Everyone was extremely disappointed when they found out that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen would not be making an appearance or joining the cast of the Full House reboot Fuller House on Netflix. It seems like the twins wanted nothing to do with the show.
Needless to say, both the Fuller House cast and even the fans were bummed to hear that the Olsen twins would not be participating in the new Netflix show. They could have made a small cameo appearance during season one, but even that was too much of a commitment for them. How rude, right?
Because of how inflexible they’ve been, a lot of their Full House co-stars couldn’t help but throw a little shade in their direction. Here’s everything fans need to know about the Olsen twins and their relationship with the Fuller House cast from the good, the bad, and just the plain ugly.
20. FULL HOUSE HELPED THEM BECOME HOUSEHOLD NAMES
No matter how you spin it, Full House is the reason why we are even talking about the Olsen twins in the first place. They became household names thanks to the show. And yes, they grew up in front of our very own eyes, too. “It’s sort of true that the Olsen twins cried a lot,” John Stamos confirmed during the 2015 Television Critics Association’s press tour. “It was very difficult to get the shot. So I [said], ‘Get them out!’ That is actually 100 percent accurate. They brought in a couple of unattractive redheaded kids. We tried that for a while and that didn’t work. [Producers] were like, all right, get the Olsen twins back. And that’s the story.”
19. AND IT JUMP-STARTED THEIR SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL LIVES
Even though Full House was massively successful during the show’s prime, it also helped jump-start Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s successful acting gigs. Even though they didn’t star in any blockbuster hits, they did have a pretty big catalog of made-for-television and DVD hits that were a big deal back in the 1990s (this was before Netflix was our go-to and one stop shop for all our favorite movies). While the rest of the Full House alums were trying to find their footings in the entertainment world, the Olsen twins were enjoying their post-Full House success with their popular movies.
18. THEIR FANS WERE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THEM
Everyone except for the Olsen twins returned to Netflix’s Fuller House, which ended up being a huge let down for fans. Executive producer Robert L. Boyett said in a statement, “Although Ashley and Mary-Kate will not be a part of Fuller House, I know how much Full House has meant to them and they are still very much considered family,” he said. “It has been exciting to see how they have built their professional [jobs], and I support their choice to focus on their fashion brands and various business endeavors. I appreciate their support and good wishes towards Fuller House.”
17. JOHN STAMOS AND HIS SOCIAL MEDIA BEEF WITH THE OLSEN TWINS
Believe it or not, John Stamos tried so hard to get the Olsen twins to appear on Fuller House, that it even turned out into a public feud between him and the girls! The Olsen twins claimed that they didn’t know about the reboot, which John says is completely untrue. “Everybody knew about it; everybody was asked,” Stamos said in the interview with MTV. “I made sure it became a favored-nations thing, so we all make the same amount. Obviously, the twins have a different thing. We’re doing 13 episodes, so if they want to change their minds, we’d love to have them… but we only need one!”
16. DAVE COULIER SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THEM
If that weren’t enough, Dave Coulier also went on the record to state that he felt very disappointed that the girls didn’t want to participate in the Netflix reboot. After it was announced that Full House would be returning to Netflix, Dave did the media rounds and was asked about the Olsen twins. He said that while it was great to see the entire gang back together, it would have been even nicer if the Olsens would have come back, too. So far Mary-Kate and Ashley have made no comments about it and don’t plan to, either. They want nothing to do with the show.
15. CANDACE CAMERON-BURE HAS KEPT HER DISTANCE FROM THEM
Candace Cameron-Bure is the kind of person who seems to get along with just about everyone, both in front and behind the cameras. But when it comes to the Olsen twins, that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. Even though others have campaigned for the Olsen twins to return to the show, Candace has kept her distance away from them. She refuses to even comment on them. According to TV Web, Candace said, “You heard it from me first: They will never come back! They are never coming back on the show! They don’t want to be on the show. The answer’s no!”
14. BOB SAGET IS MORE THANKFUL FOR THE FANS THAN THE OLSEN TWINS
Bob Saget, who played lovable if not the goofy Danny Tanner on the original series, says that one of the reasons why Full House came back is because of their die-hard fans. Even though the show hasn’t been around for almost two decades, the fans are the reason why they are back. With that being said, Bob admits that he is more thankful for the show’s fans than for the Olsen twins, who refuse to be associated with the new show. However, it’s been noted that Bob is still in touch with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, even though they almost never see each other.
13. THE REST OF THE CAST GAVE UP ON TRYING TO MAKE THEM JOIN
After multiple attempts, the cast just gave up on trying to make the Olsen twins join the show. Sure, it would have been great to have Michelle Tanner join in on the shenanigans, but it’s never going to happen. “Personally, I’ve given up asking them,” says Full House/Fuller House creator Jeff Franklin in an interview with TVLine. “The door is open, but I’m not going to be calling them anymore to invite them. They just don’t seem interested in coming. It’s been three years of invitations, so they know the door is open. It’s up to them to decide if they want to come play or not.”
12. THE TWINS SIMPLY WEREN’T INTERESTED IN JOINING FULLER HOUSE
Simply put, the Olsen twins just weren’t interested in joining Fuller House and were not going to participate in the show no matter how hard the cast and crew tried to force them. Ashley Olsen even said that she apparently had “no idea” the show was in the works. Ashley told Women’s Wear Daily, “We just found out about it today. I guess we’re going to talk to the creators and see what’s happening… I’m [surprised] I haven’t heard from John [Stamos]. I ran into Bob [Saget] the other day and we didn’t even talk about it… I’m going to call [Saget] and get his perspective.”
11. EVEN ELIZABETH OLSEN DIDN’T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SHOW
If that weren’t enough, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen’s sister Elizabeth Olsen was even hounded about the show. There was some speculation that because the twins didn’t want to do it, Elizabeth could have stepped in to play Michelle. But as you can imagine, she didn’t want to have any part in it, either. Seeing how she’s a huge Marvel star now, it just wasn’t up her alley. “That was weird because it was also like, ‘Leave me out of this. This has nothing to do with me,'” she explained during a recent episode of the Everything Iconic With Danny Pellegrino podcast.
10. CRITICS THINK THE ‘FULLER HOUSE’ CAST NEED TO GIVE THE OLSEN TWINS A BREAK
And while a lot of people can’t stop talking about how the Olsen twins supposedly “hurt” the reboot by refusing to reprise their role as Michelle Tanner, others think it’s about time we all give them a break. A lot of fans were upset that so many critics refused to respect their decision not to participate in the reboot. After all, it wasn’t as if they were contractually obligated to join the cast. It’s been decades since the show was on the air and Mary-Kate and Ashley simply didn’t want to take a step backward, seeing how they’ve taken so many steps forward.
9. MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY OLSEN QUIT ACTING – PERIOD
Many fans also took into consideration that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have quit Hollywood, period. They haven’t acted in years and had no desire to go back to it, either. Instead, they are fashion designers who are more involved in the fashion world than in Hollywood. And it’s a step forward that they are most proud of taking. Mary-Kate once said, “The way I see it, you have to take every chance you get because there may not be another one. You have to learn from your mistakes because nobody’s perfect. You have to laugh, love & live every day as if it’s your last.”
8. THEY WANT TO BE SEEN AS FASHIONISTAS, NOT ACTORS
With that being said, the Olsen twins want to be seen as fashionistas, not actors. Sure, they were child actors during their prime, but it wasn’t like it was a decision they made. They were in front of the cameras before they were even out of their diapers. And because of that, they’ve been thrusted into the celebrity world, which they absolutely loathe. They dislike being in the spotlight. Mary-Kate said, “There was a photo of me with weird sunglasses on and a green sweatshirt, some striped thing, with tights and cowboy boots…I just saw that photo and thought, ‘God, I look crazy.’”
7. BEING CHILD ACTORS WORE THEM OUT
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have hinted that being child actors have definitely worn them out. They want nothing to do with the business. They’ve moved on with their lives and are happy with what they are doing now. Mary-Kate Olsen told The Edit just last year, “I have a husband, two step-kids, and a life; I have to go home and cook dinner. I ride horses on the weekends. You find the thing that helps you relax, and if you don’t have it, you have to look for it.”
6. THEY DISLIKE DOING MEDIA OR TALKING TO THE PRESS WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE TO
Should they have made the decision to join Fuller House, they would have had to make the media rounds, just like the rest of their former cast mates. And that’s one thing the Olsen twins dislike doing. They don’t like to talk to the press or be featured in the press for that matter. Mary-Kate said, “I would love to be able to swim in the ocean in Malibu. But that is asking for a bikini shot. That’s inviting something that I don’t want to happen. I don’t need to be on a ‘Who’s Skinny, Who’s [Not], Who’s Looking Healthy, Who’s Not Eating?’ list.”
5. FULLER HOUSE MADE FUN OF THE TWINS DURING SEASON 1
During the first season, Danny Tanner revealed that Michelle was too busy building her fashion empire in New York City to come home and reunite with the rest of the family. His statement was followed by a prolonged period of the cast looking directly into the camera (which is something they never do). They cast repeated the gag several times after the first episode. The cast stared at the camera after finding one of Michelle’s dresses in a store and once more after saying thanks before their Thanksgiving dinner…
Okay, so the jokes might have been lighthearted, but some also thought they were kind of passive aggressive.
4. BUT THEN AGAIN, THEY ARE DOING MUCH BETTER WITHOUT THEM
And while there was so much talk about all of the reasons why the Olsen twins didn’t want to participate in the show, others thought it was time to move on from the topic. After all, Fuller House was doing fine without them, even though a lot of fans did miss seeing Michelle Tanner on the canvas. While critics haven’t been very nice to the series, Fuller House fans have loved every moment of the show; so much so that they were renewed for a full five seasons. Michelle Tanner might be living the stylish life in New York, but the rest of the Tanner family were doing just fine back in San Francisco.
3. THE OLSEN TWINS HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LAST THEM AN ENTIRE LIFETIME
Let’s face it: the Olsen twins have enough money to last them an entire lifetime. Because of their successful made-for-DVD movies and their fashion empire, they don’t have to work another day in their lives. They can also retreat out of the spotlight and live normal lives, too, which is something they prefer to do. Mary-Kate said, “It’s weird to be called a celebrity or talk about it. I don’t talk about being a celebrity in my business meetings. I don’t talk about it with my friends. It’s not a part of my life. It’s a media perception of who I am.”
2. THEY ALSO HAVE A NEW LIFESTYLE BRAND WITH KOHL’S
Plus, the Olsen twins have other projects keeping them busy, including their lifestyle brand with the department store, Kohls. “Our vision for Elizabeth and James is to deliver a lifestyle brand that offers women access to premium fashion at an affordable price without sacrificing quality and fit,” Mary-Kate said in a press release. “Kohl’s is the right partner to take our brand into a new era, while staying true to the high-quality, fashion-forward designs that our loyal brand enthusiasts expect from us. Leveraging Kohl’s extensive store network and digital platform will also allow us to reach a much larger audience than we have in the past and for this, we are particularly excited.”
1. WHAT ABOUT THE SEASON 5 FINALE – WILL THEY MAKE A SURPRISE COMEBACK?
And while the Olsens have kept their distance from their former co-stars, the door is still wide open for them to return. But whether or not they decide to return remains in question. Even though John Stamos had his public feud with the girls, he still says that he would love for them to be on the show, and especially for season five and series finale. “They’re fully welcome, anytime,” Stamos said. “I love them… I understood why they didn’t want to come back. They have big lives, they haven’t acted in a while. But I love them dearly and they’re always welcome on our show.”