A Class Double Act: An Interview with Celebrity Master Impersonators The Edwards Twins

Eddie and Anthony Edwards are nothing short of a class double act. Born in 1965 in Burbank, California, the twins have been performing for 35 years now, and are without a doubt the best in the business at celebrity impersonation acts. Tackling just about every known celebrity regardless of race, gender or age, the twins’ acts are timeless, rollicking good fun whose impersonations are so good, even the stars themselves have been left flabbergasted at seeing themselves onstage.

We spoke to both Eddie and Anthony to get to know them a little better, and why this is a chance you cannot miss. Read the interview in full below:

Bakchormeeboy: Both of you impersonate so many celebrities, but then, would the real Edwards Twins please stand up and tell us who you are? 

Anthony: The Edwards twins are a pair of identical twin brothers who had a dream of being celebrities who could bring joy to people all over the world. So many people have had that dream but don’t know how to make that dream come true. Honestly, we did the same thing Dustin Hoffman did in Tootsie, and we created other characters to become famous. The joy we bring is so powerful, that we’ve had people suffering from pain come to our show and enjoyed themselves so much that for the two hours they were there, they told us the pain actually went away. That’s what we’ve always wanted to achieve and we’ve done it. 

Bakchormeeboy: As twins, how would you describe your relationship growing up, and why do you think both of you have such a good working relationship with each other?

Anthony: Both of us have very different beliefs, but together, we do everything with love. It’s amazing how we’re so much closer now than we were ever before, and we really respect each other. We always give each other space and compromise as necessary, and I think that idea of agreeing to disagree is really important to having a good working relationship.

Eddie: You know, being twins, we were very competitive growing up, and it was always a question of who could do things better or was the first to do something.We fought a lot growing up, but it was that competitive spirit was precisely what drove us to become the best at what we did. We pick at each other’s flaws until we can ensure 100% perfection. , but from a very early age.

Bakchormeeboy: What was it that made you decide to make the leap from.simply doing impersonation as a hobby to making it a career? 

Eddie: From a very early age, maybe around 6, we already knew that we were put on earth to entertain. We realised we had this uncanny ability to mimic stars, from their voices to their mannerisms, and as we got older, we learnt how to do arrangements and costumes and created the illusion that we were bringing hundreds of stars to the stage, from Rod Stewart to Lionel Richie to Cher to Barbra Streisand. 

Anthony: Honestly, we made the leap when Carol Burnett discovered us early in our careers, when it was something between a hobby and making some money off a few gigs. She inspired us to take it to a whole different level, and she helped us go from doing maybe 20-30 shows a year to 250 shows a year. We were always mimicking our friends and family members, and honestly, there was nothing we wanted more than to become a star. We didn’t know how exactly, and in fact, we thought we’d end up as television actors as first.

Eddie: We had a pretty normal life, going to college and all, but we were just so good at this, I guess instead of becoming celebrities ourselves, we ended up becoming other celebrities, and I always knew we had the skills to go far. We’ve been in the business 35 years now! 

Bakchormeeboy: Who are your personal favourite celebrities to impersonate?

Anthony: Favourites change over time, but one of my perennial favourites has to be Elton John. He’s world renowned, and his costumes are so crazy and wild that I’ll always be having fun onstage as him. People like Neil Diamond are great singers sure, but Elton John, he’s an icon and a true performer and entertainer. 

Eddie: On my end, I specialise in female celebrities, from Bette Midler to Celine Dion. I have fun with all of these divas since they’re all larger than life, but you know, Lady Gaga has to be my favourite. With the release of A Star Is Born, she’s really hot right now, and people from all generations know Gaga. Even the 4-5 year olds, while they don’t listen to her music, they go absolutely crazy over the outfits. 

Bakchormeeboy: Who’s the next celebrity you’re planning on tackling? 

Anthony: There’s a lot of people all over the world who do the Jersey Boys, but very few people can get Frankie Valli right. They neither look nor sound like him, so I decided that the next celeb I’ll be tackling is him, specifically from his solo career. I’ve been working on getting him right and when I show them photos, people go ‘Is that Frankie?!” Vocally though, his voice is one of the most difficult ones I’ve tried to do and it’s so hard to get just right!

Eddie: I’m thinking of doing Taylor Swift. She’d be really fun to do, not just for her recognizability but also how great she is to listen to. I can get the look down, but the trouble is the voice. That takes me at least a year to a year and a half to get right. 

Bakchormeeboy: What makes the Edwards Twins such a must see show?

Anthony: To be successful, you have to be unique and also the best at what you do. You go out there and get the best training, the best wig stylists, best makeup, best costumiers, and of course, learn your craft and how to market yourself, lighting and staging. Basically, you need to know everything, and that is what will separate you from everyone and give you the confidence to tell people you are the best. We look and sound so much like each of the celebrities we impersonate that the stars themselves have accused us of lip-syncing, and when they meet us, they go ‘oh my god, I can’t believe how good you guys are.” Some of the musicians who’ve worked for both the stars and us have actually told us they actually thought Elton John or Celine Dion were really onstage!

Eddie: Our show is the kind of show words cannot even begin to describe. It’s a show you have to experience for yourself. I like to use this metaphor: if you’re trying to describe to someone what a mango tastes like and they’ve never tried a mango, they need to actually bite into it. It takes you to a magical place, and you’ll be left so amazed, you can’t believe it’s happening before your very eyes. It’s a great escape and quality entertainment for two hours, and you’ll be literally experiencing every emotion known to man, and really, it doesn’t get better than this. 

As the twins arrive in Singapore this week, not only will audiences be entertained – the show will also be staged for a good cause, as 50% of the revenue from this show will go towards two cancer foundations. Says Penelope P. Laird, Director of producing company Derrol Stepenny Promotions: “We have decided to offer complimentary tickets to our supporting partners for this concert as a tribute to the late Errol Pang (Founding Director of Derrol Stepenny Promotions), who sadly passed away in June from cancer, and who never got to see this project through. It would be his last event organised.”

Audiences attending can contribute to donate after the show or during intermission.. 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the two foundations. Proceeds from tickets purchased will also go straight into the donation pool. Don’t miss this chance to see all your favourite celebrities “live” as the Edwards Twins promise you an evening of quality entertainment straight from the stars.

Photos from the Edwards Twins website

An Evening with the Stars plays at the Resorts World Theatre from 24th to 28th October 2018. Tickets available here For complimentary tickets to the event for supporting partners (limited), kindly email ianlaird@warnerartistes.com or contact Ian Laird +65 9006 0310  / Stephen Francis +65 9105 1961