Is a Reboot on the Horizon?
The ‘90s sitcom Step by Step was a huge hit with seven seasons. Starring Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy, the two played single parents with three kids each who married and raised their blended Family in Wisconsin. It was a more modern take on the Brady Bunch.
The series aired from 1991 to 1998, but most of the show’s stars stepped out of the spotlight when it ended. Patrick Duffy claimed the cast was like a family even when the cameras weren’t rolling. So would the stars want to return to the small screen for a reboot? Find out what happened to the cast of Step by Step, behind the scenes secrets, and if a reboot will ever air.
Patrick Duffy Aka Frank Lambert
Patrick Duffy played Frank Lambert, the patriarch of the Lambert family. Most viewers knew him from the smash hit prime time soap opera Dallas, where he played Bobby Ewing, the brother of J.R. Ewing. Duffy had just finished his first run on Dallas before joining the sitcom cast. Duffy graduated in 1971 from the University of Washington with a degree in drama.
Many don’t know that Duffy was an accomplished singer. He recorded a duet with French crooner Mireille Mathieu which reached #5 on the charts in Holland. After Step by Step was canceled, he found himself back in his biggest role, the 2012 Dallas reboot, Dallas: War of the Ewings.
Patrick Duffy Now
Like Christine Lakin, Duffy also did voice work on Family Guy, where he recreated the famous shower scene from Dallas. In 2016, he published a book called Man from Atlantis – a companion guide to his 1977 TV series of the same name. Duffy still makes guest appearances in movies and TV shows, including, most recently, Siddarth Kara’s Trafficked.
He hosted the game show Bingo America and took on a recurring role as Stephen Logan on the day time soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The now 71-year-old is now a widow (he was married to Carlyn Rosser until 2017 when she passed away) and has two kids. For anyone who’s interested, he has an estimated net worth of 14 million dollars.
Christine Lakin Aka Alicia “Al” Lambert
Christine Lakin played Al, the tomboyish all-American girl who was Frank’s only daughter. Lakin was born and raised in Roswell, Georgia, but quickly understood that her Hollywood dreams meant she needed to relocate to the West Coast. Her first major role was in the TV drama The Rose and the Jackal. During her time on Step by Step, she continued her studies.
She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Communications at the age of 20. She enjoyed continued success after Step by Step went off the air. In addition to Hollywood Darlings, she appeared in over 40 movies and TV shows, including Georgia Rule, The Game Plan, Boston Public, Veronica Mars, and Wild ‘n Out.
Christine Lakin Now
Lakin has remained close to Step by Step co-stars Patrick Duffy and Staci Keanan. The two even appeared in her mockumentary, Lovin’ Lakin. She also found a place for herself on the theater stage and as a voiceover artist. After Step by Step was canceled, Christine starred in the 2008 movie The Hottie and the Nottie with Paris Hilton.
She was also in two 2005 made-for-TV movies, Reefer Madness and Who’s Your Daddy? Here’s one for Family Guy fans: Lakin does the voice of newscaster Joyce Kinney in Family Guy as well as Jane in The Walking Dead: Season Two video game. The 41-year-old is married and has a daughter.
Brandon Call Aka J. T. Lambert
Brandon Call played John Thomas (JT), the oldest kid in the Lambert family. In many ways, he was a typical jock – a Packers fan like his dad, uninterested in school and focused on sports. JT was then said to have dyslexia, which explained his problems in school. Call actually had a long list of credits before joining Step by Step, including St. Elsewhere, Webster, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Baywatch.
But, after Step by Step wrapped up, so did Call’s career. Call happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and was a victim of a shooting that left him with gunshot wounds in both of his arms. He hasn’t acted ever since…
Brandon Call Now
Brandon Call was involved in an incident that proved nearly fatal. He was driving home from the studios in Burbank when a car started to tail him. The driver cornered him, stepped out, and suddenly began firing at Call with a gun. He barely missed his head and chest, hitting both of his arms. The young actor managed to drive away and reach a police station.
Yes, it is absolutely strange and frightening. The shooter’s motive remains a mystery to this day, but authorities suspectd that it was a traffic conflict. Call decided to stay out of the spotlight. Apparently, the 43-year-old is working at a gas station and car wash that his parents own in San Diego.
Sasha Mitchell Aka Cody Lambert
Sasha Mitchell played Cody Lambert, Frank’s nephew. If you’re not a Dallas fan, then you might be surprised to hear that Step by Step wasn’t the first time he and Patrick Duffy worked together. Both appeared on Dallas, where Mitchell played Bobby’s nephew, James Beaumont. Before joining the sitcom, Mitchell appeared in several action films due to his background in martial arts. Later, he starred in the Kickboxer films, replacing Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Mitchell was fired from Step by Step at the end of Season 5 because of some personal issues that were making the news. He and his wife had four children before divorcing in 1997. During their marriage, police were called to their home to investigate reports of domestic abuse.
Sasha Mitchell Now
In 1996, Mitchell was convicted of domestic abuse and given three years probation and was forced to do community service and attend counseling for spouse abusers. He then violated his probation and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. After the sitcom ended, Mitchell went back to acting. He appeared in several shows like ER, JAG, and NYPD Blue.
In 2010, he left the industry again, but recently relaunched his career. He appeared in Drunk Parents with Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek. Mitchell has a black belt in Tae Kwan Doe and has been in local MMA tournaments. The 53-year-old remarried but never had any more children. I guess four is enough.
Suzanne Somers Aka Carol Foster Lambert
Suzanne Somers was, of course, the matriarch of the sitcom, Carol Foster Lambert. Somers first rose to fame as Chrissy Snow on the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company. Thanks to the show’s massive success, she quickly became a household name. There was a period of time when her show business career stalled, and she gained notoriety for selling the Thighmaster exercise equipment on home shopping channels.
But playing Carol was a welcome return to TV for Somers, who was excited to have another major place on a sitcom. After the sitcom ended, she co-hosted a brief reboot of Candid Camera for CBS. She also appeared on Dancing With the Stars.
Suzanne Somers Now
Away from the camera, Somers made a name for herself as a health and wellness advocate. She has a line of cosmetics and supplements. Somers is also an author; she has published more than 20 books, on topics from diet to bio-identical hormone replacement. Somers has been the subject of controversy regarding her research and views on alternative cancer treatments.
After Step by Step ended, she remained in the spotlight but didn’t land any major acting roles. She did a one-woman Broadway show called The Blonde in the Thunderbird about her life. She also starred in a reality show focused on her life. The 73-year-old now hosts an Internet talk show called Suzanne Somers: Breaking Through.
Christopher Castile Aka Mark Foster
Christopher Castile played Mark Foster, Carol’s only son. Castile began acting at a very young age. The Orange County native got his first major role came on the sitcom Going Places. He played Sam Roberts, the son of Dick Roberts, and his costar was Staci Keanan – his onscreen sister on Step by Step. Both sitcoms were created by the same producers.
Castile appeared in two very popular Beethoven films and voiced a character on the show Hey Arnold! while he was still on Step by Step. But he retired from acting after the show ended. He went on to earn his BA and MA from Cal State Long Beach.
Christopher Castile Now
After several seasons of voicing the character of Eugene Horowitz on Hey Arnold!, he was replaced by Jarret Lennon. Ironically, Lennon was originally supposed to play Mark Foster on Step by Step. The 40-year-old is now a political science professor at Biola University, and he teaches history at Downey High School. I’m sure his students get a kick out of his star-studded past.
Castile was a talented young actor who received a number of Young Artist Award nominations, including Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series on Step by Step, 1992; Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture on Beethoven, 1992; Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series on Step by Step, 1993; Best Performance by a Youth Ensemble in a Motion Picture on Beethoven’s 2nd, 1994; and Best Performance by a Young Actor in a TV Comedy Series on Step by Step, 1996.
Staci Keanan Aka Dana Foster
Staci Keanan played Dana Foster, one of Carol’s two daughters. Keanan was born in Philadelphia and was given a very different name – Anastasia Love Sagorsky. She adopted her stage name (as many did and still do) to give her broader appeal. She was worried her real name would sound too foreign.
Keanan started off in TV commercials for Burger King and Hershey’s Kisses. She then did the voice of My Little Pony. She was also cast in the sitcom My Two Dads. From there, she landed her big break as Dana Foster in Step by Step. Like her TV mom, she was already familiar with the sitcom world. She starred in My Two Dads and Going Places before Step by Step.
Staci Keanan Now
After the show was canceled, Keanan appeared in a few movies, including You Again in 2010, in which she reunited with Patrick Duffy and Christine Lakin. But, Keanan has since retired from the acting world. She graduated from UCLA and then headed onward to Southwestern Law School. She passed the bar and, in 2013, was admitted to the State Bar of California.
The 45-year-old is now a practicing lawyer in Los Angeles under her original name Anastasia Sagorsky. In 2014, she worked as a prosecutor for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, handling felony cases of violent crime or death. As of 2019, she became a Deputy District Attorney in the LA County District Attorney’s office. Beauty and brains!
Angela Watson Aka Karen Foster
Angela Watson played Carol’s other daughter, Karen Foster. Watson was in front of the cameras since she was in diapers. She was also a beauty pageant winner, with 60 crowns and 200 trophies during her time in the circuit in Florida and in several other southern states.
After she won Face Finders Model Search in Dallas, her family decided to relocate to Los Angeles so she could develop a show business career of her own. She did local theater productions and was eventually cast on Step by Step. After the sitcom ended, the beauty queen-turned-actress learned some devastating news.
Angela Watson Now
After the cancelation of the show, Watson learned that the money she had earned playing Karen Foster (which was roughly $2.5 million) was misspent by her parents. In other words, they blew away her fortune. After that, Watson was determined to protect other child stars from being victims and started an organization called CAST (Child Actors Supporting Themselves) in 2000.
Watson now spends her time helping young actors protect their earnings by getting them in touch with private investigators, accountants, and attorneys. She hasn’t been doing any acting, really. She does, however, have a good reputation in the acting community, having served on the Screen Actors Guild Board of Directors for several years.
Jason Marsden Aka Rich Halke
Marsden played Rich Halke, J.T.’s best friend and confidant. But Step by Step wasn’t the first major role for this child actor. Jason Marsden was still in elementary school when he played Alan Quartermaine, Jr. on the soap opera General Hospital. He also had some major roles as a voice actor, including Max Goof in A Goofy Movie and the announcer of The Mickey Mouse Club.
He was already a staple of ABC’s TGIF programs by the time he became a full-time cast member. In addition to being on Full House, he also played a part in Boy Meets World. Marsden has been in a few films and shows over the years, but his most successful venture has been in voice acting.
Jason Marsden Now
Marsden has found major success in the world of voiceover acting, a lot of it well-received. He lent his voice to major feature animated films like Tarzan, Monsters Inc., Spirited Away, and The Secret Life of Pets, to name a few. But, sadly for Full House fans, he didn’t reprise his role as Nelson in the second season of Fuller House.
Fans can keep up with him on social media, though. In 2020, he started an online series for YouTube called The Mars Variety Show. It follows the style of The Dean Martin show, featuring musicians, comedians, and other performers. The 45-year-old married Christy Hicks in 2004, but the two just recently split up. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his son.
Josh Byrne Then and Now
Brendon Lambert, the youngest brother on Step by Step, was played by Josh Byrne. However, he had a strange disappearance from the show. In the last season, Brendon didn’t appear in any episodes – out of nowhere. There was no plot line that explained his absence, either. When Step by Step moved from ABC to CBS by the end of Season 6, Byrne didn’t make the move.
Before the show, Byrne had a short-lived recurring role on Who’s The Boss and a small role in the movie Mr. Saturday Night. Byrne decided to pursue a life away from the spotlight. The 36-year-old hasn’t acted since and currently lives in Thousand Oaks, California. Judging by his social media, it looks like he has a liking for the Renaissance and dressing up in costume.
Alexandra Adi, Then and Now
Alexandra Adi grew up in upstate New York but is originally from Miami, Florida. After her college graduation in 1993, she moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of acting. She landed some small roles on TV shows such as The Adventures of Pete and Pete, The Cosby Mysteries, and Cop Land. Her big break came in 1997, though, when she was cast on Step by Step as JT’s girlfriend Samantha “Sam” Milano.
After Step by Step, she took on minor parts in Hollywood blockbusters, with appearances in American Pie, Jawbreaker, and Slap Her… She’s French. She had guest-starring roles on CSI: Miami and Boy Meets World, too. She also took part in several successful bikini modeling campaigns. Now, the 49-year-old lives a quiet life with her husband and two kids.
The Opening Title
If you go and look back at the show’s opening credits, you’ll see that the role of the dorky brother Mark Foster was actually played by a brunette child named Jarrett Lennon, who was filmed in the unaired pilot. The producers then realized that they wanted to keep Carol’s kids as blondes and Frank’s as brunettes.
Lennon was then dismissed and replaced with Christopher Castile. The pilot was then re-shot, but for some reason the opening credits weren’t. The blond Mark Foster got his own title card, but in the group shots with the whole family, there’s this mysterious brunette boy. The editors clearly tried their best to hide it.
If you’re still in the mood for more ‘90s goodies, you’ll enjoy what’s coming up next…
If you’re still in the mood for more ‘90s goodies, you’ll enjoy what’s coming up next…
From Diapers to Fashion Moguls
Mary-Kate and Ashley are icons from the ’90s who need no introduction. Before they were even one-year-olds, their journey to stardom began. Mary-Kate and Ashley were so cool! They had the most stylish clothes, and catchy songs, including my personal favorite, Brother for Sale. The twins grew up right in front of our screens, but when they turned 18, they left it all behind to embark on different dreams in the fashion industry.
Although they lived a life of fame and fortune, things weren’t always easy for the sisters. They dealt with their parent’s divorce, and Mary-Kate’s eating disorder became national news headlines. Many fans were disappointed when the twins didn’t show up for the Full House reboot (including me). However, they don’t remember a life without fame. They just wanted to take a step back and try to lead normal lives. But once you hear about their pill purse and strange behavior, I think it’s safe to say their lives are far from ordinary.
Not Really Identical
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were stars before they could even walk! At just nine months old, the twins landed the role of Michelle Tanner on Full House, which premiered on September 22nd, 1987. The network needed twins to play the role of baby Michelle because of child labor laws. Using twins gives them double the time to film the character.
Contrary to popular belief, Mary-Kate and Ashley are not identical twins. Even though they shared the role of Michelle for years, the girls are actually fraternal twins. They looked enough alike to fool Full House viewers and were credited as ‘Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen.’ However, it didn’t take long for the entire world to figure out the secret.
Telling Them Apart
In the later seasons of Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley were already famous, and viewers knew they were twins. Although they looked similar, there were some differences fans found in order to tell them apart. For example, Mary-Kate is one inch shorter than Ashley, and Ash had a freckle just above her lip.
Plus, Mary-Kate is left-handed, and Ashley is a righty; if you pay attention, Michelle Tanner is ambidextrous. They have a few more subtle differences, such as different shaped ears, the size of their eyes, and Mary-Kate’s hair was slightly lighter. Of course, they use hair dye now, but back in the day, it was one of the clues to tell them apart.
6-Year-Old Producers
The twins quickly capitalized on their Full House fame and adorable dimples. In 1992, the girls starred in the TV movie, To Grandmother’s House We Go. This was the first time that the girls appeared on screen together instead of sharing a role. Audiences adored them and couldn’t get enough of the Olsen twins. They quickly followed up with Double Double Toil in Trouble and How the West Was Fun.
With the help of their lawyer, Robert Thorne, the girls founded Dualstar, their own production company. They were just six years old at the time, making them the youngest producers in Hollywood. They came out with several direct to video movies that became extremely successful.
Different Fate
Most ‘90s kids can’t imagine a childhood without Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, but they almost weren’t famous. Their mom described it as a fluke. She said that her friend was a casting agent and told her that there was a network that needed twins. She decided to send in some family photos of her girls but didn’t think anything would come of it.
The producers chose them because they didn’t cry or spit up on them. Unfortunately, not everyone in the cast was happy with the twins. John Stamos (Uncle Jesse), tried to get them fired at the beginning. He claimed they cried too much, and the studio brought in some “unattractive red-headed twins.” When that didn’t work, they brought back the Olsen’s.
Our First Video
In 1993, Mary-Kate and Ashley Our First Video came out. I owned this movie and have the video until this day. It’s basically a movie filled with exciting music videos of Mary-Kate and Ashley singing. The girls were just seven years old, and these music videos were just as cute as you would imagine. It also featured everyone’s favorite song, Brother for Sale.
In 1995, Mary-Kate and Ashley starred in It Takes Two, their first big-screen role. Throughout the ‘90s, they came out with musical mystery videos called The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley. They also had a party series that included some songs. However, as they got older, the singing kept decreasing. Acting was their specialty…
Or So They Thought…
With all their success, the girls found another passion they wanted to pursue- fashion. Apparently, the twins kept getting asked where they go shopping. There was really nothing out there for “tweens,” and Mary-Kate and Ashley couldn’t help much, considering all their clothes were expensive brands cut down to their size.
That’s when they decided to come out with a fashion line. The Mary-Kate and Ashley Collection had stylish clothes that were affordable and sold at Walmart. Their slogan was “real fashion for real girls.” Even though they were just 12 when they launched the fashion line, the girls were involved in every step of the way. They didn’t allow any item to have their name on it before they approved it.
Mary-Kate & Ashley Everything
The girls were still traveling and acting when they came out with The Mary-Kate and Ashley Collection. However, they realized how much they enjoyed the fashion side of the industry. Their line was an instant success, and it didn’t take long for the girls to release accessories.
You were able to get Mary-Kate and Ashley sunglasses, jewelry, and makeup. I personally had a Mary-Kate and Ashley hair straightener. They showed the world that they are not little child actress anymore. They are real businesswomen and were proud of it. In more recent years, the girls left the spotlight completely in order to focus on their fashion careers (but we’ll get to that later).
Two of a Kind
By the mid-’90s, Mary-Kate and Ashley were starring in their own movies, but they wanted to be part of a series again. Full House ended in 1995, and by 1998, the girls were starring in a new show created specifically for them. Two of a Kind gave the girls distinct opposite personalities that they later became known for. Mary-Kate played the sporty “tomboy,” while Ashley was the stylish “girly girl.”
Instead of sharing a role, they both got to play their own character. The premise of the show was a single father raising twins. The girls had a strong relationship with their babysitter Carrie, who played the female role in their lives. The series was being produced by Miller-Boyett Productions and was canceled right before the company shut down in 1999.
So Little Time
So Little Time premiered on Fox Family (now on ABC Family) in 2001. The girls were high school freshmen and starred in their third (and final) series together. The show was short-lived, and the last episode aired in May 2002. Apparently, Mary-Kate and Ashley wanted to go to school and enjoy their high school years.
If they were working on a series, it would conflict with their school schedules. The girls decided to focus on other aspects of careers like their skyrocketing fashion line. They continued to film videos when they had off from school, but they wanted high school to be as normal as possible. In 2015, So Little Time briefly aired on Nickelodeon.
SNL Or Prom?
Mary-Kate and Ashley spent their child and teen years as Hollywood’s biggest stars while attempting to live a normal life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t always so easy to maintain. For example, everyone dreams of their high school prom, but Mary-Kate and Ashley had to miss theirs. Well… they didn’t have to.
What happened was, Mary-Kate and Ashley’s prom fell on the same weekend they were supposed to host Saturday Night Live. The prom is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but then again, so is Saturday Night Live. They had a difficult choice but ultimately decided to host SNL. You know what they say, you win some, you lose some.
No Childhood
With the release of their fashion line and explosive acting careers, the Olsen Twins were on top of the world. They were extremely talented, popular, successful, gorgeous, and of course, rich. They seemed like they were living the American Dream. However, things weren’t as picture-perfect behind the scenes.
For starters, the girls were robbed of their childhood, considering they literally grew up on a TV set. They started working while they were still in diapers. On top of that, rumors were swerving that their success broke up their parent’s marriage. Of course, you can’t blame the innocent nine-year-olds for the divorce, but it wasn’t easy going through such a difficult time in the public eye.
Family Dynamic
After Full House ended, Mary-Kate and Ashley’s parents announced their divorce. Reportedly, their mother, Jarnett Olsen, was terrified by the amounts of money her daughters were making. Their father, David, on the other hand, enjoyed the fortune that came with their twin’s success. Mary-Kate and Ashley were the second and third children born into their family of four kids.
They have an older brother named Trent and a younger sister, Elizabeth. Both of their siblings have appeared in some of the girl’s videos, but Elizabeth Olsen is now a successful actress in her own right. The twins also have two younger half-siblings, Courtney and Jake, from their father’s second marriage.
Brother for Sale
One of the most iconic Mary-Kate and Ashley songs in Brother for Sale. Although they tried to sell their big brother, he managed to stay out of the spotlight. However, he did take advantage of the fact that his sisters were Mary-Kate and Ashley, but who could blame him? Since his sisters were two of the biggest child stars in the entertainment industry, Trent would sell their autographed pictures at school.
He actually landed a role in an HBO movie in 1989, but his parents didn’t allow him to take it. I guess Mary-Kate and Ashley’s success was already too much for one family. He did, however, make a cameo appearance in, You’re Invited to Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Sleepover Party in 1995. These days Trent has been doing some work behind the camera.
Elizabeth Chase
It wasn’t easy being the younger sisters of two of America’s biggest stars. For starters, Elizabeth Olsen didn’t even go by her real name in school. She used the name Elizabeth Chase, which was actually her real middle name. Elizabeth really wanted to be a dancer growing up. She took a bunch of dance lessons and eventually became a talented ballerina.
Unfortunately, since her parents were busy attending to the twins, she couldn’t keep up with classes and was ultimately kicked out. Now she is mostly known for her role in The Avengers, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to get into the industry like her sisters. She stayed out of the public eye as much as possible when she was younger and focused on her education.
Little Sister, Big Star
Elizabeth admits that when she was just fourteen years old, she had to stop borrowing older sisters’ clothes. They were such a small size that Elizabeth quickly outgrew them. One of the main reasons she wanted to quit acting had to do with Mary-Kate’s eating disorder. Elizabeth didn’t know if she wanted the paparazzi constantly in her face during difficult times.
Obviously, Mary-Kate’s eating disorder was hard for the entire family, but the media ate it up. Elizabeth appeared in a few of her sister’s videos as a kid, but she didn’t know if fame was for her. Eventually, and Elizabeth made her movie debut in Martha Marcy May Marlene, and the horror film, Silent House. The actress got a lot of praise for her performance. It should also be noted that she refused to use her sisters’ connections in order to make it in Hollywood.
New York Minute
In 2004, Mary-Kate and Ashley starred in New York Minute, their final movie together. The movie was talked up, and fans were extremely excited to see their favorite twins on the big screen again. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations. The twins were 17 at this point, so they were getting a little too old to play twin roles.
The movie is focused on two opposite twins. Mary-Kate played the messy relaxed twin, and Ashley played the type A sister who was nervous and uptight throughout the whole movie. After the movie, their company Dualstar struggled to stay afloat and went dormant by 2007. Thankfully, the girls had other dreams to pursue.
Mary-Kate’s Solo Venture
New York Minute was the last time Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen played twins on camera. The girls were growing up and decided to attend New York University. After staying out of the spotlight for a while, Mary Kate went back to acting in 2006 when she appeared in Factory Girl. Unfortunately, her return to the big screen didn’t go as planned.
Mary-Kate was only in one short scene that was ultimately cut out of the movie. Luckily, you can find the deleted scene on the DVD version. In 2007, she had a recurring role on Weeds, and audiences loved seeing her on TV again. In 2008 she landed a role in The Wackness, and in 2011, she portrayed Kendra Hilferty in Beastly. Her last on-screen appearance was when she played herself in the 2013 documentary, Scatter my Ashes.
Ashley’s Journey
Mary-Kate and Ashley were born to be actresses. America has been falling in love with their blue eyes and beautiful smile for decades. That’s why it came as a complete shock when the girls vanished from the spotlight. Mary-Kate still attempted to pursue an acting career, but her sister just wanted to move on.
Ashley Olsen has shown absolutely no interest in acting anymore. Since starting college, acting is something she prefers to leave in the past. Her only credited role after New York Minute was in The Jerk Theory, back in 2009. In 2013, she was featured in 30 seconds to Mars: City of Angels, a short video where she played herself.
Fashion Empire
Nowadays, the twins own a billion-dollar fashion-line company. When they left the spotlight, they wanted to focus on other interests, but they always had a love for fashion. They started experimenting with fashion since they wore designer clothes in their Full House days. But as teenagers, they learned about the industry because they had their very own fashion line.
Currently, Mary-Kate and Ashley have two [main] highly successful fashion brands. One is called the Row, and in 2014, they launched Elizabeth and James; the company is named after their siblings (Trent’s name is actually James, but he chose to go by his middle name). Their high-end fashion brands are extremely expensive. The days where you can buy their clothes at Walmart are long gone.
The Pill Purse
Mary-Kate and Ashley took over the fashion industry and left acting behind. In addition to The Row and Elizabeth and James, the girls have other collections, including Olsenboye and StyleMint. Both sisters have ended up on multiple best-dressed lists, but Mary-Kate’s style and tendency to wear fur landed her on several worst dressed lists too.
Their clothing is considered high end, but not everyone agrees. Some people don’t like the oversized style they are seen wearing, but fans got really got concerned when The Row released a new pill purse. Yes, you read that correctly. The twins came out with a bag covered in prescription pills and sold them for $55,000! And get this, you can choose black and grey pills or multicolored! I have so many questions.
Peta Criticism
Something about this pill purse makes me extremely uncomfortable, and I know I’m not the only one. The whole thing is just bizarre. Maybe that’s what high-end fashion is; what do I know? I’m clearly not a designer. Other than the obvious criticism they received from the pill purse, some of their other fashion choices came under fire.
PETA slammed the twins on multiple occasions for using real animal pelts in their designs. Reportedly, the girls used real fur to create a $16,900 fuzzy purse for The Row. In addition, they sold crocodile backpacks (made from real crocodile) for an astonishing $39,000. Somehow, it flew off the shelf. They have continued to use real animal fur/skin in their designs.
Fuller House
Fans were ecstatic when the Full House reboot was announced in 2016. However, they were equally disappointed when they found out Michelle wasn’t coming back. The entire cast made an appearance. Even Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wihoit showed up, the twins who played Nicky and Alex. We only need one Olsen twin to fulfill our childhoods, but both of them turned the offer down.
Ashley said, “[I haven’t] been in front of a camera since I was 17, and I don’t feel comfortable acting.” Mary-Kate, on the other hand, claimed that it would have to be her because Ashley doesn’t want to do it. Unfortunately, she said the timing wasn’t right.
Is There Hope for Michelle?
We’re already on the fifth and final season of Fuller House, and we still haven’t seen Michelle Tanner. The show does hold on to the character with references here and there, but it’s obviously not the same. It’s just sad because Full House made the twins stars, and it led them to the life of fortune that they are living today. A small cameo would have been nice.
The most depressing part is that Ashley was basically destined to star in the show. Her middle name is Fuller! On the bright side, we got to see Uncle Jesse, Joey, Kimmy, Steve, DJ, Stephanie, Aunt Becky, and more! The cast seems to have stayed friends through the years, but Mary-Kate and Ashley appear to have distanced themselves. RIP Michelle Tanner.
Switching Scenes
Mary-Kate and Ashley’s first and most iconic role is Michelle Tanner from Full House. Although they shared the role, Mary-Kate picked up most of the slack in season one because Ashley cried more in front of the camera. However, when they got older, they switched up the twins, and they rotated scenes.
Because of Ashley’s mature personality, the producers picked her for the more emotional or serious scenes. Mary-Kate was the go-to twin when it came to more comedic moments. She was also known as the sporty twin, so producers like to use MK when it came to Michelle’s tomboy side. If you want to tell them apart on the show, pay attention to the scenes.
Cutting Ashley
As we mentioned, the Full House producers credited the twins as ‘Mary Kate Ashley Olsen’ so that nobody would suspect they are twins. Unfortunately for them, MK and Ash gained fame as twins while they were still on the show. Mary-Kate and Ashley fans could easily tell them apart and knew which twin was playing Michelle.
In order to portray a more convincing character, the producers considered cutting Ashley and exclusively using Mary-Kate to play Michelle. Both sisters insisted on staying on and swapping scenes. John Stamos also defended the sisters and really wanted Ashley to stay. Ultimately, they both continued playing Michelle until the show wrapped in 1995.
The Perfect T-Shirt
In 2005, the twins moved on from acting and moved into the fashion industry. That’s when Mary-Kate and Ashley first founded The Row, and Ashley gave herself a personal project- She attempted to design “the perfect T-shirt.” It was supposed to fit everyone perfectly. Kind of like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
She tested out her designs on numerous women of all different sizes and ages in order to find a “commonality in fit and attitude.” Unfortunately, she wasn’t exactly successful because if the perfect T-shirt existed, we would all be wearing it right now. I do have to give Ashley credit for trying. Thankfully, The Row is doing just fine without the T-shirts.
Health Complications
Mary-Kate and Ashley’s tiny figures were plastered all over the media since they were teenagers. There were drug rumors going around, but the truth was even more devastating. In 2004, Mary-Kate announced that she is pursuing treatment for anorexia nervosa. After three years, Mary-Kate admitted that she was hospitalized for a kidney infection.
Although both look skinny, Ashley reportedly never had an eating disorder. She did, however, have health complications of her own. She suffers from Lyme disease, giving her a lack of energy, headaches, rashes, and joint pain. She only found out two years after she contracted the disease. The twins are allegedly chain smokers, which definitely doesn’t help their health.
The Unusual Wedding
If you thought the strangest part about Mary-Kate Olsen’s wedding is that she married Olivier Sarkozy, a French Banker who is 18 years older than her, you would be wrong. It’s a big age gap and, all I could think is that he was already 18 when Full House premiered. That means he was in his mid-twenties when the show ended, and Mary-Kate was nine! But who am I to judge? They are both consenting adults now. However, there were more bizarre things about this wedding. Mary-Kate kept her 2015 wedding a secret and wanted to keep the event completely private, which I understand. But she may have taken things too far when she forced her guests to turn in their cellphones before entering. To make up for requesting something so weird, the guests were treated to bowls of cigarettes.
Mary-Kate Olsen reportedly filed for divorce from Oliver Sarkozy. Apparently, her estranged husband forced her to leave their NYC apartment by May 18th. Unfortunately, due to corona, Mary-Kate couldn’t meet the deadline. The former child star also claimed that Sarkozy terminated the lease without letting her know. She is now requesting an emergency divorce order.
The couple first got together back in 2012, and in 2015, they walked down the aisle. Unfortunately, after five years of marriage, it looks like this strange union has come to an end. According to TMZ, Olsen had already signed a petition for a divorce in April 2020. However, the process was prolonged because of the current pandemic. I hope everything works out for the fashion designer.
The couple first got together back in 2012, and in 2015, they walked down the aisle. Unfortunately, after five years of marriage, it looks like this strange union has come to an end. According to TMZ, Olsen had already signed a petition for a divorce in April 2020. However, the process was prolonged because of the current pandemic. I hope everything works out for the fashion designer.
Her Connection To Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger left a hole in Hollywood when he tragically died of a drug overdose back in 2008. What many people tend to forget is that Mary-Kate has some kind of connection to his untimely death. Her lawyers have done a great job keeping it under wraps, but the situation is strange. The two were supposedly dating.
People reported that “Mary-Kate and Heath were casually dating,” but that has never been confirmed. What we do know for sure is that he had drugs in his body, and his licensed massage therapist, Diana Wolozin, found him. Rumors sparked when it was revealed that before calling the cops, Diana called Olsen twice. Investigators wanted to speak to MK, but she refused without immunity. It’s believed that MK gave ledger the drugs that killed him, but her attorneys denied these claims.
Ashley’s Relationships
Ashley Olsen also had her share of relationships. Her first serious boyfriend was Matt Kaplan, USC quarterback, who she dated when she was 15-18. Then when she moved to NYC, she began dating Scott Sartiano, Gregg Chait, and Lance Armstrong. There was also a rumored hookup with Jared Leto (never confirmed).
Then she started seriously dating The Hangover star, Justin Bartha, for three years, but they broke up in 2011. Since then, the fashion designer has been linked to director Bennet Miller, artist George Condo, and Richard Sachs. Sachs is a financier who is 28 years older than her. I thought Mary-Kate’s relationship had a huge age gap. I guess the sisters have a lot in common.
Matching Dentures
Since Mary-Kate and Ashley are twins and not clones, they didn’t lose their baby teeth at the same time. This caused a slight issue on the set of Full House, because when their teeth needed match when they switched off scenes. It would be very noticeable if Michelle was missing a tooth in one scene, and suddenly in the next scene, it’s back.
The producers came up with the perfect solution to this problem. They got the girl’s fitted for dentures. I know it may sound strange for a six-year-old to be fitted for fake teeth, but it worked! This way, if one had baby teeth and the other had adult teeth, their pearly whites always matched.
Looking Back
Most people look at Mary-Kate and Ashley’s childhood of fame and fortune as a gift. Sadly, Mary-Kate doesn’t really see it that way. The girls were so busy working that they missed out on the freedom and innocence of being a regular kid. They could barely even play outside, or hang out with their friends. They didn’t even know what life would be like if they weren’t constantly working.
Mary-Kate looks back at her childhood and refers to it as “little monkey performers.” However, she wouldn’t take it back or change anything. But she did express that she doesn’t wish her childhood on anyone. She even stated that when she looks back at pictures of herself as a kid, she feels completely disconnected from that person.
No Social Media
Mary-Kate and Ashley wanted to stay out of the public eye, and they did a pretty good job. Mary-Kate once said, “We’ve spent our whole lives trying not to let people have accessibility, so it would go against everything we’ve done in our lives to be in the public.” Mary-Kate and Ashley started gaining a fan base in the ‘90s, decades before Instagram was even a thing.
Ashley explained, “We don’t give into that world [of social media]; we don’t have Instagram or Facebook. So we’ve never been connected to our customers or our fans in that way. We’ve stayed sheltered.” It makes sense, the height of their fame was way before social media. I mean, I joined the Mary-Kate and Ashley fan club. Are fan clubs even a thing anymore?
Fan Club, Fun Club!
Oh right. Their fan club was called Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Fun Club! It was basically a way to get a bunch of fun things any fan would want. They had the hat t-shirts, hats, keyrings, school folders, posters and so much more! They even had their music lyrics so you can sing along to their fun songs.
Since I was the coolest eight-year-old around, I was part of the fun club! I remember getting a signed poster of MK and Ash, and I was so excited! It stayed on my wall for my entire childhood. Since I was in love with these two, I had a subscription to the fun-club exclusive magazine, Our Funzine. Don’t judge me; I was also subscribed to Nickelodeon magazine.
Beef With Spencer Pratt
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Mary-Kate and Ashley grew up with some famous faces we know today. For example, they grew up across the street from Troian Bellisario (from Pretty Little Liars). The twins also went to school with arguably the most hated reality show star of all time- Spencer Pratt. If you watched The Hills, that’s basically how he acted in real life.
They often attended parties together, and Spencer decided to… well… be Spencer. He had a picture of Mary-Kate not looking her best and maybe a little bit drunk. Even though he was previously friends with the star, he sold the picture to the tabloids for $50,000! Mary-Kate later told David Letterman that Spencer Pratt would throw tantrums on the soccer field. Somehow, I’m not surprised.
Plastic Surgery Complications
Through the years, people have been talking about how different the twins look, particularly Mary-Kate. She has been accused of having some obvious plastic surgery done, but it turns out, both twins have been under the knife. When Ashley went in to get a facelift, the cosmetic procedure didn’t go as planned.
Unfortunately, she got a negative reaction to the treatment causing her face to swell up and turn black and blue. The doctor said she had necrosis, one of the side effects of the surgery where the skin doesn’t get enough blood and begins to die. Luckily, the condition was treatable. She had to undergo oxygen therapy, and within a week, she was back to normal! Yikes!
Crystals and Spirituality
Sometimes, when you have all the fame and fortune, you need something else to make you feel fulfilled. We see celebrities get into Scientology or convert to Buddhism all the time, and Mary-Kate and Ashley are no exception. I mean, they aren’t Scientologists, but they do focus on spirituality. Religion has really helped them deal with the pressures of their lives.
During an interview with Vogue, the girls discussed using crystals and burning sage to get rid of bad energy. Although there is no science behind it, the girls said that these natural methods had helped them physically and mentally. They didn’t want to join a religion like Scientology. Instead, they do whatever feels right and what works for them.
Art Museum (Featuring Mary-Kate and Ashley)?
If funded, there will be an art museum featuring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The exhibit wants to feature “The Olsen Twins Ducking Away From the Paparazzi,” with paintings of the twins covering their faces. The Kickstarter got some funding, but the deadline is March 20th. We’ll find out if it’s happening in less than a month.
I have a few things to say about this. First of all, I love the idea of a Mary-Kate and Ashley museum. I think those twins are iconic, and a museum will bring nostalgia to their fans (especially after they didn’t show up to Fuller House). However, this concept of “The Olsen Twins Ducking Away From the Paparazzi” is extremely strange and uncomfortable.
Fashion Icons
Before they could even talk, America fell in love with the Olsen twins. As they grew up, they were getting praise and recognition for their acting and the massive empire that they built. The twins got to experience many different sides of the industry, but their favorite was their fashion line with Walmart.
That’s why after wrapping up New York Minute in 2004, the girls went off to college and were ready to embark on the fashion world. In 2012, thanks to their brand, The Row, the Olsen twins were named Woman’s Wear Designers of the Year by The Council of Fashion Designers of America. The high-end brand officially started in 2006 and is keeping the duo busy.
No Dualstar but Hulu
The girls created a huge empire and became the youngest self-made millionaires. They sold games, video, games, clothes, cosmetics, an animated series, and they even had a line of bedroom furniture. The girls came out with everything, and consumers wanted more. When they turned 18, they took full ownership of their production company, Dualstar, and joined the list of the richest teenagers in the world.
Even though Dualstar did shut down, it didn’t affect their massive net worth. Plus, Hulu brought some of their old movies back for a whole new generation to enjoy. If you were like me and grew up with these twin icons, go on Hulu for some nostalgia. So far I’ve watched Passport to Paris and Holiday in the Sun.