From severe physical and mental illness, relentless bullying in the tabloids,
and the loss of a close former co-star, the Olsen Twins haven't exactly had it easy.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were just 6 months old when they were cast on Full House. For eight
seasons, the twins played Michelle Tanner, whose iconically sassy lines grew their fanbase quickly.
"You got it, dude."
When they were 3, their parents hired Robert Thorne as their manager. Together,
they created Dualstar, an entertainment company which broadened the Olsen twins' reach from movies
to books and music to merch. By the time the Olsen twins were 6 years old, they had become
the youngest ever producers. By the time they were 10, they'd become self-made millionaires.
In an interview with Nylon, Ashley said,
"We have been really involved in the process from the beginning,
even when we were just 10 years old. [...] We've been able to learn a lot over the years,
and the more you know the more you want to control things."
In an all-too familiar tune for child stars, as much as their childhood taught them about
the business of television and how to market themselves, it gave them little flexibility
to just be children. Despite their international success, Mary-Kate even told Marie Clare in 2010,
"I wouldn't wish my upbringing on anybody. I look at old pictures of me,
and I don't feel connected to them at all."
In the early naughts, the world was far from using inclusive, inoffensive language when it came
to mental health. So when rumors surfaced about Mary-Kate Olsen suffering from an eating disorder,
there were less than savory headlines and poor performance from talk show hosts.
Shortly after her high school graduation, a 17 year-old Mary-Kate was admitted to
a rehabilitation facility by her father and her therapist so she could get help
for her eating disorder. As a source told People at the time, Mary-Kate's struggle
had become so serious those close to her were nervous the condition would take her life.
A few months later, the Olsen twins appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show,
where they were asked about rumors that were going around. Winfrey specifically
inquired about the twins' eating habits, and persisted with the
line of questioning even after Ashley tried to dismiss the subject altogether.
In 2008, Mary-Kate commented on the experience for the
first time in an interview with Elle. She said,
"I think the hardest part to get to is that point of asking for help or reaching out to
other people and being honest with yourself. I do not want to go through my life with my eyes shut."
In 2016, Ashley Olsen was reportedly diagnosed with Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness. She had
apparently gotten checked after noticing some of the symptoms, which can include severe headaches,
rashes, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and issues with the heart and nervous system.
An insider told OK!,
"She's really sick. It's gotten worse. She was diagnosed in the very late stages so
early detection measures weren't options for her. She's really going through it.
When she does come to work, she looks haggard and disheveled."
Many celebrities have been open about their Lyme disease diagnoses,
including Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, and Ben Stiller,
and they've all received treatment and carried on with their lives. While Ashley hasn't spoken
out about her diagnosis and treatment, it can be assumed that she's doing much better now.
In January 2022, the Olsen twins' on-screen dad, Bob Saget, died at 65 years old. It was reported
that Saget, who played Danny Tanner on Full House and reprised the role on Fuller House,
had died of a head injury in his hotel room while on tour in Florida. Both
the generation that had grown up watching Full House and the newer
generation drawn in by the reboot were shocked and heartbroken by the news.
In Ashley Olsen's 2006 interview with Nylon, she revealed that she would still hang out with Saget,
despite their show being off the air for over a decade at that point. Ashley said,
"I still see Bob all the time. I go to the Laugh Factory to watch
his stand-up and I'm involved with his charity."
"We know that we're very lucky, 'cuz, ya know, most of the TV — you don't know of
a lot of people who are still, you know, in contact after."
Mary-Kate and Ashley were unsurprisingly rocked by the news of Saget's death,
having kept in touch all of these years. The Olsen twins released a
joint statement to pay tribute to Saget, which was obtained by People. They wrote,
"Bob was the most loving, compassionate and generous man. We are deeply saddened
that he is no longer with us but know that he will
continue to be by our side to guide us as gracefully as he always has."
The Olsen twins have been pretty low-key about their love lives, so when Mary-Kate Olsen got
together with Olivier Sarkozy, a French banker, in 2012, the public was intrigued.
"Howie, will you marry me?"
"Why?"
"So we can eat wedding cake!"
Initially, the couple was seen together at a New York Knicks game, then a gala the following
year. However, public sightings were few and far between, as Sarkozy and Mary-Kate kept
things private. She was spotted wearing an engagement ring in 2014; a year later,
they tied the knot, and their infamous "cigarette bowl" wedding hit the headlines.
The few times the couple were seen together throughout their eight-year relationship,
they always looked happy and comfortable. Mary-Kate also became a stepmother to Sarkozy's
two children. However, amid the 2020 pandemic, Mary-Kate filed for divorce, which became
a dragged-out process due to New York courts putting a pause on divorce filings. The divorce
was eventually granted, but many wondered why things seemed to shift so suddenly for the couple.
According to a source speaking to Page Six, Olivier wanted to move his ex-wife and their
children from New York city so they could ride out the pandemic in their home in Bridgehampton.
It's possible that once her husband's ex moved in, things simply became too
much for Olsen to handle. Regardless, the source assured Page Six the divorce did not
come about of any nefarious activities, just the couple, quote, "growing apart."
Over the last few decades, there has been a seedy trend where the public tracks how
long until young famous women reach the age of consent. It's also known as the
18th birthday countdown clock, and it's unfortunately been happening for years.
The Olsen twins were the victims of this disturbing practice in 2004. A few years later,
the focus was on Emma Watson. In 2022, Millie Bobby Brown was the subject of online forums
counting down the days until she would be a legal adult, which only continued
the perverse online tradition that sadly encourages the sexualization of children.
After Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen celebrated their 18th birthday, a New York Post article announced,
"The Olsen twins are legal — and they're loaded."
You can imagine the disgust and discomfort the sisters felt,
but they sadly would have been used to it by then. In 2003, they spoke with Rolling
Stone about an interview they had with Connie Chung the year prior, where they
were questioned about their virginity. Recounting the interview, Ashley said,
"I got really angry and defensive. I was like,
'That's personal. Why would you be asking a 16-year-old that question in the first place?'"
She went on to describe her horror when photos of the young twins wearing bikinis
were published. There's no telling the level of trauma this breach of
privacy and sexualization caused the Olsen twins.
The National Enquirer has been behind some of the more juicy and controversial headlines over
the years. From harassing Brooke Shields' mother as she was suffering from dementia,
to insinuating that Patrick Swayze was dying,
the publication came under a lot of heat before it was sold in February of 2023.
The twins were the focus of less-than-truthful tabloids several times, but when Ashley Olsen
was the subject of an article by the Enquirer with the headline,
"Ashley Olsen Caught in Drug Scandal," she took action.
Although Ashley's boyfriend at the time was under investigation for selling drugs,
she had no part in it — and to make matters worse, the lawsuit claimed that the picture
in the story was used to strongly hint that she was under the influence of drugs. Ashley
sued the National Enquirer for $40 million in 2005, and shortly after,
the publication released a statement in which they backtracked their accusations completely.
When you're in the public eye for years on end, it's common to be the victim of harsh comments
and brutal judgment. The Olsen twins know this to be true, especially in recent years, having
spent their infancy and much of their young lives in front of cameras. There have been countless
articles, forums, and social media posts asking if they've had work done or if they're sick,
because some can't seem to wrap their minds around how Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen look today.
To gain perspective on their change in appearance, Life & Style took to
questioning a plastic surgeon about the twins, quote, "new, rather haggard looking faces." He
answered that their arguably gaunt appearance was likely caused by their cigarette habit,
as this can cause accelerated aging. It's true that the Olsen twins have been known to smoke
for many years — in fact, Mary-Kate and Olivier Sarkozy even offered their wedding guests bowls of
cigarettes at the celebration — but it's still rather harsh criticism from the publication.
To boot, in 2017 Affinity Magazine once tweeted a now-infamous caption
alongside a picture of the Olsen twins and Nicki Minaj which read,
"White people age like bananas."
As if to drive the nail in the coffin, that same year,
TheRichest also published a derisive article entitled "15 Looks That Make
the Olsen Twins Look Old AF." Having already stepped away from their fame some years ago,
we wouldn't blame them if this merciless age-shaming made them want to retreat again.
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit
the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline
at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).