Olsen Twins Biography
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen, popularly known as the Olsen twins were born on June 13, 1986. They are American fashion designers who first started out as actresses. The twins made their acting debut as infants (at nine months old) playing the role of Michelle Tanner in turns on the television series, Full House.
By the time they were six years of age, Mary-Kate and Ashley began starring together in TV, film, and video projects, which continued to their teenage years. Through their company Dualstar, the Olsens joined the ranks of the wealthiest women in the entertainment industry at a young age.
Wiki Profile
| Real Name: | Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen |
| Date of Birth: | June 13, 1986 |
| Place of Birth: | Sherman Oaks, California |
| Nationality: | Americans |
| Marital Status: | Divorced and Single |
| Occupation: | Actresses and Models |
| Net Worth | $500 million ($250 million each) |
Early Life and Education
The biovular twins were born in Sherman Oaks, California, to David “Dave” Olsen and Jarnette “Jarnie” (née Jones) on June 13, 1986.
They have an elder brother by name, Trent and a younger sister, Elizabeth who is an actress, as well as a half-sister and half-brother by names, Courtney and Jake respectively.
The twins’ parents divorced in 1995; Taylor and Jake happens to be from their father’s second marriage. The Olsen twins have Norwegian ancestry.
In 1987, at the age of six months, the twins were cast in the role of Michelle Tanner on the ABC sitcom, Full House and they began filming at nine months old.
In order to comply with child labor laws that set strict limits on how long a child actor may work, the sisters took turns playing the same role. The Olsens continued to portray Michelle throughout the show’s run, which concluded in 1995.
While playing the same character on Full House, the twin started appearing as separate characters in other films and the first of such film was the To Grandmother’s House We Go, debuted in 1992 featuring several other Full House actors.
On their 18th birthday in 2004, the sisters became co-presidents of Dualstar. Upon taking control of the company, Mary-Kate and Ashley made moves to secure the future of the company by releasing products that appealed to the teen market, including home decoration and fragrances.
Over 3,000 stores in the United States have sold the Dualstar brand and over 5,300 stores worldwide. The Olsens have appeared on the Forbes “Celebrity 100” list since 2002 and in 2007, Forbes ranked them (collectively) as the eleventh-richest women in entertainment, with an estimated net worth of US$100 million.
Career
In 1993, the Olsens established the company Dualstar, which would produce the twins’ subsequent films and videos, including 1993’s Double, Double, Toil and Trouble and 1994’s How the West Was Fun.
They also had a series of musical mystery videos called The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley premiered in 1994 which continued through 1997.
After the end of Full House in 1995, the Olsens made their feature film debut in It Takes Two, co-starring Steve Guttenberg and Kirstie Alley.
In the same year, they introduced a second video series; You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s…, which continued to release new entries until 2000.
As the sisters have matured, they expressed greater interest in their fashion choices, with The New York Times declaring Mary-Kate a fashion icon for pioneering her signature “homeless” look.
The look consists of oversized sunglasses, boots, loose sweaters, and flowing skirts, with an aesthetic of mixing high-end and low-end pieces. The twins were tapped as the faces of upscale fashion line Badgley Mischka in 2006.
The Olsens had a clothing line for girls ages 4–14 in Wal-Mart stores across North America, as well as a beauty line called “Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real fashion for real girls“. The twins have also launched their own couture fashion label, The Row, which was named after Savile Row in London.
In 2007, they launched Elizabeth & James, a contemporary collection inspired by many of their unique vintage finds and pieces in their personal wardrobes. They have also released a women’s clothing line for J.C. Penney, called “Olsenboye”, and a T-shirt line called “StyleMint“.
Because of their outstanding and excellent dress sense, the Olsen Twins were first named Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for their fashion label, The Row in 2012 and 2015.
Check out the list of films by the duo:
| Year(s) | Title | Mary-Kate’s role | Ashley’s role |
| 1987–1995 | Full House | Michelle Tanner (shared role) | |
| 1992 | Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper | Michelle Tanner (shared role) | |
| 1992 | To Grandmother’s House We Go | Sarah Thompson | Julie Thompson |
| 1993 | Our First Video | Herself | Herself |
| 1993 | Double, Double, Toil and Trouble | Kelly Farmer & Young Aunt Sophia | Lynn Farmer & Young Aunt Agatha |
| 1994 | How the West Was Fun | Jessica Martin | Suzy Martin |
| 1994 | The Little Rascals | Twin #2 | Twin #1 |
| 1994–1997 | The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley | Herself | Herself |
| 1995 | It Takes Two | Amanda Lemmon | Alyssa Callaway |
| 1995–2000 | You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s… | Herself | Herself |
| 1997 | Sister, Sister | Herself | Herself |
| 1997 | Our Music Video | Herself | Herself |
| 1998 | Billboard Dad | Tess Tyler | Emily Tyler |
| 1998 | All My Children | Herself | Herself |
| 1998–1999 | Two of a Kind | Mary-Kate Burke | Ashley Burke |
| 1999 | Passport to Paris | Melanie “Mel” Porter | Allyson “Ally” Porter |
| 1999 | Switching Goals | Sam Stanton | Emma Stanton |
| 2000 | 7th Heaven | Carol Murphy | Sue Murphy |
| 2000 | Our Lips Are Sealed | Maddie Parker | Abby Parker |
| 2001 | Mary-Kate & Ashley’s Fashion Forward | Herself | Herself |
| 2001 | Winning London | Chloe Lawrence | Riley Lawrence |
| 2001–2002 | So Little Time | Riley Carlson | Chloe Carlson |
| 2001 | Holiday in the Sun | Madison Stewart | Alex Stewart |
| 2001–2002 | Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! | Misty (voice) | Amber (voice) |
| 2002 | Getting There | Kylie Hunter | Taylor Hunter |
| 2002 | When in Rome | Charli Hunter | Leila Hunter |
| 2003 | The Challenge | Shane Dalton | Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dalton |
| 2003 | Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle | Future Angel (shared role) | |
| 2004 | The Simpsons | Herself (voice) | Herself (voice) |
| 2004 | New York Minute | Roxanne “Roxy” Ryan | Jane Ryan |
| 2004 | Saturday Night Live | Herself | Herself |
Personal Lives
Ashley:
Ashley Olsen has had her fair share of romantic ups and downs. She has been involved with a number of high-profile men throughout the years.
In 2001, Ashley sparked up a serious romance with former Columbia University football star Matt Kaplan, who went on to become a successful film producer and CEO of Ace Entertainment. The two love birds separated after 3 years.
In 2004, Ashley was introduced to the nightclub owner, Scott Sartiano who she reportedly met through Full House co-star, John Stamos. The pair’s relationship lasted for less than a year.
Following her split from Sartriano, Ashley moved on with the CEO of Tsubi Jeans, Greg Chait. The two parted ways in 2007, citing “commitment issues” as the reason for their breakup.
After 2007, Ashley had been in a relationship with many other high class men like: Lance Armstrong, Justin Bartha, David Shulte, Bennett Miller, Richard Sachs and recently with Louis Eisner who she quietly dated in 2017 after years of friendship.
Though the couples have kept their relationship under wraps, they sparked engagement rumors in July 2019 when Ashley was seen sporting a ring on her left hand on a romantic L.A. date night.
The pair made their red carpet debut in September 2021 at the YES 20th Anniversary Celebration, which marked Ashley’s first red carpet appearance in nearly two years.
Mary – Kate:
Mary-Kate filed for divorce from her husband of five years, Olivier Sarkozy, in May 2020. Olivier and Mary-Kate, who have a 17-year age difference, married in November 2015 after three years of dating.
Since the news, Mary-Kate has been staying with her sister, Ashley Olsen, at her twin’s home outside of New York City.
