ADVERTISEMENT

The world is like a Rubik’s Cube and there’s a lot of variation that you can get out of it. The same goes for our faces. There’s a one in 135 chance that a pair of complete doppelgängers exist somewhere in the world. Some of us are brave enough to spin that wheel of features, and as luck would have it, find themselves looking at a pack of crisps as if it was their bathroom mirror. This Bored Panda compilation is dedicated to all the unlikely face matches found in the most random places.

For those who love pushing their brain into overdrive, there’s always a step further. After you are done with this compilation, check out more glitches in the matrix here and here. Don’t bother calling Neo for help, he’s out of the business.

See Bored Panda’s interview with a professional look-alike hunter, Montréal-based photographer François Brunelle, who has been on a mission to find all the doppelgangers around the world since 1999.

#1

Whoever Understood The Impact Of This Photo, Understood Everything

Whoever Understood The Impact Of This Photo, Understood Everything

gabicoelho Report

#3

I Can Only Hope To Be Painted So Someone In The Future Can Do This As Well

I Can Only Hope To Be Painted So Someone In The Future Can Do This As Well

rofloflo Report

Bored Panda contacted photographer François Brunelle, who has been working on his "I’m not a look-alike!" project, which seeks to find doppelgangers around the world.

Apparently, it’s not so easy to find your look-alike and it took Brunelle 5 years until people started reaching out to him. “At first, I would ask people whom I knew and thought they were look-alikes to participate in my project. Then I asked around and put some ads in the media with little or no result. Then I had a TV interview, magazine articles, and lots of web media exposure, which had lots of people around the world reaching out to me.”

Brunelle shared an insider’s view into the confusing world of doppelgangers. “Look-alikes are divided into 2 categories: One category is made up of people who have already known each other for a long time and are used to the confusion coming from their likeness. The other category is made up of people who meet for the first time in front of my camera.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Seeing your double for the first time might come with a certain degree of apprehension which is then “followed by a state of relaxation coming from the fact that each person can relate quite rapidly to the other because that other person does not look at all like an alien.”

The photographer notices that a similar appearance helps people bond better with others but it’s not necessarily a good thing. “That’s why it is so hard to completely get rid of different forms of racism and we need to educate ourselves at being aware of that phenomenon.”

The look-alike hunter reveals how to find your double: “ask around you if someone knows someone who looks like you. You can send me a photo of yourself but the chances that I will find your look-alike are very low. Normally people who have a doppelganger or who know a pair will write to me about it and from that, eventually, I will get a new photo.”

Remember that guy at the gym you saw the other day? What if that wasn’t a mirror reflection?

ADVERTISEMENT

Michael Sheehan, an assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior at Cornell University, researches human facial diversity. According to him, the likeliness of finding your doppelganger is a subject of statistics. “The statistical explanation is that if you shuffle a deck of cards enough times, you’re going to deal with the same hand twice at some point.” The logic works the same for our looks: “There’s a lot of diversity in the forms of human faces, but there’s still a limit to it.” In other words, the likelihood is there but it isn’t infinite.

There’s a simple explanation as to why there aren’t more doppelgangers in the world. "It's not only facial appearance but also styling, how people are presenting themselves or acting," explained Sheehan. "Context has a lot to do with looking alike as well." Just think about it⁠—same hairstyle, clothing, and gestures might create the illusion of a look-alike even if the facial features are very different. That also explains why the look-alikes are usually told that they resemble someone else but very few people actually realize their doppelganger on their own. "If people are hard to tell apart, there's more chaos and confusion," the professor adds. Mother Nature has it all planned.

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

My Friend The Emperor Hadrian

My Friend The Emperor Hadrian

menchon Report

Add photo comments
POST
Mihran Hovnanian
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He should enter the political scene with the promise of building "a beautiful wall, the best wall"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

My Japanese Friend Found A Game About Himself In A Shop In The Netherlands

My Japanese Friend Found A Game About Himself In A Shop In The Netherlands

Akihabarakatta Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

My Friend Found Himself In A Bag Of Chips

My Friend Found Himself In A Bag Of Chips

10KBananas Report

#10

When You Go To Get A Flu Shot And The Pharmacist Is Your Doppelganger

When You Go To Get A Flu Shot And The Pharmacist Is Your Doppelganger

Garthanthoclops Report

#12

If My Friend's Son Lived In Mexico, He Would Be Tripping Over Candles

If My Friend's Son Lived In Mexico, He Would Be Tripping Over Candles

SingzJazz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Darcey Young
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The point is that he looks like the picture on the wall behind him... no one is saying he looks like Jesus as no one has any idea what he looks like!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

My Haircut Is 200 Years Out Of Date

My Haircut Is 200 Years Out Of Date

I_AM_SAM_ADAMS Report

#14

I Found My Doppelgänger In This Painting At A Local Art Exhibit

I Found My Doppelgänger In This Painting At A Local Art Exhibit

It was titled “When I Grow Up”, which is funny because the first career I ever wanted to be was an astronaut.

JustHereToTease Report

Add photo comments
POST
chi-wei shen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like it whenever non-German people use the word Doppelgänger and spell it correctly with an 'ä' instead of an 'a'.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#15

Noticed A Peculiar Resemblance In My Friend's Nativity Scene Today. I Present You, The Fresh Prince Of Bethlehem

Noticed A Peculiar Resemblance In My Friend's Nativity Scene Today. I Present You, The Fresh Prince Of Bethlehem

Philltron Report

Add photo comments
POST
DaVo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down and Id like to take a minute just sit right there Ill tell you how I became the father of Our Saviour Christ

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

So My Friend Just Found Her Kid's Doppelganger

So My Friend Just Found Her Kid's Doppelganger

Fraxina Report

#17

Found Myself In Berlin Museum

Found Myself In Berlin Museum

cuddness Report

Add photo comments
POST
Dorothy Parker
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If she had it i(or a print, obviously) n her house and said it was her portrait, no one would argue.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

The Adoration Of The Magi

The Adoration Of The Magi

psoykorolenko Report

#19

Friend Looks Exactly Like The Painting At A Bar

Friend Looks Exactly Like The Painting At A Bar

NaiTix Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ani Archeron
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm literally holding a print of this painting as I see this! Gustave Coubert's self portrait, The Desperate Man. Gorgeous!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

Found My Doppelganger In Poland, Unfortunately It Was On A "Willy Brush"

Found My Doppelganger In Poland, Unfortunately It Was On A "Willy Brush"

geodudeisarockstar Report

#21

My Husband Ken Found A Mini Plastic Version Of Himself At Homegoods

My Husband Ken Found A Mini Plastic Version Of Himself At Homegoods

mizzroberts Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#23

My Friend Found His Doppelganger In The Subway Last Night

My Friend Found His Doppelganger In The Subway Last Night

kappi8 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Invisible User
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hey VSauce!! Michael here! I believe in hiding knowledge behind a paywall!!"

View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Check Out This Hot Guy I Found On The Corner

Check Out This Hot Guy I Found On The Corner

amontano916 Report

#27

The Time Picasso Portrayed Me

The Time Picasso Portrayed Me

matteoteobasso Report

#28

Still Wondering Whether He Did This On Purpose Or Not

Still Wondering Whether He Did This On Purpose Or Not

HogNutsJohnson Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#32

I Was At Work When We Noticed A Fantastic Lookalike

I Was At Work When We Noticed A Fantastic Lookalike

danrobson1 Report

#34

My Doctor Said: "You Kinda Look Like That Guy On The Wall Over There!"

My Doctor Said: "You Kinda Look Like That Guy On The Wall Over There!"

dk69 Report

#35

See That Picture In The Background? That Isn’t Me

See That Picture In The Background? That Isn’t Me

I’ve had several people send me a picture of that picture that hangs in several Pizza Pie Cafe locations in Utah and Idaho. I’ve never worked at Pizza Pie Cafe but apparently I have a doppelgänger walking around somewhere.

jennaanderson29 Report

#37

I've Been Told I Look Like Chris Pratt

I've Been Told I Look Like Chris Pratt

AustinSevenfold Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#40

When You Stumble Upon Your Classmate's Side Modeling Gig

When You Stumble Upon Your Classmate's Side Modeling Gig

cabiel187 Report

Note: this post originally had 113 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.