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Now that it sometimes seems like virtually everyone can become famous someday, it is rare for any stars to truly take the world by storm. Back during the '80s, however, the Olsen Twins became an absolute sensation pretty much overnight.
Beloved from the moment that Full House fans saw them, there still are people who are fascinated by the Olsen Twins' experiences on the show. A perfect example of that is there is a lot of interest in the inappropriate joke John Stamos once made about the Olsen Twins.
During their time starring in Full House, the Olsen Twins made a fortune and became immensely popular. Amazingly enough, however, it could be argued that Mary-Kate and Ashley actually became more famous once Full House was abruptly canceled.
In recent years, Mary-Kate and Ashley's lives have changed dramatically in comparison to when they were at the height of their popularity. That fact has left fans wondering why The Olsen twins' lives are so different today.
What Was The Olsen Twins' Childhood Really Like?
As any Full House fan will already know by now, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen became extremely famous during the '80s. Cast as Michelle Tanner, the Olsens were so adorable that they quickly became Full House's breakout stars.
In most cases, actors who star in popular sitcoms fade into obscurity once their shows end. When it comes to the Olsen Twins, however, once Full House ended, they began starring in their own films and they founded Dualstar Entertainment Group when they were just seven years old.
After headlining a slew of direct-to-video movies, Mary-Kate and Ashley went on to star in the mainstream film New York Minute. Unfortunately, that film flopped and was ripped apart by critics.
On top of their onscreen work, the Olsen twins also became a merchandise and clothes-selling machine during their childhood and teen years.
By far the most disturbing aspect of the Olsen twins' fame is how some people talked about them during their teens. When Mary-Kate and Ashley were in their mid-teens, there were websites with countdown clocks that were tracking the minutes until the sisters turned 18.
What Fame Was Really Like For Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen
After Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen spent years as some of the most talked about stars in the world, the sisters have almost entirely disappeared from the spotlight. A perfect example of that is the fact that the Olsen twins turn down almost all requests for interviews they receive now.
On the rare occasion that the Olsen twins have agreed to be interviewed in recent years, the sisters have revealed the sad truth about their childhoods.
When Mary-Kate and Ashley were superstars, millions of people envied the sisters. As it turns out, however, the Olsen twins envied people who led normal lives back then as they hated being famous.
In the past, Mary-Kate spoke to Marie Claire about her childhood and her remarks were heartbreaking for fans. "I look at old photos of me, and I don't feel connected to them at all. … I would never wish my upbringing on anyone…"
While it may seem hard for fans to understand why the Olsens hated being famous, an anecdote about their childhood is very revealing.
In 2020, Town & Country published an article about what things were like for Mary-Kate and Ashley at the height of their popularity. For the article, they talked to a "comedian-turned-unconventional gallerist" named Viviana Rosales Olen. As Olen revealed, she went to an Olsen twins fan event and realized how sad everything was.
“You would go to the theme park, and then you wait in line for three hours, and then you get to the end of the line, and they're just sitting there and they're really tired and sad and bored. And I immediately felt like this wave of shame.”
Olen then went on to describe what she thinks Mary-Kate And Ashley's childhood must have been like based on her interaction with them at the fan event. According to Olen, the twins were “just baking in the hot sun, like freaks on display. And that's what they did for the first 18 years of their life, nonstop."
What Are The Olsen Twins' Lives Like Today?
Based on how the Olsen Twins talk about their childhoods, it seems very clear they didn't feel like they had any control over their lives. These days, however, Mary-Kate and Ashley get to decide how much they let the public in, and they clearly want to keep the masses at arm's length.
These days, the Olsen twins spend most of their time running the fashion brand they founded in 2006, The Row. During a very rare interview with ID Magazine in 2021, Ashley Olsen explained that the sisters initially didn't even want the world to know they were behind The Row.
"We didn't want to be in front of it, we didn't necessarily even want to let people know it was us. It was really about the product, to the point where we were like: 'Who could we get to front this so that we don’t have to?'”
While Mary-Kate and Ashley eventually decided to be open they were behind The Row, they still avoid the spotlight in their personal and professional lives. Instead, as Mary-Kate explained during that same ID Magazine interview, the twins focus on perfecting their clothesline.
"I think we're very much perfectionists and hard workers and we've always been hard workers. So, I am happy that people look at it as a perfect product, or products that feel complete, or whole. I think the reason that we do fashion is to constantly try to fix our imperfections, and you always have next season to do that."
"It's also our job to find every imperfection in there to make sure that we're constantly pushing ourselves and training our eyes and making sure everyone is served. Just evolving and learning."
It should go without saying that going from TV stardom, being movie stars, and being everywhere to avoid the spotlight is a massive change for the Olsen twins.
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