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Kelly Donovan and Nicholas Brendon | Source: Getty Images
Kelly Donovan and Nicholas Brendon | Source: Getty Images

Kelly Donovan Is Nicholas Brendon's Twin Brother Who Also Appeared in 'Buffy'

Kudzai Allan Chidamwoyo
Jan 05, 2023
10:40 A.M.
When Nicholas Brendon starred in the popular television series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," his twin brother Kelly Donovan also had a hand in the making of the show. He had multiple roles, participating in behind-the-scenes activities and acting on screen.
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Nicholas Brendon became a household name for his portrayal of Xander Harris in the hugely successful vampire drama that aired on The WB and UPN for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003. The show is centered around the life of high school student Buffy Summers, who can hunt vampires and demons.

Although some fans may not be aware, there are two episodes in which Brendon's twin appeared on-screen as his brother's double. Their roles in the series have recently been revisited after Brendon's mishaps with the police in which he allegedly falsely claimed to be his twin brother.

Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Donovan attend The WB Television Network Affiliates Convention, held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, on July 24, 1998 | Source: Getty Images

Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Donovan attend The WB Television Network Affiliates Convention, held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, on July 24, 1998 | Source: Getty Images

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People Started Wondering about Nicholas Brendon's Twin Brother after the Actor's Arrest

Because of Kelly Donovan's minimal exposure on the TV screen, many can be forgiven for not remembering him. The relatively unknown actor was thrust into the spotlight under unfortunate circumstances after his brother was

and charged with prescription fraud and failure to identify himself correctly.

Brendon had caught the attention of cops in Terre Haute, Indiana, in August of 2021 after he made several traffic violations that day. In his interaction with the police, he gave them the ID of Kelton Schultz, who he claimed was his twin brother. After the incident was made public, people were left wondering if he had a twin.

The answer is yes, he does have a twin brother, but his name is not Kelton Schultz, as Brendon had asserted. Instead, his twin's name is Kelly Donovan. Interestingly, the brother was not new to people as he had done some work on-screen, most notably alongside his brother.

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Nicholas Brendon's Twin Is Also an Actor Who Appeared in "Buffy"

Nicholas Brendon is best known for his

of Xander Harris in the 90s vampire drama, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," starring

and

. The series was made even more special for the actor due to his twin brother's extensive participation in the popular television series.

Although Donovan was primarily his stunt double and worked on the set's design team, mainly behind the scenes, he was credited in two episodes as an on-screen contributor. In one episode called "The Replacement," Donovan played Brendon's double, portraying an alternative side of Harris' personality.

Still, that has not been Donovan's only contribution to the industry. He has also been credited as an actor in four other productions, namely "City Guys," "Undressed," "Coherence," and "Road to Riches." Furthermore, he has made off-screen contributions in another four productions, including "The Hard Truth" as a production assistant.

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Nicholas Brendon Recently Suffered a Major Health Scare

In 2022, a year after his arrest, Nicholas Brendon had a health scare that resulted in his

. An announcement of his incapacitation was made via his Instagram account, which gave information on why he had been inactive on the social media platform and an update on his condition. Part of the post

:

"Nicky sends his love and wanted me to apologize that he hasn’t been going live as much lately and to give everyone an update. Nicky is doing fine now but he had to be rushed to emergency about two weeks ago because of a cardiac incident (tachycardia/arrhythmia)."

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This was not the first time Brendon had been in a medical facility in recent years. It is noted that he had a second spinal surgery the previous year. The announcement also came a year after his manager had told the Daily Mail that he was suffering from "deep-seated medical and immense pain" after his 2021 arrest.

Nevertheless, even though Kelly Donovan's name has been brought to light under such sad circumstances, the twins seem to have remained close throughout, as seen in Brendon's social media posts featuring the two. They also have two other brothers, Kyle and Christian Schultz.

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