Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) is an American actor, producer, executive producer, fashion designer and fashion model. She has had a successful acting career beginning at a very young age, in roles with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen.1
Career
Working as a twin Ashley Olsen began her career at the age of nine months, when she and her sister Mary-Kate were hired for the role of Michelle Tanner on the popular television series Full House in 1987. To comply with strict child labor laws regarding child actors, Ashley and Mary-Kate took turns during taping of the show. Both girls were credited as "Mary Kate Ashley Olsen" in an attempt to deter audiences from coming to the realization that the girls were in fact twins playing the role of Michelle Tanner.
Following Full House, Ashley released a string of successful straight-to-video movies and became a popular figure in the preteen market during the late '90s and early 2000s. Her name became a cottage industry, with her likeness seen in clothes, books, fragrances, magazines, movies and posters. There were even fashion dolls of her made by Mattel from 2000-2005.
She starred in the video series The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley, the ABC show Two of a Kind, and ABC Family's So Little Time. She was ranked number three on the VH1 program 100 Greatest Child Stars.
Her most recent theatrical venture was in the light-hearted romantic comedy, New York Minute, also starring Eugene Levy. The film was expected to launch her into more serious adult roles, but was a box office flop.
Fashion designer
Following a high volume of public interest in their fashion choices, both work in collaboration on a string of fashion lines available to the public.
Starting as young girls, they have a clothing line in Wal-Mart stores across America for girls ages 4-14 as well as a beauty line called "Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real fashion for real girls". In 2004 they made news by signing a pledge to allow all the workers that sew their line of clothing in Bangladesh full maternity leave. The National Labor Committee, which organized the pledge, later praised the twins for their commitment to worker rights. The director of the organization, Charles Kernaghan, is quoted as saying, "The Olsen twins have done the right thing. Now it is up to Wal-Mart to either support Mary-Kate and Ashley’s commitment to women’s rights, or tragically to shut them down."2 However their collaboration with Wal-Mart tarnished their fashionable reputations amongst the fashion industry until they were tapped as the faces of upscale fashion line Badgley Mischka in 2006, in an attempt to gain credibility in the fashion industry after their association with Wal-Mart.3
In a more matured fashion project, Ashley and her sister have released The Row, a high-end fashion line inspired by London's Savile Row, the line a direct reflection of their own popular personal style. The line features shirts and tank tops selling for hundreds of dollars each. The clothing is sold at high-end retailers such as Barneys, Maxfield, Harvey Nichols, Brown's, and others around the world.
Ashley and Mary-Kate continued their expansion in the fashion industry with the Fall '07 launch of Elizabeth & James, their contemporary collection inspired by many of their unique vintage finds and pieces in their personal wardrobes.
Public image
Controversy
Though her fashion choices have become somewhat popular, Olsen has not been without criticism for her wearing and promotion of fur.4 In 2006, she was included on PETA's 2006 Worst Dressed list for wearing fur and is often a target of their anti-fur campaigning.
Personal life
Ashley dated a Columbia University quarterback, Matt Kaplan, from February 2001 - May 2004. Since then, she has been linked to restaurateur Scott Sartiano (September 2004 - June 2005), actor/singer Jared Leto (July 2005), businessman Greg Chait (July 2005 - January 2007) and cyclist Lance Armstrong (October 2007),Ashley's last boyfriend,Actor Justin Bartha (May 2008-October 2008) Ashley is currently single.
Legal suits
In 2005, Ashley filed a $40 million lawsuit against tabloid magazine National Enquirer for printing a headline reading "Ashley Olsen Caught In Drug Scandal," with a story accompanied by a photo of Ashley with her eyes half-closed. The lawsuit stated that the photo was clearly used to create a misrepresentation of Olsen under the influence of drugs. Olsen completely denied the accusations and said that she has not and does not use or sell illegal drugs. The suit consisted of $20 million in libel damages and $20 million in false light invasion of privacy damages. Per her suit, Ashley Olsen and her lawyers believe that "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 rag's profits."5
Filmography
- Further information: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen#Selected filmography
Awards and nominations
See also
Further reading
References
External links
