Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Left Acting To Become Fashionable Businesswomen: 'It’s Liberating'

Mar 25, 2022 by apost team

The Olsen twins are undeniably one of the most famous sets of twins to ever exist. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been icons in the film, television, and fashion industries working together during their early years and well into their adult life. The lovely ladies were catapulted into stardom early on when they were first cast to play the character of Michelle Tanner on “Full House” in 1987. As part of the Tanner clan, the girls consistently appeared on the show and took turns delivering lines as the two of them played one character.

After finding fame on “Full House,” Mary-Kate and Ashley went on to star in plenty of movies together, showing off their sisterly bond. They’re even CEOs of their own production company called Dualstar, which produced some of their popular films such as “Double, Double, Toil and Trouble” and “Holiday in the Sun.” Even though the films were straight to television or video, they were still extremely popular.

Sharing the spotlight was their specialty, as being a twin was one of the most interesting tidbits about the duo. They partnered together for multiple movie projects and even later in life started up their own fashion line together. Their unity has been instrumental in making their career as special as it is, and the two are both considered trailblazers for their work across multiple industries.

However, as the twins got older, they shifted from acting and prominently being in the spotlight to working more behind the scenes as businesswomen. Let’s take a look at what the Olsen twins are up to today.

Mary-Kate and Ashley were born on June 13, 1986, in Sherman Oaks, California. They also have an older brother named Trent and a younger sister named Elizabeth, who is also an actress. The twins also have two younger half-siblings from their father’s second marriage.

According to HuffPost, Mary-Kate and Ashley have been in the public eye since they were just six months old. They skyrocketed to fame early on thanks to their role in “Full House,” and went on to star in a plethora of films together. As they got older, they continued working together and worked in films such as “The Challenge” and “New York Minute.”

However, it was clear that the twins had more talents up their sleeve and pursued a career in the fashion industry and business industry. In 2012, both sisters made a commitment to retire as actresses and instead focus on finding success in the fashion world. Ashley explained, “I don’t have to be a pretty face, I’ve done that, but now it’s important and liberating to be on the other side of the lens. I don’t like to be the center of attention anymore.” 

She continued, “It doesn’t mean I’m not interested in Hollywood. I like the way it operates, I like the people who are involved and the sense of possibility. But if I ever get back in, it’s not going to be as an actress.” Mary-Kate agreed, and said that it “just felt right to move away (from the spotlight).”

Both sisters co-founded the clothing lines Elizabeth & James and The Row, according to HuffPost. They also worked on finding their individualism, since people were so used to seeing them together all the time. 

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Still, the sisters recognized that there’s strength in numbers. “Separate side projects are one thing, but we work better as a team,” Mary-Kate said. Speaking with Allure in 2013, Mary-Kate and Ashley talked about what really led them to leave acting behind and instead focus on being a businesswoman in the fashion industry. 

Ashley explained, “I was reading scripts, and ultimately I just said to the people who are representing me, ‘I need to do things 100%. I don’t feel like I can give you 100% of my time.’” Mary-Kate agreed, “I am not great at not being able to control the end product.”

In 2021, Mary-Kate and Ashley did a very rare interview with i-D, as they tend to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible nowadays unless need be. However, when they first started The Row, they didn’t even want to be at the forefront of the brand. “We didn’t want to be in front of it, we didn’t necessarily even want to let people know it was us,” Ashley said. “It was really about the product…”

Today, both twins are extremely happy and proud of the choices they’ve made regarding their careers and the success of their fashion lines. Mary-Kate said:

“I think we’re very much perfectionists and hard workers and we’ve always been hard workers. So, I am happy that people look at it as a perfect product, or products that feel complete, or whole… It’s our job to find every imperfection in there to make sure that we’re constantly pushing ourselves and training our eyes and making sure everyone is served. Just evolving and learning.”

What do you think about Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen leaving the acting world to focus on the fashion industry? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.