Mary-Kate Olsen

Background

Mary-Kate Olsen began her career in 1987 at just nine months old when she and her twin sister, Ashley, were cast in the role of Michelle Tanner on the sitcom “Full House.” To comply with strict labor laws regarding child actors, the twins alternated for the role during the taping of the show. They were credited in the opening of the sitcom as “Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen,” in an attempt to keep audiences from realizing that the role was played by two children.

In 1995, following “Full House,” Olsen and her sister released a string of hits straight to V.H.S. video films and became popular figures among preteens during the late 1990s and early 2000s. They have become a household name, with their images seen on clothing, books, perfumes, magazines, music, movies, and posters. Mattel, from 2000 to 2005, made dolls with the twin girls’ features. Olsen starred alongside her sister in the A.B.C. sitcoms “Two of a Kind” and “So Little Time,” for which she received a nomination for ‘Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Series’ at the 2002 Emmy Awards. The sisters were ranked third on the show “VH1 100 Greatest Child Stars.” In 2004, Olsen appeared alongside her twin in the feature film “New York Minute,” also starring Eugene Levy.

Olsen, together with her sister, had a clothing line called The Row. In 2008, the twin sisters published a book titled “Influence,” which contained interviews with many creative and influential people, including Karl Lagerfeld, Terry Richardson, and George Condo. The book included two different covers, one with Mary-Kate and one with Ashley, and received positive reviews not only from fans but also from critics.