Can Julia And Liz Be Told Apart By Their Voices?

One series that has proven it knows how to keep its viewers enthralled would have to be CBS' Big Brother. After over a decade of eclectic personalities and plot twists (hi, Project DNA from Season 5), fans became privy to a historical moment during the Thursday, July 2 episode of Big Brother 17 when the highly anticipated Twin Twist was revealed. Thanks to the beauty of social media, many had already speculated that Liz would be revealed as the houseguest who had been taking a page from The Parent Trap with a secret twin. The rumors were confirmed when Julie Chen announced on Thursday that Liz and her identical twin, Julia, had been "playing the game as one" and had already hoodwinked the other players four times in one week by switching places. Clearly, their looks are deceiving — but can Julia and Liz be told apart by their voices?

As one who is friends with a pair of identical twins IRL — and has called them by the wrong name on more than one occasion — I saw nary a difference in Liz and Julia's appearance, which means I would probably glean the title of "Most Gullible Houseguest Ever," if I was lucky enough to participate in a season of Big Brother. Other fans were able to be more discerning, however, with several taking to Twitter to note the subtle differences that would make it easy to tell the twins apart.

Honestly, though, I would still get confused. For those that truly feel like they're seeing double, there is a different way to tell the twins apart — i.e., their voices. Although both Julia and Liz have an extremely similar tone and cadence, there are a few distinctions I noticed in my research. You. Are. Welcome.

Liz has a slightly raspier quality to her voice and a tone that is as laid-back as those beachy sunsets she likely enjoyed in Miami. Julia can definitely become a bit more excitable, and she seems to take on a faster, bubblier cadence, as was the case when we saw both twins conversing during the big Twin Twist reveal. Even her hushed conversations are infused with some pep:

James also came close to figuring out the twist, more due to the different personalities (and vocal ranges) he was experiencing from Liz. His suspicions seemed more steeped in behaviors than looks, which indicates that telling the difference between Julia and Liz has to do with much more than aesthetic.

I just hope these two can continue their deception and stick around long enough to finally square off in week five. Until then, I will be glued to my social media feeds to keep up-to-date on things like the significant differences in how Julia and Liz wear an up-do, butter their toast, and the like.

Images: Sonja Flemming/CBS