Ashley Olsen bio, son, husband, age, height, relationship, sisters 2025

Ashley Olsen Biography

Ashley Olsen is a famous American actress, producer, entrepreneur, and designer. She reached peak fame in the '90s starring alongside her twin sister Mary-Kate in hit comedies like "Two of a Kind," "Passport to Paris," "Billboard Dad," and "Winning London." At just 10 years old, the twins became the youngest millionaires in American history.

Their final acting collaboration was "New York Minute" (2004), after which they shifted focus to business ventures, writing books, and launching their own cosmetics, clothing, shoes, and accessories lines. In 2023, it was announced that Ashley Olsen got married and became a mother for the first time.

Childhood, Adolescence, Family

Ashley was born in summer 1986 to David Olsen and Jarnette Fuller in Los Angeles, into an Anglo-Norwegian family. She jokes about being the older sister since she was born just minutes before her twin, Mary-Kate. The girls grew up with their older brother James (also known as Trent) and later their sister Elizabeth, now a well-known actress.

Their father was a mortgage banker, and their mother worked as a manager. When the twins were nine, their parents divorced, and they soon discovered they had new half-siblings in their father's new family – sister Taylor and brother Jake. By this time, the girls were already at the height of fame. It all started when their mother Jarnette – who'd dreamed of movie stardom in her youth – registered her six-month-old daughters with a Hollywood acting agency.

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. Due to strict US regulations about filming with babies, the twins took turns on set and were credited as one entity – Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen. Only in the final season did viewers finally learn there were two girls, both of whom grew up before fans' eyes during the show's eight-year run.

Ashley Olsen in the TV series 'Full House'

Years later, Ashley admitted she was frequently in therapy during that time. She was even hospitalized once for a nervous breakdown. Without her sister, she believes she would have cracked like Britney Spears, whose mother similarly dragged her to constant castings from early childhood, depriving her of dolls, friends, and even adequate sleep: 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

While working on "Full House," Ashley and her sister also appeared in several comedy films including "To Grandmother's House We Go," "The Little Rascals," and "How the West Was Fun."

Ashley Olsen in the movie 'To Grandmother's House We Go'

In 1993, their parents and manager Robert Thorne launched 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 next decade, they released about fifteen films that became favorites with 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 orphan who dreams of having her caregiver Diane Barrows (Kirstie Alley) as her mother. The look-alike girls switch places, leading to life-changing experiences and a happy ending for all four. Critics called the film "predictably charming" 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 everything from video games to buses, sunglasses, and toothpaste. Mattel released a Barbie doll series modeled after Ashley and Mary-Kate. By age 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 played Abby Parker, who witnesses a diamond theft alongside her sister. The girls and their family become mafia targets and must constantly relocate to different cities.

Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen in the movie 'Our Lips Are Sealed'

Around the same time, 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 what they called the "perfect" white T-shirt, the line quickly expanded to include seven more "perfect" essentials: 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 launching The Row, the young designers won the Elle Style Award for Fashion Icon. In 2010, The Row had its first show at New York Fashion Week. In 2012, the twins earned the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award. 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. As they expanded The Row, the sisters launched a small, exclusive collection of ostrich and python leather bags, sparking criticism from animal rights organizations.

Ashley Olsen's Personal Life

Ashley's love life hasn't been quite as smooth as her acting career and business ventures. She dated football player Matt Kaplan for three years before the couple called it quits.

She later caught the eye of musician and actor Jared Leto, but soon moved on to Scott Sartiano, who owns some of New York's hottest nightclubs. Her dating roster also included designer Greg Chait, cyclist Lance Armstrong, and Oliver Peoples CEO David Schult.

In 2011, Olsen began dating actor Justin Bartha, and fans were sure this time their favorite would finally settle down. But after two years of vacations, red carpet appearances, and romantic strolls, the couple broke up.

For a while, Ashley's love life stayed out of the headlines. In 2015, news broke that the businesswoman was battling Lyme disease. The infection affected her joints, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and skin. She went through intensive treatment for several months, with her condition stabilizing before she started recovering.

In 2017, thirty-year-old Ashley fell hard for financier Richard Sachs, who was twice her age. The former actress was spotted vacationing with him in St. Barts, dating around New York, and looking absolutely smitten.

After several months, the couple called it quits with no explanation. The reason only became clear years later: 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.

Finally, in 2022, Ashley's fans discovered that their favorite star had tied the knot. The wedding was an intimate affair with around fifty guests. In 2023, the couple welcomed their first child together. They named their firstborn Otto.

Ashley Olsen Now

In recent years, the Hollywood businesswoman has kept a low profile, just like her sister. But she still shows up at events, especially when her brand The Row is unveiling new collections.

The Olsen twins have won "Designer of the Year" honors multiple times, and in 2024, they debuted their new Spring-Summer collection in Paris. The collection showcased their signature monochrome palette with bold pops of color: a bright yellow scarf under a crisp white trench coat, azure sandals, and a crimson windbreaker. An asymmetrical cobalt blue top paired with a lemon-yellow bag was a particular crowd-pleaser.

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 made their mark in 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 presence. She became popular thanks to her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. The youngest Olsen always worried her famous sisters' fame would overshadow her own efforts: "I worked harder to be as prepared as possible and to feel that I really deserved what I have," she said.

From childhood, Ashley played the more reserved, serious characters while her sister—a natural lefty—got cast as the mischievous, adventurous types.

In their very first film, the twins had to wear dental prosthetics. Like all kids, they lost their baby teeth, which messed up that perfect "Hollywood" smile. Some viewers sarcastically pointed out that the "Full House" characters had noticeable gaps in their childhood—though you couldn't say the same 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 embraced the fast fashion 'see-now-buy-now' mentality and opened the floodgates, they've dedicated their entire adult lives to the opposite. They're the type of designers obsessed with details, where huge emphasis gets measured in the smallest millimeters. Their stores in Los Angeles, London, and New York are temples of Zen—showcasing priceless art and legendary 20th-century furniture, plus sculptural rails of sacred, double-sided cashmere and menswear-inspired coats. There is also a commercial range of Florentine soaps, Parisian scents, archival Japanese fashion, and jewels worthy of a Maharani."

Ashley Olsen: latest news and articles

Choose the sweetest Hollywood siblings

28 Jan 2019

Photos: Ashley Olsen