05-05-2025
'We loved it': The Shining twins look unrecognisable 45 years on, but still cherish the eerie roles that made them famous
The twins who played the terrifying Grady sisters in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining are all grown up.
Lisa and Louise Burns were just 11 years old when they were cast in Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling novel.
Although their screen time was brief, their chilling presence as ghostly apparitions who appear to young Danny in the Overlook Hotel quickly became one of the film's most iconic images, referenced endlessly in pop culture and Halloween costumes ever since.
Today, the sisters live quiet lives in the UK, with Lisa now working as a lawyer and Louise a published scientist.
While they've long stepped away from acting, the identical twins haven't let go of the role that made them famous, and often share updates with their fans on social media.
In November, the pair shared a photo from a special screening of Shine On: The Forgotten Shining Location, a documentary that explores how Kubrick created the film's sets.
"Trip down memory lane last Thursday," they wrote alongside a photo taken outside Elstree Studios in London.
"A screening of Shine On documentary: a behind-the-scenes look at Stanley Kubrick's use of the Enigma building for the kitchen scene (& others) in The Shining."
Despite the nearly 45 years that have passed, the sisters still speak fondly of their time on set, particularly working alongside Kubrick and the film's star, Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson, 88.
"Oh my God, we loved it," they told the Daily Mail in 2015.
"Every day felt like we'd been invited to a very exclusive party and we were the youngest, luckiest people to be there."
Louise shared a fond memory with Nicholson, who played the role of unhinged family man Jack Torrance.
"I clearly remember sitting on Jack's knee and joking with him," she said.
"...He was just a regular person, in fact he was very sweet."
The twins also remembered celebrating their 11th birthday on set, with Kubrick's wife, Vivian, giving them each an autograph book that they had everyone sign.
"What was so wonderful to us was that Stanley had found the time to celebrate the 11th birthday of two children he was never going to meet again. It really did feel like we were all family by then," Louise said.
Lisa added: "Stanley also gave us a tiny bottle of the blood, which he called Kensington Gore, and it was the same blood that we had to lie in during our death scene."
In 2023, the Burns' fully embraced their pop culture legacy during a Q&A panel at Comic-Con Northern Ireland, stating that they find the parodies of their roles "absolutely hilarious."
Since the film's release, their likeness has popped up in Family Guy, Modern Family, The Simpsons and even Angry Birds.
"I've got two boys, and there was some video of Angry Birds, and suddenly one of my boys says, 'Mum, it's you, you're an angry bird!'" Louise laughed.
As for why they think The Shining still captivates audiences after all these years, Lisa believes it comes down to how grounded it is in everyday life.
"I think everyone can relate to staying at a hotel," she explained.
"And I think psychological horror works on a relationship between what you do every day, and then what would happen if one day you turn left rather than right, and then where does that go?"
The Shining Twins' social media account is often inundated with messages of support from fans who have enjoyed staying connected with Louise and Lisa since their iconic performance.
"You have grown to be beautiful ladies," one user said, while another commented: "Thank you for sharing yourselves with us and thank you for being so PERFECT in the movie."
