TV's tantalizing twins: Tia and Tamara Mowry share 'Sister Sister' sitcom, schoolwork and singing

Ebony, Nov, 1998 by Melissa Ewey

To their loyal fans, Sister, Sister co-stars Tia and Tamera Mowry are as famous as anyone could get. Their arresting beauty and irresistible twin appeal admit them to a world of glitz and glamour, filled with exclusive parties and star-studded premieres. At every turn, photographers scrambled to snap their picture, and everyone goes out of his way to accommodate them.

Everyone, that is, except the faculty of Pepperdine University. "They were like Tia and Tamera WHO?" Tia says of the humbling experience. "At school, nobody cares who we are. There are no special benefits, and I think that's great."

Juggling acting with academics is all in a day's work for the 20-year-old identical twins. As third-year students, Tia and Tamera take part-time classes together, then drive to the set of their WB sitcom to tape episodes.

While the two may look exactly alike to the casual observer, closer observation reveals more differences than similarities. On the surface, a mole on her left cheek physically distinguishes Tamera from her sister. When it comes to dating, Tia is attracted to guys who are outgoing, while Tamera prefers the laid-back and reserved type. Tia's idea of fun is going with a group of friends to the movies, while Tamera would rather go for a walk or read a book. "Sometimes I think I'm more private than she is," Tamera says of her twin. "I like to spend time by myself," While they enjoy sharing the twin mystique, there are occasions when it can be frustrating. "When we were 11, our dance teacher would refer to us as `the Twins,'" recalls Tia. "I stomped my feet, snapped my fingers and said, "EXCUSE ME! Please don't call as the Twins! My name is Tia, and her name is Tamera."

At age 17, Tia and Tamera stopped dressing alike and started to develop separate styles. "We love being seen as individuals," says Tia. "I think that's every twin's goal when they get older. People tend to stereotype you as one, and we have to tell people that we are individuals. Even though we have the same interests, that doesn't mean that we're the same person."

"Tamera and I really don't see ourselves as twins," adds Tia. "We just see ourselves as sisters and as best friends."

Born in Gelhausen, Germany, to career-army parents, the sisters moved to Fort Hood, Teas, at age 2, then Honolulu, then back to Texas in 1986. "When you're an army brat, you move all the time," says Tamera. "I think Tia and I developed a closer bond because we were always leaving our friends. We had each other, so it wasn't a problem." While living in Texas, their mother, Darlene Flowers, saw an advertisement for a pageant as a way to keep her daughters entertained on the weekends. "I said sure," says Tamera, "but Tia didn't want to do it at first." After watching Tamera compete and place in the top 10, Tia followed suit. The two went on to win several pageants, then move on to talent shows, industrial films and commercials. Bitten by the acting bug, the sisters begged their parents to move the family to California.

"Our mother made a deal with us," explains Tia. "She said that we would visit California for a month. If we got a role, she would quit her job and we'd all move to California so we could pursue an acting career."

The two were asked to double-dutch for a car commercial audition. There was only one problem: They didn't know how to double-dutch. "We were out in the middle of the street asking anybody to teach us," Tamera recalls. They never did get the hang of it, but quickly won the hearts of the casting director and got the job. After moving to California, the sisters got several small roles and commercials. Meanwhile, their younger brother, Tahj, scored big with a reoccurring role of the sitcom Full House.

"He really inspired us," says Tamera. "He had great comedic timing at 7 years of age."

Eager for a series of their own, Tia and Tamera were discovered by Irene Dreayer, who came up with the idea for Sister, Sister after their meeting. The show, which originally aired on ABC, is the story of twin sisters separated at birth. A chance meeting brings them together, and their single step-parents from one household for the sake of the siblings. "The first time we were on the set, I was so in awe," remembers Tamera. "I realized that God had answered my prayer. It really didn't sink in until we finished the first episode." Now, over 100 episodes later, Sister, Sister is in its sixth season on WB and airs reruns in syndication.

This season follows their characters, Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, to college. For the first time, the sisters are acting their own age. "We stayed 14 for three years on the show," Tia explains. "So now, we're finally in college, and it's a new vibe."

In real live, Tia and Tamera live at home with their family: mom Darlene, who manages their careers; father Tim Mowry, a retired army sergeant; and brothers Tahj, 11, and Tavior, 6. The close-knit family has dinner together nightly and spends every Thanksgiving on a camping trip. When Tia and Tamera were 8 years old, they became born-again Christians. Today, the sisters proclaim their faith with WWJD bracelets, short for "What Would Jesus Do?"