Dylan and Cole Sprouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dylan and Cole Sprouse
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| Born |
August 4, 1992 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | New York University |
| Occupation | Actors |
| Years active | 1993–2012; 2015–present |
Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American actors. They are twin brothers. People often call them the Sprouse brothers or Sprouse Bros. Their first big movie role was in the 1999 comedy Big Daddy. They starred alongside Adam Sandler in this film. Later, they appeared in many TV shows called sitcoms. They also starred in the TV movie I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Another film they made was Just for Kicks, which went straight to DVD.
From 2005 to 2008, they starred in the Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. This show was very popular. Because of its success, the media called them "heartthrobs". They were very popular with kids and teens. The next year, the brothers started a brand called Sprouse Bros. This brand included a clothing line, a book series, and a magazine. Most of the Sprouse Bros brand ended in 2008, but their clothing line continued.
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody changed in 2008 to The Suite Life on Deck. The brothers played Zack and Cody again. The Suite Life on Deck became the most-watched children's TV show in 2008 and 2009. The show finished in May 2011. They also starred in The Suite Life Movie, which aired in March 2011. In 2009, they started acting in more grown-up roles. They appeared in the independent suspense film The Kings of Appletown.
Dylan and Cole were among the richest children in 2007. By 2010, the Sprouse brothers were the highest-paid Disney child actors. They earned $40,000 per episode together. By the end of the 2000s, MSN reported they were the richest young twins in the world. In 2010, both brothers were accepted to New York University. They waited one year and attended the university from 2011 to 2015. Both Cole and Dylan said they wanted to keep acting after college.
As of 2025, Cole plays Jughead Jones on the TV series Riverdale. Dylan is a co-owner and brewmaster of the All-Wise Meadery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Contents
Early Lives of the Sprouse Brothers
The Sprouse twins were born in Arezzo, Italy. Their American parents, Matthew Sprouse and Melanie Wright, were teaching English there. Dylan was named after the poet Dylan Thomas. Cole was named after the jazz singer Nat King Cole. Dylan is 15 minutes older than Cole. They have German family roots.
The boys moved back to the United States four months after they were born. They went to their parents' home in Long Beach, California. Some of the money Dylan and Cole earned from acting helped buy a house in Calabasas, California. Their family still lived there in 2012.
How the Sprouse Twins Started Acting
The brothers started acting when they were just eight months old. Their grandmother, Jonine Booth Wright, suggested it. She was a drama teacher and actress. Their first acting job was in a diaper commercial. They would switch places on screen every few seconds.
Like many twins, they often played the same character. This is because of California laws about how long child actors can work each day. Using twins allowed more filming time for one character. From eight months old, they both played Patrick Kelly on the TV show Grace Under Fire.
Their First Big Movie Role
In 1999, the boys appeared in their first major movie, Big Daddy. They shared the role of Julian, a five-year-old boy. Julian is adopted by Adam Sandler's character, Sonny Koufax. The movie got mixed reviews, but the twins were nominated for several awards for their acting. However, they did not win any.
That same year, the boys had a small part in the thriller The Astronaut's Wife. The Sprouses said that after Big Daddy, they didn't get many big roles for a while.
TV Shows and Other Films
In the early 2000s, the twins appeared in episodes of The Nightmare Room and That '70s Show. They also appeared on Mad TV. They had roles in the movies The Master of Disguise and Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights. Cole started appearing in Friends in 2001 as Ross Geller's son, Ben. Dylan did not share this role.
They both starred in I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Just for Kicks. These were family movies released straight to video. A film critic named David Nusair said their acting in Just for Kicks "certainly leave a lot to be desired."
The Suite Life Era
Dylan and Cole were later cast in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. They played identical twins Zack and Cody Martin. The show started in March 2005 and became very popular. Because of their work with Disney, the brothers joined the Disney Channel Circle of Stars. They sang the song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" for a video. This video was a bonus on the special edition of the Disney film Cinderella. They also took part in the Disney Channel Games.
The Sprouses played one character, Jeremiah, in the independent film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. This movie was made in 2004 but was not shown in theaters until March 2006. Critics praised their acting in this film. In 2007, they filmed A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper.
The Sprouse brothers also voiced characters in the animated film Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen. Dylan voiced Shasta in Disney's "Snow Buddies". The brothers starred in the movie The Kings of Appletown, based on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The film was released in a few theaters in December 2009. It was officially released at the Newport Beach Film Festival in April 2010.
They were on the cover of People Magazine in May 2009. This was for a special issue about The Suite Life on Deck. The twins started filming another Modern Twain Story movie in 2009. It was called "Sivilized" and was a modern version of Huckleberry Finn. However, Dylan said in 2010 that they would not make the film. He said they had "outgrew" the roles.
They became the new faces for the children's yogurt, Danimals, in 2009. Their deal was renewed in 2010. The twin brothers also signed a deal with Nintendo DS in August 2010.
After Disney
As of 2011, Dylan and Cole were not working on acting projects. They were focusing on college, art, and photography. However, Dylan said they both wanted to continue acting while in college.
In February 2016, Cole was cast as Jughead Jones in The CW's drama series Riverdale. This show is based on the Archie comic books.
Sprouse Bros Brand
In 2005, the Sprouse brothers signed a deal with Dualstar Entertainment. This deal was to create Sprouse Bros branded products for kids and preteens. The Sprouse Bros brand included a clothing line, comic series, and a magazine. It also had a personal hygiene line and sportswear. Dylan said they wanted to "reach out to the nerd group and the cool group." They wanted to "appeal to everybody."
A magazine for boys called Sprouse Bros. Code was launched in 2006. Simon & Schuster Inc. published two books in a series called Sprouse Bros. 47 R.O.N.I.N.. These books showed the Sprouse twins as "young James Bonds or undercover agents." The book series continued. In 2008, the brothers ended their partnership with the Olsens' Dualstar. However, they continued to sell their clothing line. The clothing items were sold only online until March 2012. After that, the online store was no longer available.
Personal Lives
Dylan Sprouse has said that becoming famous after The Suite Life of Zack & Cody was "kind of scary." He noted how fast everything was moving. He said a year before, "none of this was happening." While filming The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, they had tutors on set for three hours each day. They said they were getting "straight A's and honors." In their last year of high school, both brothers took advanced classes. Dylan took AP Psychology and AP Spanish. Cole took AP Psychology and AP Government.
The twins' family has three dogs. Bubba belongs to Dylan and Cole. Pinky is their father's dog. Curry is their stepmother's dog. Their favorite actor and co-star is Adam Sandler. Dylan has said that Adam is "a role model in acting." He added that they learned a lot about comedy from him. In mid-2010, Dylan started a website for his art called Sprouse Arts. In mid-2011, Cole started a website for his photography called Cole Sprouse Photography.
In 2010, both brothers were accepted to New York University. They planned to attend in the fall of 2010 but waited one year. Dylan first planned to study fine arts and economics. Cole planned to study film and television production and drama. Instead, they both joined the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. This school lets students create their own study plans. Cole focused on humanities and archaeology. Dylan focused on video game design. In 2011, Dylan was chosen as president of a residence hall at New York University. Both brothers graduated in May 2015. They told Entertainment magazine that they swapped diplomas at the graduation ceremony.
In 2012, Dylan and Cole were named International Ambassadors of the Koyamada International Foundation. They traveled to Japan with Shin Koyamada in August 2013. Their goal was to inspire young people in Japan to improve themselves. They also aimed to strengthen friendships between Japanese and American youth.
Around 2013, Dylan worked as a host at a New York City restaurant. He explained he wanted to try something new. He said it was a way to "socialize and get out of the house."
Since 2014, Dylan has commentated on some Super Smash Bros. tournaments.
In early 2017, Dylan announced he was opening All-Wise Meadery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is the brewmaster there. He shared that he has been a Heathen since he was 15.
Film and Television Roles
The Sprouse brothers have appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of their notable roles:
Films
- 1999: Big Daddy - Julian McGrath (shared role)
- 2001: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Justin Carver (shared role)
- 2003: Just for Kicks - Dylan Martin (Dylan), Cole Martin (Cole)
- 2007: A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper - Tom Canty (Dylan), Eddie Tudor (Cole)
- 2009: The Kings of Appletown - Will (Dylan), Clayton (Cole)
Television Shows
- 1993–1998: Grace Under Fire - Patrick Kelly (shared role)
- 2000–2002: Friends - Ben Geller (Cole only)
- 2005–2008: The Suite Life of Zack & Cody - Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole)
- 2008–2011: The Suite Life on Deck - Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole)
- 2011: The Suite Life Movie - Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole)
- 2017–present: Riverdale - Jughead Jones (Cole only)
Awards and Nominations
The Sprouse brothers have been nominated for and won several awards for their acting.
- YoungStar Awards
* 1999: Nominated for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film for Big Daddy.
- MTV Movie Awards
* 2000: Nominated for Best On-Screen Duo for Big Daddy.
- Young Artist Awards
* 2000: Nominated for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actor Age Ten or Under for Big Daddy. * 2006: Nominated for Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actor for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. * 2007: Nominated for Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actor for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
- Kids' Choice Awards
* 2007: Cole nominated for Favorite Television Actor for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. * 2008: Both nominated for Favorite Television Actor for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. * 2009: Dylan won Favorite Television Actor for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. * 2010: Dylan won Favorite Television Actor for The Suite Life on Deck. * 2011: Dylan won Favorite Television Actor for The Suite Life on Deck.
Music
- 2005 – "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" in Disneymania 4
- 2008 – "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" in Princess Disneymania
See also
In Spanish: Dylan y Cole Sprouse para niños
