Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Ashley (left) and Mary-Kate (right) at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Born	Mary-Kate Olsen Ashley Fuller Olsen (1986-06-13) June 13, 1986 (age 39) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Fashion designers actresses
Years active	Ashley: 1987–2004 (actress) Mary-Kate: 1987–2012 (actress) Both: 2004–present (fashion design)
Spouse(s)	Mary-Kate: Olivier Sarkozy ​ ​ (m. 2015; div. 2021)​ Ashley: Louis Eisner ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	Ashley: 1
Relatives	Elizabeth Olsen (sister)

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen are famous American fashion designers and former actresses. They were born on June 13, 1986. Many people know them as the Olsen twins.

They started acting when they were babies. Their first role was playing Michelle Tanner on the TV show Full House from 1987 to 1995. As they grew up, they starred in many other TV shows and movies. They even had their own company, Dualstar, which produced their projects. The twins became very popular with kids and teens. They were some of the richest young women in entertainment.

In the mid-2000s, the Olsens stopped acting. They decided to focus on fashion design instead. In 2006, they started their own high-end fashion brand called The Row in New York City. They have won several awards for their fashion work from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

The Olsen Twins: From Child Stars to Fashion Icons

Early Life and Acting Beginnings

Mary-Kate and Ashley were born in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. Their parents are David Olsen and Jarnette Jones. Ashley is two minutes older than Mary-Kate. They have an older brother, Trent, and a younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, who is also an actress. They also have two half-siblings, Courtney Taylor and Jake. Their parents divorced in 1995. The Olsen twins have family roots from Danish and Norwegian backgrounds.

In 1987, when they were just six months old, the twins got their first acting job. They were cast as Michelle Tanner on the TV show Full House. They started filming when they were nine months old. Because of rules about how long child actors can work, the sisters took turns playing Michelle. They continued in this role until the show ended in 1995.

Becoming Teen Idols

While still on Full House, the Olsens began appearing in other movies and videos. Their first TV movie, To Grandmother's House We Go, came out in 1992. In 1993, they created their company, Dualstar. This company produced many of their later films and videos. These included Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993) and How the West Was Fun (1994). They also had a series of musical mystery videos called The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley, which started in 1994.

After Full House ended in 1995, the Olsens starred in their first big movie, It Takes Two. They also launched another video series, You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's.... They appeared as guest stars on other TV shows like Sister, Sister in 1997. In 1998, they returned to TV with their own sitcom, Two of a Kind. They also made more direct-to-video movies like Billboard Dad (1998) and The Challenge (2003).

In 2000, the Olsens appeared on 7th Heaven. The next year, they starred in two new shows: So Little Time and the animated series Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action!. Mary-Kate was even nominated for an award for her acting in So Little Time. In 2004, they had a voice cameo on The Simpsons. That same year, they starred in their last movie together, New York Minute. This was Ashley's last acting role. Mary-Kate continued acting for a few more years.

The Olsen twins were extremely popular with kids and preteens in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their names and faces were on many products. These included clothes, shoes, books, CDs, makeup, games, dolls, and even telephones. They had a fan club called "Mary-Kate & Ashley's Fun Club" where fans could get special items.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's Hollywood Star

On their 18th birthday in 2004, the sisters became co-presidents of Dualstar. They started making products for the teen market, like home decorations and perfumes. Dualstar products were sold in thousands of stores worldwide. The Olsens were listed among the richest women in entertainment by Forbes magazine.

The sisters stopped acting completely around 2012 to focus on fashion. When a new show called Fuller House was made, the Olsens were the only original cast members who did not return. Their younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, was considered for the role of Michelle, but it didn't happen.

Stepping into Fashion

As they got older, the sisters became very interested in fashion. Mary-Kate became known for her unique "bohemian-bourgeois" style. This look often included oversized sunglasses, boots, loose sweaters, and flowing skirts. It mixed expensive and affordable clothing items. In 2006, the twins became the faces of the fashion brand Badgley Mischka.

The last logo used for the sisters' collective brand.

The Olsens also had a clothing line for girls at Wal-Mart. In 2004, they made news for promising good working conditions for the people who made their clothes in Bangladesh.

They launched their own high-end fashion label, The Row, in 2006. The name comes from Savile Row in London, known for its fancy suits. In 2007, they started another collection called Elizabeth & James. They also created a clothing line for J.C. Penney called Olsenboye. In 2008, the sisters published a book called Influence. It featured interviews with many important people in the fashion world.

The Olsens have won many awards for their fashion designs. They were named Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for The Row in 2012 and again in 2015. They also won Accessories Designer of the Year in 2014 and 2018 for their work with The Row.

Personal Lives

Ashley Olsen married Louis Eisner in 2022. They welcomed a son in 2023.

Mary-Kate Olsen was married to Olivier Sarkozy. Their marriage ended in divorce.

Film and Television Appearances

This list shows the movies and TV shows where Mary-Kate and Ashley appeared together.

Awards and Recognitions

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have received many awards for their work in entertainment and fashion.

Images for kids

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  Ashley Olsen in Australia in 2006

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  Mary-Kate Olsen at the premiere of Whatever Works in 2009

See also

In Spanish: Mary-Kate y Ashley Olsen para niños

• List of twins