As you probably know, Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen they were only nine months old when they landed the role of Michelle Tanner on the ABC sitcom. Full house back in 1987, when the twins shared responsibilities for enforcing child labor laws that limited the amount of time an infant could be on set.
As the years passed, Mary-Kate and Ashley became shining stars, enjoying overwhelming fame and success throughout their childhood. Before their 18th birthday, the sisters starred together in more than 20 films and TV series, and Dualstar Entertainment Group was created in 1993 specifically to produce Mary-Kate and Ashley's projects and products.
As adults, the twins gradually stepped away from acting before leaving the industry entirely to focus on fashion and business. They were noticeably absent from Full house continuation of the series, Fuller Housewhen it premiered in 2016, and he didn't even make a cameo appearance in the show's four years.
Earlier this year, the Olsen twins Full house co-stars Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber, who played Stephanie Tanner and Kimmy Gibbler in the series, opened on the logistics of filming with the twins during their episode How rude, Tanneritos podcast.
In response to a fan's question, Jodie admitted that “in the beginning” the directors preferred Ashley because she was more cooperative, adding: “Mary-Kate didn't like being on set, but Ashley was like, 'Cool, whatever.' She was much more compliant in that regard.”
Although they were babies at the time, Jodie said this continued as the twins grew older, saying: “They are absolutely like that. Ashley will say, “Sure, whatever.” Mary-Kate said, “I don't want to do this.”
However, both stars recalled that the twins each wanted to film scenes in which their character had to eat treats like candy and cookies, with Jodie explaining that the directors “had to separate the candy-eating scenes.” She shared, “Because that was the only thing they said: 'It's not fair.' They couldn't let one of the twins eat more sweets than the other, otherwise the girls would rebel.”
And ex Boy meets world star Will Friedle During a recent episode of his podcast, he recalled his “weird” experience working with Mary-Kate and Ashley when they were still very young stars: Pod meets the world.
FYI: Will and his co-hosts: Rider Strong And Daniel Fishelall started out as child stars and worked together on an ABC sitcom. Boy meets world in the 90s. Earlier this month they reviewed the holiday special Full house on their capsule.
At the beginning of the episode, Danielle asked Will and Ryder if they had ever met the Olsen twins, and Will said that he interviewed them once when he was at Nickelodeon. He didn't specify the year, but Will appeared on the channel from 1988 to 1991 and was best known as the host of the live interactive series. Don't just sit there.
At this time, Will was between 11 and 14 years old, and Mary-Kate and Ashley were between two and five years old.
“I interviewed them when I was at Nickelodeon,” Will began, and when Ryder expressed his shock that the girls were “only five” at the time, Will chimed in: “If only that!”
“The woman who was their handler had two Dixie cups of M&Ms glued together,” Will continued. “And whenever their eyes went somewhere else, she would go and shake the thing and they would come back to it; it was strange.”
“I’ve always heard that they train with food,” Ryder replied. “That's why every frame of them is one, and they're waiting to get a cookie if they say the phrase correctly, or the M&M, or whatever.”
And Ryder couldn't hide his discomfort at what the Olsen twins had to go through at such a young age as the episode progressed, with the trio reminiscing about an episode of the show's second season. Full house entitled Our Very First Christmas Show, which premiered in December 1988, six months after Mary-Kate and Ashley's second birthday.
Returning to Will's previous comment, Danielle explained, “They didn't give them M&Ms, they shook them like [they were] dog”.
“It's just to make eye contact, but once they said the phrase correctly, they got a cookie or an M&M,” Ryder explained. “Sorry, I felt really awkward every time it was about the Olsen twins, I felt really uncomfortable. I just kept imagining… Because what are we looking at?! We're looking at a child being tortured.”
“It’s like watching a child being told, ‘OK, go,’” he continued. “It was like watching a monkey perform. Sorry, I'm not okay with that.”
“Torture is too far,” Will objected. “But I disagree that I was uncomfortable… Because we were there, because we know the situation, we know that the camera is on them, that they're just focusing on them, and, 'Say your line.' Now let's say it again. Now let’s say it again…” like, we know what it takes, so I felt uneasy too.”
“You're looking at a child who literally doesn't know what he's doing or why he's saying what he's saying,” Ryder continued, before comparing the twins to Jodi, who was six years old at the time. “When I see Jodie, I look at a very precocious child who has a light in her eyes, who is aware of what she is saying.”
“And even if it takes someone a little time to read her lines and work with her, she can do it. I see a child, I see an actor,” he continued. “But the Olsen twins, you're watching what is essentially a non-thinking animal do something and it's uncomfortable. I'm so sorry!”
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