Mary-Kate and her twin sister Ashley Olsen began their acting career in 1987 when they were chosen to play ‘Michelle Tanner’ on the TV show “Full House.” The show, and the twins, were an instant hit which paved the way for merchandising opportunities. During the shows production the twins teamed up with Robert Thorne and created Dualstar, their production company. At age 6, she and Ashley became the youngest producers in history.
Following the years after “Full House” the twins continued to share roles with several DVD and music video releases. Although the twins attempted to stay out of the limelight, Mary-Kate made headlines in June of 2004 when she entered a program for treatment of an eating disorder.
No stranger to long hours, the mini moguls have since launched their own clothing and accessory lines, a line for Wal-Mart, a couture collection (The Row) and a contemporary line (Elizabeth & James). Mary-Kate is currently starring in Weeds on Showtime.
Did you know...
- When she was young, she and Ashley used to call their "Full House" (1987) co-stars by their characters' names so they wouldn't mess them up during taping.
- She and her sister became the youngest self-made millionaires in American history before they were 10 years old.
- Mary-Kate won an Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series for "So Little Time" in 2001.
- She entered a program for treatment of an eating disorder on June 22, 2004.
- She has two horses, CD and Star, and has won several prizes with them.
- She and Ashley both had to wear fake teeth during the later years of "Full House" (1987) because their teeth began to look different.
- Mary-Kate is obsessed with Starbucks, her signature drink is a Venti iced and hot nonfat soy vanilla latte.
- Mary-Kate attended her dad's wedding while Ashley did not.
- For the movie, The Wackness, 21-year-old Mary-Kate was required to passionately kiss 63-year-old Sir Ben Kingsley.
- In August 2007 Mary-Kate stopped her studies at NYU after her classmates kept selling stories to the tabloids.
