She first appeared in the premiere episode ("Home Sweet Dorm").
RUPAUL
If you thought RuPaul was all over television now, you should have seen her in the '90s. The Drag Race host brought her own charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to the role of a pretentious boutique owner named Marje in the Season 2 episode "Put to the Test."
SHERMAN HEMSLEY
The small-screen legend formerly known as George Jefferson played the twins' grandfather (Ray's dad) in four episodes between Seasons 3 and 5. His first episode was titled, what else, "Grandpa Campbell."
TAHJ MOWRY
Tia and Tamera Mowry's real-life younger brother appeared in three different Sister, Sister episodes — as three different characters! Needless to say, our personal favorite was his Season 5 episode ("Child's Play") in which he played his Smart Guy character T.J. Henderson. Come on, who doesn't love a good crossover?
TARAJI P. HENSON
Nearly two decades before she introduced Cookie Lyon to the world, Henson appeared in a Season 5 episode of Sister, Sister ("Two's Company") as a girl named Briana.