Patty and Selma: Marge Simpson's sisters

CharacterSimpson familyPatty and Selma

They smoke, they stamp driver's licenses, and they hate Homer with admirable consistency. This profile of the Bouvier twins runs through Homer's headstone turned into a coffee table, their devotion to MacGyver, Patty's curly pink against Selma's blue and center part, Patty's coming out in "There's Something About Marrying" (2005) and Selma's six marriages, from Sideshow Bob to Fat Tony. Julie Kavner and Véronique Augereau give them the same voice as Marge.

Two gravelly voices, a cloud of smoke and a stubborn hatred of Homer: meet Patty and Selma Bouvier, Marge's formidable sisters.

Inseparable twins, cantankerous civil servants and nightmare sisters-in-law, they form one of the tastiest duos in Springfield. Here is their profile.

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Who are Patty and Selma?

Patty and Selma Bouvier are the older twin sisters of Marge Simpson. Inveterate smokers with deep, gravelly voices, they both work at Springfield's Department of Motor Vehicles, where they dispense their legendary bad mood.

🚗 The twins spend their days at Springfield's Department of Motor Vehicles; once you have your own license, our Simpsons sun shades keep the sun off your windshield and, unlike the twins, never give you the cold shoulder.

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Homer's sworn enemies

If there is one thing that unites the twins, it is their fierce hatred of Homer, their brother-in-law — a feeling entirely mutual. The symbol of that loathing? A headstone repurposed as a coffee table, engraved "Homer J. Simpson. We are richer for having lost him". Unconditional fans of the series MacGyver, they are also best never criticized on that subject.

☕ At the twins' place, the coffee table is a headstone engraved with Homer's name; on yours, our Simpsons coasters prevent glass rings, no epitaph required.

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How to tell them apart

Looking as alike as two peas in a pod, the twins can be told apart by a few details: Patty wears a pink dress and shoes with curly hair, while Selma sports a blue dress and shoes, her hair parted down the middle. On the romantic side, Patty is a lesbian: she comes out to Marge in the episode "There's Something About Marrying" (2005), becoming the show's first openly gay recurring character.

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Selma's (very busy) love life

Selma, for her part, collects marriages: she has been married six times, hence her sprawling name, "Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Stu-Simpson-D'Amico". Among her husbands are some familiar Springfield figures: Sideshow Bob, lawyer Lionel Hutz, actor Troy McClure, Disco Stu, Grampa Simpson himself, and mob boss Fat Tony. She eventually adopts a little girl, Ling, on her own.

💍 Selma said yes six times, Sideshow Bob and Fat Tony included; if someone close to you is getting married (just once, we hope), our Simpsons duvet covers make a wedding gift that gets used from the very first night.

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The twins' voice actors

In the original version, it is one and the same actress, Julie Kavner, who plays Patty, Selma… and their sister Marge. In the French version, the trio of sisters is likewise handled by a single voice, that of Véronique Augereau. A trio that is only part of the Bouvier family.

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Summary table

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FAQ

• Who are Patty and Selma?
  Marge Simpson's older twin sisters, employees at the Springfield DMV and Homer's sworn enemies.
• How do you tell Patty from Selma?
  Patty dresses in pink with curly hair; Selma wears blue with a center part. Patty is also a lesbian, while Selma racks up marriages.
• How many times has Selma been married?
  Six times, notably to Sideshow Bob, Troy McClure and Grampa Simpson — hence her sprawling surname.
• Who voices Patty and Selma in French?
  Véronique Augereau, also the French voice of their sister Marge.

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Conclusion

Acid, inseparable and merciless with Homer, Patty and Selma Bouvier bring their cloud of stinging smoke to the world of The Simpsons. Two sisters-in-law you love to hate — and who make the yellow family even tastier.

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