Milly Shapiro Vs. Gaten Matarazzo: Why Everyone Thinks the Stars Look Identical
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
To understand why Matarazzo and Shapiro bear such a marked physical resemblance, one must look at clinical genetics rather than ancestry. Both performers live with cleidocranial dysplasia, an extremely rare congenital condition primarily caused by mutations in the RUNX2 gene, which coordinates bone and cartilage development throughout the body. The condition affects approximately 1 in every 1,000,000 live births worldwide.
Cleidocranial dysplasia manifests in several visible and structural ways:
- Clavicular Hypoplasia: The collarbones do not form completely or are entirely absent, allowing individuals to bring their shoulders together across their chests.
- Cranial Development: Fontanelles (soft spots) in the skull close later than usual or remain open into adulthood, resulting in a broader forehead, wide-set eyes, and a flatter nasal bridge.
- Dental Anomalies: Delayed loss of primary baby teeth, slow eruption of secondary permanent teeth, and the formation of extra (supernumerary) teeth that require extensive orthodontic intervention.
- Stature: Mildly reduced adult height compared to unaffected family members.
Because the condition directly influences the structural architecture of the middle face, jawline, and teeth, individuals with CCD often share subtle, shared facial markers. When placed beside each other, Shapiro and Matarazzo display these exact cranial and dental characteristics, generating the optical illusion of close familial kinship.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
