The Tragedy Of The Olsen Twins Explained

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are not just sisters, actors, or celebrities; they're the Olsen twins — a pop culture brand that heated up the '90s and 2000s, and was impossible to ignore. In fact, they even received video games about their adventures, allowing fans to trade in "Mario Kart: Super Circuit" to play "Mary-Kate and Ashley: Sweet 16 — Licensed to Drive." While it looked like they had the world at their feet, the twins grew up in the public eye and never had the opportunity to live like regular children, teens, and even now as adults.

Considering they started their careers as babies, they were put in front of the cameras as performers early on, feeling the pressures and demands from an unforgiving entertainment industry. Some of their "Full House" co-stars are part of a group of '80s sitcom stars who hold dark secrets, and the Olsen twins are no different as every action of theirs has been scrutinized and put under the magnifying glass for further debate from fans and critics alike. From failed relationships to illness and death, they experienced their own share of tragedies that were played out in the gossip mags.

Nowadays, the Olsen live low-key lives, away from all the glitz and glamor that their celebrity status may offer. That said, many fans still hang onto every morsel of information about the triumphs and tragedies of these iconic sisters who weren't only winning but twinning.

In 1987, at only 9 months old, the Olsen twins became TV stars after they played the role of Michelle Tanner in the sitcom "Full House." Since there were strict laws in place regarding the amount of time children could work on set, they alternated in the part of Michelle until the series ended in 1995. Without question, Michelle became one of the standout characters of "Full House," as audiences couldn't get enough of the cuteness overload and she provided a plethora of scene-stealing moments, including her beloved phrase: "You got it, dude."

Unlike other child stars who completely disappeared off the face of the planet, the Olsen twins continued their acting career after the sitcom ended, appearing in the short-lived series "Two of a Kind" and a number of twin-centric movies like "Billboard Dad" and "Passport to Paris." Looking back at their career as child actors, Mary-Kate told Marie Claire in 2010 that it wasn't all fun and games as the productions presented, suggesting that the sisters were "little monkey performers" for everyone's entertainment. In addition, she said: "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."

Their sister Elizabeth, who is most famously known for playing Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, admitted that she delayed her own Hollywood career to study because she saw what her sisters experienced as children.

One of the weirdest — and grossest — events that occur among certain elements of fandom involves the sexualization of child actors. It gets even creepier when the people, who lust over these underage celebrities, create online countdown clocks to celebrate when they turn 18 — the legal age of consent. It happened to the Olsen twins as well, with at least seven countdown clock websites launched for them. Plus, it didn't help that the media made a big deal about the sisters turning 18 either, stoking even more publicity about the milestone.

For Mary-Kate and Ashley, the sexualization — as well as questions about their sexual activity — didn't sit well with them. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2003, Ashley discussed how she wasn't pleased to receive a question from reporter Connie Chung about the status of their virginity the year prior. "I got really angry and defensive," she said. "I was like, 'That's personal. Why would you be asking a sixteen-year-old that question in the first place?'"

In addition to this, Ashley revealed how devastated she was when photos of the underage pair in bikinis were published, stating: "My worst nightmare. I was crying hysterically."

Spencer Pratt attended the same high school as the Olsen twins. At the time, Pratt hadn't achieved any notoriety yet, as it would be a few years until he was a reality star in "The Hills" and his much-publicized romance with future co-star and wife, Heidi Montag, turned him into a hot topic. However, this didn't stop him from making extra cash off the hype surrounding the Olsens by selling out Mary-Kate to the tabloids. As revealed by Pratt himself to Details in 2007, he snapped a picture of Mary-Kate drinking at a high school party and sold it to the highest bidder for $50,000.

A year later, Mary-Kate appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" (via Gawker), where she briefly spoke about Pratt's behavior in high school. Mary-Kate discussed Pratt's temper with the host, stating how the reality star used to storm off the soccer field and argue with the coach all the time. Pratt reacted angrily to Mary-Kate's comments, telling Us Weekly (via Access) that she's "a famous troll" and "the less cute twin."

Later, Pratt apologized for his comments about Mary-Kate, telling Us Weekly (via Digital Spy): "I apologize for getting caught up in trash talking, but she brought up an emotional subject when she mentioned the soccer stuff." In addition, he admitted he was "secretly jealous of her."

In 2004, not too long before the Olsen twins turned 18, Mary-Kate entered a treatment facility to address an eating disorder. According to People, her family and friends were aware of the disorder for some time. Subsequently, her parents staged an intervention before she turned 18 so that they could still maintain their legal rights as her guardians to send her to a facility if she declined treatment. Mary-Kate's representative Michael Pagnotta issued a statement about the event, saying: "This is a challenge that Mary-Kate has made a decision to face. This is a challenge she will meet."

In 2010, Mary-Kate spoke to Marie Claire where she addressed highly publicized incidents from her past, which included her stay at a treatment facility. "I think it's really important to be able to talk when something's wrong," she said. "I learned at a really young age that if you don't talk about it, it can drive you insane."

It isn't unusual for celebrities to find themselves as fodder for tabloids. However, there's still a clearly defined line between gossip and slander. For Ashley Olsen, she believed the National Enquirer crossed it and proceeded to sue the publication for $40 million in 2005 for a headline that read: "Ashley Olsen Caught in a Drug Scandal."

Ashley alleged that the Enquirer caused damage to her career and her reputation through the article that implied she misused drugs. Part of her lawsuit stated (via BBC): "Freedom of the press is a valuable right, but it is not a license for gossipy tabloids to tar and feather innocent celebrities and destroy their reputations and businesses for the rags' profits."

Later in the year, the National Enquirer published an apology to Ashley. According to World Entertainment News Network (via UPI), the publication explained how the article contained information regarding the legal issues of Ashley's ex-boyfriend Scott Sartiano and that in no way was any of this related to Ashley. The statement read: "The National Enquirer wants to make clear to its readers that, by its cover and headlines, it did not intend to accuse Ms. Olsen of being involved in any drug scandal."

When the Olsen twins enrolled at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, the spotlight followed them around. They built up an empire of success before they had even finished high school, but at university, their academic and social exploits held the potential to fill even more columns in the tabloids. That's exactly what happened with Mary-Kate, especially after she struck up a romance with Stavros Niarchos III, the son of a Greek shipping tycoon. According to W Magazine, Mary-Kate and Niarchos dated for five months.

However, drama struck when Niarchos started seeing Paris Hilton at the same time. This didn't turn into a celebrity feud that got out of hand, though, as Mary-Kate dropped out of NYU and headed back to Los Angeles. According to one of Mary-Kate's friends, she was left devastated after finding out that Niarchos was dating Hilton, too.

Speaking about the decision to leave NYU to W Magazine, Mary-Kate said: "It just got really hectic and I started feeling the city. My world was really small when I was here." When pressed if there was another reason for her wanting to leave, she replied: "I think we can all guess." In addition, she mentioned how she and Hilton used to be complimentary of each other, but they don't speak anymore.

Of the things we learned about Heath Ledger after he died, it's become a well-known fact that Mary-Kate Olsen was one of the first people alerted that the Australian actor had passed away. Diana Wolozin, the masseuse who discovered Ledger's body, speed-dialed the first number on Ledger's phone and reached Mary-Kate. Reportedly, Mary-Kate stated she would send private security over to the room to investigate. Once Wolozin suspected Ledger might be dead, though, she phoned Mary-Kate again to tell her, then called 911.

The nature of the relationship between Mary-Kate and Heath Ledger has long been speculated, especially since her number was one of the last numbers dialed on his phone. According to People's sources, they were not an official couple per se, but they were seeing each other and enjoyed hanging out together.

Considering the circumstances surrounding Ledger's death and how certain drugs were found in his system, officials wanted to question Mary-Kate about what she knew. Authorities claimed Mary-Kate declined to talk unless she was granted immunity. However, Mary-Kate's lawyer Michael C. Miller issued a statement (via the Associated Press) saying: "We have provided the government with relevant information including facts in the chronology of events surrounding Mr. Ledger's death, and the fact that Ms. Olsen does not know the source of the drugs Mr. Ledger consumed."

In 2015, news broke that Ashley Olsen had Lyme disease, which is caused by borrelia bacteria and transmitted to humans by tick bites. The symptoms include skin rashes, joint pain, headaches, and tiredness, with it generally being considered easier to treat if it's discovered early on. However, the longer it's left untreated, the more painful it can become for the person who has it, alongside an increased severity in the symptoms.

Ashley was diagnosed with Lyme disease relatively late, according to some reports, which may have exacerbated her symptoms. Reportedly, this illness had a major impact on her daily life, including her work as a fashion designer, since she felt sick for a sustained period of time. A inside source told OK!, "When she does come to work, she looks haggard and disheveled. And she's often moody. Ashley's having a very rough time right now."

Mary-Kate Olsen and French banker Olivier Sarkozy began dating in 2012 before marrying in 2015. However, in 2020, their marriage fell apart in the public eye. It took time for the divorce to go through, though, because of the COVID-19 pandemic delaying proceedings (and despite Mary-Kate filing an emergency order to move things along speedily). According to E! News, matters turned particularly ugly between Mary-Kate and Sarkozy after their split, especially after he canceled the lease to their home and instructed his lawyers to give her a deadline to remove her belongings from the house.

Reportedly, Mary-Kate leaned on her sister Ashley during this tumultuous period as she tried to navigate a messy personal situation. In the end, the divorce only went through in 2021. Even though the situation was less than ideal, Us Weekly reported that Mary-Kate possessed a strong prenuptial agreement that ensured all of her business interests and money were protected in the case of divorce.

The heart-wrenching death of Bob Saget caught the entertainment industry off guard. In the midst of a stand-up comedy tour and having played Danny Tanner for the "Full House" continuation series, "Fuller House," no one could have imagined that he would pass away so suddenly at the age of 65. While Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen declined to return as Michelle for Netflix's "Fuller House," they held a close relationship with their on-screen father. 

Fellow comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried told ET that Saget "was very protective of the Olsen twins" and kept in touch with them after "Full House" ended, treating them as if they were his own daughters. Subsequently, the Olsens were left shattered by Saget's death since he was more than just a co-star to them. 

Along with many of their "Full House" castmates, the sisters attended Saget's memorial service to remember him. The twins also released a heartfelt statement about Saget, telling ET: "Bob was the most loving, compassionate and generous man. We are deeply saddened that he is no longer with us but know that he will continue to be by our side to guide us as gracefully as he always has."

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will forever be known as the Olsen twins. Their destinies remain intertwined as everyone views them as the sister duo who did everything as a pair and succeeded together. However, much like many siblings, their paths diverged as they became adults, formed personal relationships, and pursued their own interests. After all, they are twins — not clones — so they are allowed to lead separate lives from each other.

Yet, these changes in their adult lives may have created a rift between them, if OK! is to be believed. According to the magazine's source, Mary-Kate and Ashley's relationship isn't what it used to be, especially after Ashley gave birth to her son, Otto, in 2023.

Allegedly, Mary-Kate finds herself "really struggling to accept this new version of her sister" since they were much closer before. As per the source, Mary-Kate blames her brother-in-law, Louis Eisner, for this change in their dynamic. "It makes sense that she'd blame Louis because he's the one putting his foot down and letting her know the boundaries," OK!'s source said. Reportedly, Ashley feels sad about the deterioration of the relationship with her sister, but her son comes first now.

Want to find out more about the cast of the sitcom that turned the Olsen twins into household names? Check out the tragic real-life story of the "Full House" cast.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, may be the victim of child abuse, or needs help with an eating disorder, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
• Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).