Ashley Olsen is a famous American actress, producer, entrepreneur, and designer. Her peak of acting popularity came in the nineties when she starred with her twin sister Mary-Kate in popular comedies such as "Two of a Kind," "Passport to Paris," "Billboard Dad," and "Winning London." At the age of 10, the girls became the youngest millionaires in US history.
The last time they acted together was in the movie "New York Minute" (2004), after which they focused on business, wrote books, and created their own lines of cosmetics, clothing, shoes, and accessories. In 2023, it was announced that Ashley Olsen got married and became a mother for the first time.
Ashley Olsen
Childhood, Adolescence, Family
Ashley was born in the summer of 1986 into an Anglo-Norwegian family to David Olsen and Jarnette Fuller in Los Angeles. She jokingly calls herself the older sister, as she was born a few minutes before her twin, Mary-Kate. The girls grew up with their older brother James, also known as Trent, and later, their sister Elizabeth, who is now a well-known actress.
The Olsen Family
Their father was a mortgage banker, and their mother worked as a manager. The twins were nine years old when their parents divorced, and soon they learned that in their father's new family, they had a sister and a brother, Taylor and Jake, one after another. By this time, the girls were already at the height of fame. It all began when their mother Jarnette, who in her youth had dreamed of being a movie star, registered her six-month-old daughters with a Hollywood acting agency.
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen in childhood
The twins were nine months old when they started filming the TV series "Full House" as Michelle Tanner, the youngest daughter of the main character, a single father. Since the US has strict regulations on filming with babies, the twins took turns on set, and in the credits, they were listed as one entity – Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen. Only in the final season did the viewers finally learn that there were two girls, and both grew up before the eyes of the fans of the TV series, which was filmed over eight years.
Ashley Olsen in the TV series 'Full House'
Much later, Ashley admitted that she was a frequent visitor to the psychologist's office during those years. She was even hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic with a nervous breakdown once. If she didn't have a sister, she would have gone crazy like Britney Spears, whose mother also constantly took her to various castings from an early age, not allowing her to play with dolls or peers, or even to get enough sleep:
We were deprived of childhood. Our parents essentially stole it from us, replacing it with adult work. I can't even remember if we had favorite toys. Many can easily name their first doll or favorite game. My sister and I have complete «amnesia» about this. It's not that they never bought us toys; I just don't remember when we had time for games and childhood fun... We worked from an early age. And our daily schedule was like serving in the military. School, homework, a flight to New York, waking up at two in the morning, a morning show that was filmed at five in the morning, breakfast, a morning show at seven in the morning, interviews from 10:00 to 16:00. In the evening, studying and sleep no later than 21:00 because in a few hours, we needed to wake up again in the middle of the night and go to morning shows, filming, interviews...
The girls attended the special Hollywood school, Campbell Hall School, and upon graduation, both enrolled in New York University. Mary-Kate studied for only one year, while Ashley stayed for three years before also dropping out.
Acting Career
Alongside their work on “Full House,” Ashley and her sister also starred in several comedy films: “To Grandmother's House We Go,” “The Little Rascals,” “How the West Was Fun.”
Ashley Olsen in the movie 'To Grandmother's House We Go'
In 1993, their parents and manager Robert Thorne founded Dualstar for the Olsen twins. The company produced not only films starring the twin sisters but also clothing, perfumes, books, posters, and toys bearing their images.
Ashley Olsen with her sister in the movie 'How the West Was Fun'
Over the following decade, about fifteen films were released, including those loved by teenagers worldwide. For example, in the comedy “It Takes Two” (1995), Ashley played Alyssa Callaway, the daughter of a wealthy widower, with Steve Guttenberg as her on-screen father.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in the movie 'It Takes Two'
In the story, Alyssa accidentally meets Clarissa (Mary-Kate Olsen), an orphanage girl who dreams of having her caregiver Diane Barrows (Kirstie Alley) as her mother. The lookalike girls switch places, leading to life-changing experiences and a happy ending for four people. Critics called the film “predictably stunning” and “harmless and amusing.”
Mary-Kate and Ashley's 'It Takes Two': A Blast From Interviews Past: Rewind
Then came the TV series “Two of a Kind” (1998), “Passport to Paris” (1999), and “Switching Goals” (1999). The twins became so popular that their images appeared on video games and buses, sunglasses, and toothpaste. Mattel released a Barbie doll series modeled after Ashley and Mary-Kate. By the age of ten, they were the youngest millionaires in American history.
The Olsen twins in the movie 'Switching Goals'
In 2000, the Olsens starred in the family comedy “Our Lips Are Sealed,” where Ashley portrayed Abby Parker, who, along with her sister, witnesses a diamond theft. The girls and their family become mafia targets and constantly relocate to different cities.
Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen in the movie 'Our Lips Are Sealed'
Simultaneously, the Olsens joined the cast of the action-adventure film “Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle” and later starred in the TV movie “The Challenge.”
Ashley Olsen in the movie 'The Challenge'
Their last joint film role was as Jane and Roxy in “New York Minute,” released in 2004. That same year, the sisters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and two Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple.
Ashley Olsen with her sister at the unveiling of a star on the Walk of Fame
In 2007, the Olsen twins launched their own fashion line, The Row, and founded the label Elizabeth and James. Starting with the “perfect” white T-shirt, the line soon added seven more “perfect” items: satin leggings, a tank top, a cashmere dress, a blazer, a cardigan, and a sleeveless sweater. Their minimalist style and affordable pricing were well-received.
The Row:The Rise Of The Olsen Twins’ Quiet Luxury Brand
They also wrote and published the book “Influence,” which featured interviews with fashion celebrities like Karl Lagerfeld and Diane von Fürstenberg, accompanied by a collection of photos of Ashley and Mary-Kate.
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen with their book 'Influence'
Two years after founding The Row, the young designers received the Elle Style Awards in the Fashion Icon category. In 2010, The Row had its first show at New York Fashion Week. In 2012, the twins were named CFDA's Womenswear Designers of the Year. Ashley later admitted:
Honestly, I don't know how much we realized what we were doing at the time. We had just moved to New York. We were 18 years old, and I think we knew we wanted to use that time to step back from what we had been doing before, to explore our interests, and see what life has to offer. We wanted to try something on our own.
In 2011, Ashley appeared in the documentary “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's,” and soon after, they launched a line of fashion accessories, a footwear line, and started making jewelry. Expanding The Row, the sisters created a small exclusive collection of ostrich and python leather bags, which drew criticism from animal rights organizations.
Ashley Olsen's Personal Life
Ashley's romantic endeavors were not as successful as her acting career and business ventures. She once dated football player Matt Kaplan, but after three years, the couple parted ways.
Ashley Olsen and Matt Kaplan
Later, musician and actor Jared Leto caught her attention, but soon after, Olsen began seeing Scott Sartiano, owner of fashionable New York nightclubs. Her list of boyfriends included designer Greg Chait, cyclist Lance Armstrong, and CEO of the brand Oliver Peoples, David Schult.
Ashley Olsen and Scott Sartiano
In 2011, Olsen started a relationship with actor Justin Bartha, and fans were convinced that this time their favorite would settle down. However, after two years of trips, public appearances, and walks together, the couple split up.
Ashley Olsen and Justin Bartha
For a while, Ashley's personal life fell out of the media spotlight. In 2015, it was revealed that the businesswoman was suffering from Lyme disease. The infection affected her joints, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and skin. She underwent intensive treatment for several months, and her condition first stabilized before she began to recover.
In 2017, thirty-year-old Ashley became passionately involved with financier Richard Sachs, who was twice her age. Alongside him, the former actress vacationed in St. Barts, went on dates in New York, and looked absolutely smitten.
Ashley Olsen and Richard Sachs
After several months, the couple split up without any explanation. Only years later did the reason become clear: Olsen had fallen head over heels for her new business partner, designer and artist Louis Eisner. The couple made their first public appearance at the Hammer Museum's gala evening.
Ashley Olsen and Louis Eisner
Finally, in 2022, Ashley's fans learned that their actress had at last married. The wedding was a secret affair with just about fifty guests. And in 2023, it was announced that Ashley and Louis had become happy parents. They named their firstborn Otto.
Ashley Olsen Now
In recent years, the Hollywood businesswoman, like her sister, has preferred a private lifestyle. However, she still makes appearances at various events, especially when her brand, The Row, is showcasing new collections.
Ashley Olsen in 2023
The Olsen twins have been honored as "Designer of the Year" several times, and in 2024, they introduced their new Spring-Summer collection in Paris. The collection featured their signature monochrome palette with spicy accents: a yellow scarf with highlighter under a snow-white trench coat, azure sandals, and a crimson windbreaker. An asymmetrical cobalt blue top paired with a lemon-colored bag particularly wowed the audience.
Ashley is also known for her fondness for comfortable and functional footwear. Zoë Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, and Hailey Bieber, along with numerous customers of new footwear designs from The Row, support her in this.
Interesting Facts
Ashley Olsen's older brother and younger sister have also not stayed away from the American film industry. James graduated from the University of Southern California and works in Hollywood at Storm King Productions, which produces horror films. James also writes comic books. Elizabeth was accepted to the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, and spent a semester studying at the Moscow Art Theatre School, honing her movement skills, dance, and stage movement. She became popular thanks to her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. The youngest Olsen has always feared that the fame of her famous sisters would overshadow her efforts: "I worked harder to be as prepared as possible and to feel that I really deserved what I have," she said.
Since childhood, Ashley played more reserved and serious characters in films, while her sister, a natural left-hander, was cast as the mischievous and adventurous types.
In their very first film, the twins had to wear dental prosthetics. Like all children, they lost their baby teeth, which ruined the perfect "Hollywood" smile. Some viewers sarcastically noted that the "Full House" characters had noticeable gaps in their childhood, which could not be said about their teeth later on.
One of the fashion industry experts, Osman Ahmed, considers the Olsen sisters' work to be real artistry: "At a time when nearly every fashion house has adopted the fast fashion tempo of 'see-now-buy-now' and has opened the floodgates, they have dedicated their entire adult lives to the opposite. They are the type of designers obsessed with details, for whom a huge emphasis is measured by the smallest millimeters. Their stores in Los Angeles, London, and New York are temples of Zen, homes of priceless works of art and legendary 20th-century furniture, as well as sculptural rails of holy, double-sided cashmere and men's-style coats. There is also a commercial range of Florentine soaps, Parisian scents, archival Japanese fashion, and jewels worthy of a Maharani."
