Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Encyclopedia
Mary-Kate Olsen
and Ashley Fuller Olsen
(born June 13, 1986) are American actresses
and entrepreneur
s.
Both have appeared in television
and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television program
s, films, interview
s, as well as commercial endorsements. Although they look similar in appearance, they are genetically different fraternal twins.
to David Olsen (b. 1953) and Jarnette (Jarnie) Jones (b. 1954).
In 1987, the twins started their acting careers on the television series Full House
. They were hired at the age of six months and filming began when they were nine months old. The show was widely popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Both sisters played the same character, Michelle Tanner
, taking turns during the tapings to do so, in order to comply with strict child labor laws regarding child actors. For the first year, Ashley would cry when she was brought on set to do a scene, so Mary-Kate had more screen time in the first season.
Because the producers did not want viewers to know that Michelle was played by twins, the sisters were originally credited as "Mary Kate Ashley Olsen", but in the last season and most of season one, they were credited as separate people. During the eight year run, Mary-Kate and Ashley made several direct-to-video
movies, in addition to Full House, such as To Grandmother's House We Go
(1992).
Dualstar
in 1993 and their brand has been sold in more than 3,000 stores in the United States and over 5,300 stores worldwide. Because of this, they have been on the Forbes
' "The 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.
Mary-Kate and Ashley were popular figures in the preteen
market during the late '90s and early 2000s. Their names became a cottage industry, with their likeness seen in clothes, books, fragrances, magazines, movies and posters. There were even Mary-Kate and Ashley fashion dolls made by Mattel
from 2000–2005.
They starred in the video series The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley
and You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's...
, the ABC
show Two of a Kind, and ABC Family's So Little Time
. However, So Little Time was panned by critics and disappointed fans. Despite this, they were ranked number three on the VH1
program 100 Greatest Child Stars. They also appear in a few direct-to-video movies about twins visiting places in Europe
; Passport to Paris
, Winning London
, and When in Rome
.
In May 2004, they were part of a Got Milk?
campaign and dual-hosted Saturday Night Live
(which show caused them to miss their prom). In June, the Got Milk? campaign was pulled following Mary-Kate's disclosure that she was being treated for an eating disorder.
Their most recent theatrical venture was in the light-hearted romantic comedy, New York Minute
, also starring Eugene Levy
. The film was expected to launch the girls into more serious adult roles, but was a box office flop.
Mary-Kate's first acting appearance without Ashley was in the movie Factory Girl
, released in December 2006. Mary-Kate was originally in several scenes, but only appeared in the background in the finished film. Mary-Kate was also a recurring guest role in the third season of the Showtime series Weeds
and she is also in the 2008 independent film
The Wackness
starring Ben Kingsley
, with whom she shares a passionate kiss.
" or bohemian-bourgeois, is similar to that of Bohemian chic
popularized in Britain
by Kate Moss
and Sienna Miller
. The look consists of oversized sunglasses, boots, loose sweaters, and flowing skirts all with an aesthetic of mixing high end pieces with low end. Their fashion choices, however, have not been without controversy. Ashley Olsen was included on PETA's
2006 Worst Dressed list for wearing fur.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have a clothing line in Wal-Mart
stores across North America for girls ages 4 – 14 as well as a beauty line called "Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real fashion for real girls". In 2004 they made news by signing a pledge to allow all the workers that sew their line of clothing in Bangladesh
full maternity leave. The National Labor Committee, which organized the pledge, later praised the twins for their commitment to worker rights. The director of the organization, Charles Kernaghan
, is quoted as saying, "The Olsen twins have done the right thing. Now it is up to Wal-Mart to either support Mary-Kate and Ashley’s commitment to women’s rights, or tragically to shut them down."
They were tapped as the faces of upscale fashion line Badgley Mischka
in 2006, in an attempt to gain credibility in the fashion industry after their association with Wal-Mart
. They have also launched their own new couture fashion label "The Row" named after the famous Savile Row
of London
. The pair have also started a new line for The Row, entitled "Elizabeth & James", named after their siblings.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have been criticized by animal rights
group PETA
for their use of fur in their fashion line, The Row.
, as well as two half-siblings, Taylor (b. 1996) and Jake (b. 1997). The twins' parents divorced in 1995. Taylor and Jake are from their father's second marriage, to Martha Mackenzie-Olsen.
The twins are best friends with Troian Bellisario
who also appeared in their film Billboard Dad
Mary-Kate and Ashley announced in 2004 that they would be attending college at New York University
after graduating high school. In 2005, Mary-Kate moved back to California. She decided to stay on the West Coast and pursue more individualized work with their company, Dualstar. Ashley also left the university a couple months later.
In 2004, Mary-Kate checked into rehab in Utah for six weeks because she was suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa
. It was rumored that there was also a drug problem, but the Olsens' publicist said, "Mary-Kate was not admitted for drugs. Period." Mary-Kate put on about five to seven pounds immediately after her stint in rehab and pictures had shown that she may have gained more weight. However, Star magazine has, as of January 2007, released a cover story article on Mary Kate's, once again, very low weight. They claim she is at 80 pounds. Her spokesperson has denied the weight loss claiming "Mary-Kate has not lost weight. She is taking good care of herself."
In 2005, Mary-Kate ended her romance with Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III. Mary-Kate said that the breakup was one of the main factors in her leave of absence from New York University
. "I miss him and I love him," Mary-Kate said, "It's a hurtful and a painful subject." When asked if there was a specific reason for her leaving NYU, she replied, "I think we can all guess." The breakup and Niarchos's subsequent pairing with Paris Hilton led to a rift between Hilton and Mary-Kate. "[Paris and I] always only had nice things to say about each other," Olsen said. "Now I guess you can tell we're not talking."
In 2006, Ashley filed a US$40 million lawsuit against tabloid magazine National Enquirer for printing a headline reading "Ashley Olsen Caught In Drug Scandal," with a story accompanied by an unflattering photo of Ashley with her eyes half-closed. The lawsuit stated that the photo was clearly used to create a misrepresentation of Olsen under the influence of drugs. Ashley completely denies the accusations and said that she has not and does not use or sell illegal drugs. The suit consisted of US$20 million in libel damages and US$20 million in false light invasion of privacy damages. Per her suit, Ashley Olsen and her lawyers believe that "freedom of the press is a valuable right, but it is not a license for gossipy tabloids to tar and feather innocent celebrities and destroy their reputations and businesses for the rag's profits."
In 2008, Mary-Kate Olsen was caught up in the media-hype surrounding the death of Heath Ledger
after Masseuse Diane Lee Wolozin, who had gone to the apartment to give Ledger a 15:00 massage and found his naked body in his bed, phoned the 21-year-old Olsen twice before calling the 911 emergency service. There is also speculation that Olsen was having a relationship with Ledger at the time of his death. Olsen released a statement through her publicist, stating, "Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family."
Mary-Kate Olsen
Mary-Kate Olsen is an American actress, producer, author and fashion designer. She made her career debut in 1987 alongside her twin sister Ashley Olsen in the television series Full House...
and Ashley Fuller Olsen
Ashley Olsen
Ashley Fuller Olsen is an American actress, fashion designer, producer, and author. She co-founded luxury fashion brand The Row and the more affordable line Olsenboye with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen and started her own fashion company called Elizabeth and James...
(born June 13, 1986) are American actresses
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s.
Both have appeared in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s, films, interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
s, as well as commercial endorsements. Although they look similar in appearance, they are genetically different fraternal twins.
Early life
The girls were born in 1986 in Sherman Oaks, CaliforniaSherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California
Sherman Oaks is an affluent district in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles, California. In contrast to much of the Valley, the area is relatively urbanized, with commercial skyscrapers along Ventura Boulevard as well as scattered throughout...
to David Olsen (b. 1953) and Jarnette (Jarnie) Jones (b. 1954).
In 1987, the twins started their acting careers on the television series Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
. They were hired at the age of six months and filming began when they were nine months old. The show was widely popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Michelle Tanner
Michelle Elizabeth Tanner was a main character from the long-running television series Full House. She debuted in the show's pilot, "Our Very First Show!", which aired in 1987. Her final appearance was in the 1995 two-part episode "Michelle Rides Again", when the series finished its final season...
, taking turns during the tapings to do so, in order to comply with strict child labor laws regarding child actors. For the first year, Ashley would cry when she was brought on set to do a scene, so Mary-Kate had more screen time in the first season.
Because the producers did not want viewers to know that Michelle was played by twins, the sisters were originally credited as "Mary Kate Ashley Olsen", but in the last season and most of season one, they were credited as separate people. During the eight year run, Mary-Kate and Ashley made several direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
movies, in addition to Full House, such as To Grandmother's House We Go
To Grandmother's House We Go
To Grandmother's House We Go is a 1992 Christmas television film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The film's title is one of the first verses of Lydia Maria Child's Thanksgiving song "Over the River and through the Woods"...
(1992).
Career
Shortly after the end of Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley began heavily merchandising their image. They established a company calledDualstar
Dualstar
Dualstar Entertainment Group, LLC is a privately held American limited liability company owned by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, which produces movies, TV shows, magazines, video games, etc...
in 1993 and their brand has been sold in more than 3,000 stores in the United States and over 5,300 stores worldwide. Because of this, they have been on the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
' "The 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.
Mary-Kate and Ashley were popular figures in the preteen
Preteen
Preadolescence is a stage of human development following early childhood and prior to adolescence. It may be defined as ending with the beginning of puberty or with the beginning of the teenage stage, the time frames in which adolescence is considered to begin. In terms of age in years,...
market during the late '90s and early 2000s. Their names became a cottage industry, with their likeness seen in clothes, books, fragrances, magazines, movies and posters. There were even Mary-Kate and Ashley fashion dolls made by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
from 2000–2005.
They starred in the video series The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley
The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley
The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley is a series of musical mystery videos starring twin actresses Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen. The series was also written as children's books, usually showing the twins on the cover. The video series was distributed by KidVision-Format:Each video begins with the girls...
and You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's...
You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's...
You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's... is a musical direct-to-video series starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The videos were released between 1995 and 2003 and have since been released on DVD....
, the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
show Two of a Kind, and ABC Family's So Little Time
So Little Time
So Little Time is an American sitcom starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen that aired on Fox Family. The first half of the series aired from June 2, 2001 to August 15, 2001. The series then went on a four-month hiatus, due to network management changes...
. However, So Little Time was panned by critics and disappointed fans. Despite this, they were ranked number three on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
program 100 Greatest Child Stars. They also appear in a few direct-to-video movies about twins visiting places in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; Passport to Paris
Passport to Paris
Passport to Paris is a 1999 direct-to-video movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.- Plot :During their Spring Break school vacation, twin sisters Melanie and Allyson Porter travel to Paris to visit their Grandpa Edward, the U.S. Ambassador to France. Expecting a great time with their...
, Winning London
Winning London
-Plot:Chloe Lawrence is a very driven teenager and leader of her high school's Model United Nations team. After performing particularly well in a competition, the team is selected to attend the international Model UN competition in London, United Kingdom. One of the team members, Randall, is...
, and When in Rome
When in Rome (2002 film)
When In Rome is a film starring Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Leila and Charli Hunter are in Rome to participate in a Summer Intern Program. After they begin their jobs, they are immediately fired due to careless mishaps. But Derek Hammond, who owns the company, decides to re-instate Leila and...
.
In May 2004, they were part of a Got Milk?
Got Milk?
Got Milk? is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk, which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers. It has been running...
campaign and dual-hosted Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(which show caused them to miss their prom). In June, the Got Milk? campaign was pulled following Mary-Kate's disclosure that she was being treated for an eating disorder.
Their most recent theatrical venture was in the light-hearted romantic comedy, New York Minute
New York Minute (film)
New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy. It was directed by Dennie Gordon and released on May 7, 2004. In the film Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins with opposing personalities who have a series of misadventures around New York City...
, also starring Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
. The film was expected to launch the girls into more serious adult roles, but was a box office flop.
Mary-Kate's first acting appearance without Ashley was in the movie Factory Girl
Factory Girl
Factory Girl is a 2006 American biographical film based on the life of 1960s underground film star, socialite, and Warhol Superstar Edie Sedgwick. The film premiered in Los Angeles on December 29, 2006.-Plot:...
, released in December 2006. Mary-Kate was originally in several scenes, but only appeared in the background in the finished film. Mary-Kate was also a recurring guest role in the third season of the Showtime series Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
and she is also in the 2008 independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
The Wackness
The Wackness
The Wackness is a 2008 American coming of age drama film by Jonathan Levine and starring Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, and Olivia Thirlby. The film is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics and was released in the U.S. on July 3, 2008.-Plot:...
starring Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
, with whom she shares a passionate kiss.
Fashion
As the sisters have matured, there has been greater interest in their fashion choices, with the New York Times declaring Mary-Kate a fashion icon for pioneering her signature (and now popular among celebrities and fans alike) "homeless" look. The style, sometimes referred by fashion journalists to as "ashcan" or "Boho-chicBoho-chic
Boho-chic is a style of female fashion drawing on various bohemian and hippie influences, which, at its height in 2004-5, was associated particularly with actress Sienna Miller and model Kate Moss in the United Kingdom and actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Nicole Richie in the United States...
" or bohemian-bourgeois, is similar to that of Bohemian chic
Boho-chic
Boho-chic is a style of female fashion drawing on various bohemian and hippie influences, which, at its height in 2004-5, was associated particularly with actress Sienna Miller and model Kate Moss in the United Kingdom and actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Nicole Richie in the United States...
popularized in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by Kate Moss
Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
and Sienna Miller
Sienna Miller
Sienna Rose Diana Miller is a British-American actress, model, and fashion designer, best known for her roles in Layer Cake, Alfie, Factory Girl, The Edge of Love and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2007, the London Film Criticsnamed her British Actress of the Year for Interview...
. The look consists of oversized sunglasses, boots, loose sweaters, and flowing skirts all with an aesthetic of mixing high end pieces with low end. Their fashion choices, however, have not been without controversy. Ashley Olsen was included on PETA's
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
2006 Worst Dressed list for wearing fur.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have a clothing line in Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
stores across North America for girls ages 4 – 14 as well as a beauty line called "Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real fashion for real girls". In 2004 they made news by signing a pledge to allow all the workers that sew their line of clothing in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
full maternity leave. The National Labor Committee, which organized the pledge, later praised the twins for their commitment to worker rights. The director of the organization, Charles Kernaghan
Charles Kernaghan
Charles Kernaghan is the executive director of the National Labor Committee in Support of Human and Worker Rights , currently headquartered in Pittsburgh...
, is quoted as saying, "The Olsen twins have done the right thing. Now it is up to Wal-Mart to either support Mary-Kate and Ashley’s commitment to women’s rights, or tragically to shut them down."
They were tapped as the faces of upscale fashion line Badgley Mischka
Badgley Mischka
Badgley Mischka is an American fashion label designed by Mark Badgley and James Mischka. James Mischka began at Rice University as a biomedical engineering major and ultimately graduated with degrees in art history and managerial studies in 1985. Badgley and Mischka met at Parsons School of Design...
in 2006, in an attempt to gain credibility in the fashion industry after their association with Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
. They have also launched their own new couture fashion label "The Row" named after the famous Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The pair have also started a new line for The Row, entitled "Elizabeth & James", named after their siblings.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have been criticized by animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
group PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
for their use of fur in their fashion line, The Row.
Personal lives
Mary-Kate and Ashley have an older brother, Trent, and younger sister, ElizabethElizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Chase Olsen is an American actress and is the younger sister of Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, and Trent Olsen...
, as well as two half-siblings, Taylor (b. 1996) and Jake (b. 1997). The twins' parents divorced in 1995. Taylor and Jake are from their father's second marriage, to Martha Mackenzie-Olsen.
The twins are best friends with Troian Bellisario
Troian Bellisario
Troian Avery Bellisario is an American actress. She currently stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Bellisario made her acting debut in the 1988 film Last Rites at the age of 3...
who also appeared in their film Billboard Dad
Billboard Dad
Billboard Dad is a 1998 American direct-to-video comedy film, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Set in Los Angeles, the plot revolves around Emily Tyler , who enjoys surfing, and her twin sister Tess , a member of a high diving team, who try various stratagems to get their widowed dad Max,...
Mary-Kate and Ashley announced in 2004 that they would be attending college at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
after graduating high school. In 2005, Mary-Kate moved back to California. She decided to stay on the West Coast and pursue more individualized work with their company, Dualstar. Ashley also left the university a couple months later.
In 2004, Mary-Kate checked into rehab in Utah for six weeks because she was suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
. It was rumored that there was also a drug problem, but the Olsens' publicist said, "Mary-Kate was not admitted for drugs. Period." Mary-Kate put on about five to seven pounds immediately after her stint in rehab and pictures had shown that she may have gained more weight. However, Star magazine has, as of January 2007, released a cover story article on Mary Kate's, once again, very low weight. They claim she is at 80 pounds. Her spokesperson has denied the weight loss claiming "Mary-Kate has not lost weight. She is taking good care of herself."
In 2005, Mary-Kate ended her romance with Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III. Mary-Kate said that the breakup was one of the main factors in her leave of absence from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. "I miss him and I love him," Mary-Kate said, "It's a hurtful and a painful subject." When asked if there was a specific reason for her leaving NYU, she replied, "I think we can all guess." The breakup and Niarchos's subsequent pairing with Paris Hilton led to a rift between Hilton and Mary-Kate. "[Paris and I] always only had nice things to say about each other," Olsen said. "Now I guess you can tell we're not talking."
In 2006, Ashley filed a US$40 million lawsuit against tabloid magazine National Enquirer for printing a headline reading "Ashley Olsen Caught In Drug Scandal," with a story accompanied by an unflattering photo of Ashley with her eyes half-closed. The lawsuit stated that the photo was clearly used to create a misrepresentation of Olsen under the influence of drugs. Ashley completely denies the accusations and said that she has not and does not use or sell illegal drugs. The suit consisted of US$20 million in libel damages and US$20 million in false light invasion of privacy damages. Per her suit, Ashley Olsen and her lawyers believe that "freedom of the press is a valuable right, but it is not a license for gossipy tabloids to tar and feather innocent celebrities and destroy their reputations and businesses for the rag's profits."
In 2008, Mary-Kate Olsen was caught up in the media-hype surrounding the death of Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
after Masseuse Diane Lee Wolozin, who had gone to the apartment to give Ledger a 15:00 massage and found his naked body in his bed, phoned the 21-year-old Olsen twice before calling the 911 emergency service. There is also speculation that Olsen was having a relationship with Ledger at the time of his death. Olsen released a statement through her publicist, stating, "Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family."
Filmography
- This section lists the filmography of the twins as a duo. See Mary-Kate OlsenMary-Kate OlsenMary-Kate Olsen is an American actress, producer, author and fashion designer. She made her career debut in 1987 alongside her twin sister Ashley Olsen in the television series Full House...
for other productions in which she has appeared.Television Year(s) Title Mary-Kate's role Ashley's role Notes 1987–1995 Full House Full HouseFull House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...Michelle Tanner Michelle TannerMichelle Elizabeth Tanner was a main character from the long-running television series Full House. She debuted in the show's pilot, "Our Very First Show!", which aired in 1987. Her final appearance was in the 1995 two-part episode "Michelle Rides Again", when the series finished its final season...Shared role 1998–1999 Two of a Kind Mary-Kate Burke Ashley Burke 2001–2002 Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! Misty (voice) Amber (voice) Animated series 2001–2002 So Little Time So Little TimeSo Little Time is an American sitcom starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen that aired on Fox Family. The first half of the series aired from June 2, 2001 to August 15, 2001. The series then went on a four-month hiatus, due to network management changes...Riley Carlson Chloe Carlson Video series Year Title Mary-Kate's role Ashley's role Notes 1994–1997 The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley The Adventures of Mary-Kate & AshleyThe Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley is a series of musical mystery videos starring twin actresses Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen. The series was also written as children's books, usually showing the twins on the cover. The video series was distributed by KidVision-Format:Each video begins with the girls...Mary-Kate Ashley 1995–2000 You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's... You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's...You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's... is a musical direct-to-video series starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The videos were released between 1995 and 2003 and have since been released on DVD....Mary-Kate Ashley Films Year Title Mary-Kate's role Ashley's role Notes 1992 To Grandmother's House We Go To Grandmother's House We GoTo Grandmother's House We Go is a 1992 Christmas television film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The film's title is one of the first verses of Lydia Maria Child's Thanksgiving song "Over the River and through the Woods"...Sarah Thompson Julie Thompson TV movie 1993 Double, Double, Toil and Trouble Double, Double, Toil and TroubleDouble, Double, Toil and Trouble is a 1993 Halloween children's TV movie. It stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as two adventurous little girls who discover that their Great Aunt Sophia has been trapped and cursed by her evil twin sister Agatha. On the 7th year of her imprisonment, Sophia will be...Kelly Farmer & Young Aunt Sophia Lynn Farmer & Young Aunt Agatha TV movie 1994 How the West Was Fun How the West Was Fun-Synopsis:Twin girls Jessica and Susie live with their father, Steven in the city. They have a dream about somebody saying "This town ain't big enough for the 3 of us" and having a shootout but argue who makes their move first. One day, they receive a letter from their godmother Natty inviting...Jessica Martin Susie Martin TV movie The Little Rascals Twin #2 Twin #1 Minor roles 1995 It Takes Two Amanda Lemmon Alyssa Callaway 1998 Billboard Dad Billboard DadBillboard Dad is a 1998 American direct-to-video comedy film, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Set in Los Angeles, the plot revolves around Emily Tyler , who enjoys surfing, and her twin sister Tess , a member of a high diving team, who try various stratagems to get their widowed dad Max,...Tess Tyler Emily Tyler 1999 Switching Goals Switching GoalsSwitching Goals is a 1999 television movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Identical twin sisters Sam and Emma Stanton both play soccer. Sam is a star athlete and a tomboy; however, the only sports her more stylish sister Emma enjoys are fashion and dating...Sam Stanton Emma Stanton TV movie Passport to Paris Passport to ParisPassport to Paris is a 1999 direct-to-video movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.- Plot :During their Spring Break school vacation, twin sisters Melanie and Allyson Porter travel to Paris to visit their Grandpa Edward, the U.S. Ambassador to France. Expecting a great time with their...Melanie Porter Allyson Porter 2000 Our Lips Are Sealed Our Lips Are Sealed (film)Our Lips Are Sealed is a 2000 direct-to-video film featuring Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen. The film was set and filmed in Sydney, Australia.-Plot:...Maddie Parker Abby Parker 2001 Winning London Winning London-Plot:Chloe Lawrence is a very driven teenager and leader of her high school's Model United Nations team. After performing particularly well in a competition, the team is selected to attend the international Model UN competition in London, United Kingdom. One of the team members, Randall, is...Chloe Lawrence Riley Lawrence Holiday in the Sun Madison Stewart Alex Stewart 2002 Getting There Getting ThereGetting There is a 2002 direct-to-video movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:The story revolves around twin sisters who, after turning 16, go on a road trip without their parents. Their destination is the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah...Kylie Hunter Taylor Hunter When in Rome When in Rome (2002 film)When In Rome is a film starring Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.-Plot:Leila and Charli Hunter are in Rome to participate in a Summer Intern Program. After they begin their jobs, they are immediately fired due to careless mishaps. But Derek Hammond, who owns the company, decides to re-instate Leila and...Charli Hunter Leila Hunter 2003 The Challenge The Challenge (2003 film)The Challenge is a 2003 film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and their last direct-to-video production before their move to the big screen with New York Minute.-Plot:...Shane Dalton Elizabeth Dalton Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Charlie's Angels: Full ThrottleCharlie's Angels: Full Throttle is a 2003 American action comedy film. It is the sequel to 2000's Charlie's Angels. It opened in the United States on June 27, 2003, and was number one at the box office for that weekend and made a worldwide total of $259.2 million.The cast again includes Cameron...Future Angel Future Angel Uncredited cameo 2004 New York Minute New York Minute (film)New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy. It was directed by Dennie Gordon and released on May 7, 2004. In the film Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins with opposing personalities who have a series of misadventures around New York City...Roxy Ryan Jane Ryan Main Roles
Further reading
- Olsen, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, with Damon Romine. Mary-Kate and Ashley: Our Story: Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen's Official Biography. HarperEntertainment 2000. ISBN 0061075698.
- Tracy, Kathleen. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2003. ISBN 1584152567.