The Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, became Hollywood sensations in the 1990s after sharing the role of the adorable Michelle Tanner on the hit TV show Full House.
When their mother took them to the audition, the producers had already chosen a different set of twins for the role. But the moment they saw the Olsens, they were captivated and decided to cast Mary-Kate and Ashley instead.
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To manage the demanding filming schedule, the sisters alternated playing Michelle, as it would have been too much for one child to handle alone. Full House aired from 1987 to 1995, and viewers fell in love with Michelle Tanner, propelling the twins to stardom almost overnight.
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By age six, Mary-Kate and Ashley had launched their own company and, by age ten, were among the youngest self-made millionaires in history. However, the end of Full House in 1995 coincided with the divorce of their parents, a difficult time for the girls. To cope, they immersed themselves in new projects and films.
In their personal lives, the twins were known to be quite shy. At school, they were placed in separate classrooms to encourage independence, as their parents and teachers believed they relied too much on each other.
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Reflecting on her childhood, Mary-Kate has expressed discomfort with how their early years played out. "I look at old photos of me, and I don’t feel connected to them at all," she revealed in an interview with Marie Claire. "I would never wish my upbringing on anyone." She described how she and her sister felt like “little monkey performers” in front of the cameras.
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| Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen in Holiday in the Sun (2001) / Flickr |
Throughout their acting careers, the Olsen twins appeared in over 30 films, released albums, videos, and even a series of books. Their final joint movie, New York Minute, was not well-received by critics, and shortly afterward, they announced their departure from acting to focus on fashion design.
Today, Mary-Kate and Ashley run two globally renowned fashion labels: Elizabeth and James and The Row. “If you want things to be perfect or beautiful, it’s a lot of hard work,” Mary-Kate once said. “Nothing comes easy. That’s just the way we were raised; that’s what we believe is necessary to do something different.”
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In terms of their private lives, both sisters keep a low profile. In 2008, rumors swirled that Mary-Kate was dating actor Heath Ledger at the time of his death, though she never confirmed it.
Mary-Kate went on to marry French banker Olivier Sarkozy, the half-brother of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in 2015 after three years of dating. Ashley, on the other hand, married artist Louis Eisner, following past relationships with significantly older men.
Their younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, has followed a different path, pursuing a successful acting career. Her sisters are incredibly supportive, often attending her film premieres. Elizabeth's breakout role came in 2011 with the thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene.
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“It’s always felt as though [Mary-Kate and Ashley] have been women, while I’ve been the kid,” Elizabeth told The Daily Telegraph. “But we’re very close and I look up to them a lot. I wasn’t really affected by their fame until I went to college. People would expect me to be partying and all sorts of stuff. It was really strange.”
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Despite going their separate ways professionally, Mary-Kate and Ashley remain as close as ever. “Our bond is really beyond words," Ashley said in an interview. "I know when she’s hurting, I know when she’s going through something. I know when she’s happy—whether I’m with her or not, I know.”
We wish the Olsen sisters continued success and happiness in the years ahead.
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