Full House stars explain how producers decided whether Mary-Kate or Ashley would read lines
I’m aware plenty of you reading this won’t have been alive back in 1987 but you’ll probably still know who Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are.
The famous twins began their acting career at the age of just nine months when they shared the role of Michelle Tanner in the iconic sitcom, Full House.
And they pretty much grew up as kids playing that part, featuring in all eight seasons of the American classic TV show right up until 1995.
Of course, they shared the screen for many other roles too with the likes of It Takes Two, Passport to Paris and Our Lips Are Sealed - how's that for a dose of nostalgia?
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But navigating two kids playing the same role of course comes with challenges as you can’t help but wonder how they picked who did what – and their co-stars have explained it.
Jodie Sweetin who played sister Stephanie Tanner and Andrea Barber who played Kimmy Gibbler spoke about the Olsen twins sharing the role on their podcast How Rude, Tanneritos.
“When they were little, it was the ice cream scene that they would always squabble over,” Sweetin claimed.
The actor claimed that both Mary-Kate and Ashley ‘both wanted to do it’.
“So they’d have to trade off,” Sweetin continued, “[like] ‘You can do it this time and you can do it this time.’”
Although, there were apparently scenes that caused some issues, like the 1993 episodes that saw the clan head to Disney World for a family holiday.
Stephanie and Michelle got to dress up like Disney princesses and ride a float as part of the theme park’s legendary parade.
Barber said she’s sure Adria Later, Full House’s on-set teacher ‘made it fair’ as they described her as the ‘Michelle wrangler’.
“I’m sure there was something equivalent that she offered the other twin that didn’t ride in the float. I don’t know how they decide who gets to go… who’s behaving well that day?” the actor continued.
Mary-Kate and Ashley were six years old at the time of the Disney episodes with a special Snow White costume made.
But Sweetin can’t actually remember for sure which sister it was that ended up riding the float with behind-the-scenes moments suggesting it ended up being Mary-Kate.
Well, no matter how much they may have had to split for Full House, the twins certainly racked up screen time before they both officially indicated their interest to retire as actors in March 2012.
They went on to co-found their luxury fashion brand The Row and co-author Influence.
Topics: TV and Film, Nostalgia
Jess Battison