Dylan and Cole Sprouse
Cole & Dylan Sprouse | |
|---|---|
| Born | Cole Mitchell Sprouse & Dylan Thomas Sprouse |
| Other names | Sprouse Bros, (Sprouse twins) |
| Occupation | Actors |
| Years active | 1993 — present |
| Website | http://www.sprousebros.com/ |
Cole Mitchell Sprouse & Dylan Thomas Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American actors who are identical twins. They are collectively referred to as Cole & Dylan, the Sprouse Bros., or the Sprouse Twins, and are known for their roles in the film Big Daddy, as Patrick Kelly in Grace Under Fire, Ross's son Ben on Friends (played by Cole), and for portraying the title characters on the Disney Channel sitcoms The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. As a result of the series' success, they have become "heartthrobs"[1] and "overwhelming draws"[2] among preteen and teen audiences.
Early lives
The Sprouses were born in Arezzo, Italy, to American parents Matthew Sprouse and Melanie Wright, who at the time were teaching at an English language school in Italy. Dylan, named after poet Dylan Thomas,[3] is 15 minutes older than Cole,[4] who is named for jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole.[5] The boys moved back to the United States, four months after their birth. They grew up in their parents' native Long Beach, California. Their parents divorced in 1997,[6] and they now live in Calabasas, California.[citation needed]
Acting careers
After a suggestion by their grandmother, Jonine Booth Wright, who was a drama teacher and actress, the Sprouses began acting at the age of six months. The twosome first appeared in a commercial for toilet paper switching on-screen time every few seconds. As with many identical twin actors, the two have often played the same role, allowing more time for the character to be filmed. At six months old, the two appeared on the ABC-TV series Grace Under Fire from 1993 to 1998, playing one character, Patrick Kelly.
In 1999, the boys appeared in their first major feature film, Big Daddy, in which they shared the role of a five-year old boy named 'Julian' who is adopted by Adam Sandler's character 'Sonny Koufax'. That year, the boys collaborated with Sandler on the second and third versions of The Chanukah Song (Dylan and The Drei-Dels in Part 3 and Cole in Part 2), and the boys also had a minor role in the thriller The Astronaut's Wife. The Sprouses have noted that after Big Daddy's release, the two entered into a slow period in their careers and were not cast in any major roles for a time.[1] During the early 2000s, the twins appeared in episodes of the The Nightmare Room and That '70s Show, as well as in MADtv: Season Four (1998-1999) (episode #425) and the feature films The Master of Disguise and a voice-over role in Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights. In 2001, Cole began appearing in episodes of the television show Friends, as Ross Geller's son Ben. Many people think it was a shared role, however their web site and other credible sources specify that Dylan did not appear in any episodes.
Between the years of 2002 and 2003, the two appeared in I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Just for Kicks, both of which were family films that received a direct-to-video release. The Sprouses were subsequently cast in the Disney Channel original series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, where they play identical twins Zack (Dylan) and Cody (Cole) Martin . The series, which debuted in March 2005, has become a ratings success[1] and the twins have become very well known among pre-teen and teen audiences. As part of their involvement with Disney, the brothers are now part of the 11-member group, the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, and sang the song A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes along with the members of the circle, for a video that was released as bonus material in the special edition version of the Disney film Cinderella. The Sprouses have also participated in the Disney Channel Games every year since 2006.
The Sprouses played one character, Jeremiah, in the independent film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, which was produced in 2004 but not given a theatrical release until March 2006, when it only played in three theatres across the United States, ultimately grossing $29,000 domestically.[7] In November 2006, the two began filming the Sony Pictures film The Prince and the Pauper, with Sally Kellerman, Ed Lauter and Dedee Pfeiffer, in Palm Beach, Florida; filming had begun in October and ended by December.[8] The Prince and the Pauper came out on DVD on February 5th, 2008. The two lent their voices to a movie called Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen, which also features the voices of fellow Disney Channel stars Brenda Song and Emily Osment.[9] Dylan played the voice of Shasta in Disney's "Snow Buddies." The brothers filmed Kings of Appletown which is based on Tom Sawyer. It was directed by Bobby Moresco, written by Amanda Moresco and also featured Victoria Justice from Nickelodeon's Zoey 101.[10] It was filmed in New Braunfels, Texas and is estimated to be released around Christmas 2008.[11]
"Sprouse Bros." brand
In September 2005, the Sprouses signed a licensing agreement with Dualstar Entertainment to create a new commercial brand entitled "Sprouse Bros", which includes DVD movies, CDs, clothing, sports gear, video games, ring tones and deodorants[1] targeted towards preteen and teen audiences. Dualstar partnered with Leisure Publishing LLC to create a magazine called Sprouse Bros. Code, targeting boys ages 8-14 with a guide on recent trends favored by the Sprouses; Cole Sprouse has stated that the magazine appeals to "people who are our age and boys. We don't want anything too girlie",[12] while Dylan has said that it will have "something that will appeal to everybody".[13] The first issue became available on July 18, 2006.[14]
In September 2006, the Sprouse brothers, represented by Dualstar Entertainment, signed a book deal with Simon Spotlight, a publishing company, to release a spy book series that utilizes the "Sprouse Bros." brand. The book series, which was scheduled for release in the summer of 2007, was described by the publisher as featuring the Sprouses as "young James Bonds or undercover agents".[15]
In June 2007, Simon & Schuster Inc. published the first two volumes of Sprouse Bros. 47 R.O.N.I.N. The series is about 15-year-old twin brothers Tom and Mitch (the Sprouses' middle names) who learn that their father and live-in butler are members of a rogue crime-fighting organization, R.O.N.I.N., which dates back to feudal Japan, that their father is in danger and that they have just been recruited to join their father's clan.[16]
Personal lives
Dylan Sprouse has stated that the experience of coming to fame after the success of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody is "kind of scary, how fast everything is moving. Just a year ago none of this was happening, it was just doing 'Suite Life,' and now I can't wait for what's in store..."[12] While filming The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, the two received on-set tutoring for three hours each day,[1] and claimed to be getting "straight As and honors".[3]
The Sprouses enjoy skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, basketball and motocrossing,[5] as well as working on drawing a comic strip, The Adventures of Tibblebu and Thumbin, based on a stuffed animal of Cole's.[17] Cole Sprouse's favorite school subjects are mathematics and science; he names The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as his favorite video game and Forrest Gump and Godzilla as the films he likes the most.[4] Dylan prefers history, dislikes mathematics, and enjoys playing the video games Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl; his favorite film is Napoleon Dynamite.[4] The twins have a dog named Bubba,[5] and their favorite actor and co-star is Adam Sandler.[4]
According to a May 2006 interview with Mad Kids magazine, the Sprouses do not speak Italian,[4] despite incorrect reports to the contrary:[18]
Cole says: "I can't say anything in Italian. "Pizza, per favore [sic]" maybe?"
Dylan says: "...I don't really speak Italian except for "spaghetti", "Italian ice" (Yum!), and "Ferrari".
Filmography
| Year | Title | Dylan's Role | Cole's Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Kung Fu Magoo[19] | Justin Magoo | Brad Landry | Voice role |
| 2008- | Disney Channel Games 2008 | Himself/Team Cyclones | Himself/Team Lightning | both were not in the first event. |
| Studio DC: Almost Live | Himself/Zack Martin | Himself/Cody Martin | Television special set to air on Disney Channel featuring The Muppets | |
| The Suite Life on Deck | Zack Martin | Cody Martin | Television series, sequel to The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | |
| Snow Buddies | Shasta | - | Voice role | |
| The Kings of Appletown | Will | Clayton | was filmed in New Braunfels, Texas | |
| 2007 | Disney Channel Games 2007 | Himself Green Team captain |
Himself Blue Team member |
|
| A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper | Tom Canty | Eddie Tudor | ||
| 2006 | The Emperor's New School | Zam | Zim | Guest appearance |
| Disney Channel Games 2006 | Himself Red Team member |
Himself Blue Team member |
||
| That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana | Zack Martin | Cody Martin | A Three-episode crossover special that joined 3 shows together. It is also the name of an episode from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody | |
| 2005-2008 | The Suite Life of Zack and Cody | Zack Martin | Cody Martin | Television Series |
| 2004 | The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things | Shared role | ||
| 2003 | Apple Jack | Shared role | ||
| Just For Kicks | Dylan Martin | Cole Martin | Direct-to-Video | |
| 2002 | Eight Crazy Nights | |||
| The Master of Disguise | Cameo Appearance | |||
| 2001 | Diary of a Sex Addict | Direct-to-Video | ||
| I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus | shared role | |||
| 2001 | The Nightmare Room | One episode | ||
| That '70s Show | Season 4, Episode 2 guest appearance | |||
| Friends | Ben Geller[20] | Cole Sprouse alone | ||
| 1999 | The Astronaut's Wife | Twin | Twin | |
| Big Daddy | Shared role | |||
| 1993 - 1998 | Grace Under Fire | Shared role | ||
Discography
References
- ^ a b c d e "The Early Show". The 'Suite Life' Of The Sprouse Twins.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Newsday.com". Tween shows, top ratings.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b James Brady (August 19, 2007). "In Step with Dylan & Cole Sprouse". Parade Magazine: 22.
- ^ a b c d e Mad Kids (2006). "The Mad Kids Chatroom: This Month: Dylan & Cole Sprouse". Mad Kids. 1 (#3): 26–28.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ a b c Popstar (2006). "Dylan & Cole take over the world!: House of Sprouse!". Popstar Special!: 90.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Dylan & Cole Sprouse". Retrieved 2007-12-29.
- ^ "Box Office Mojo.com". THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Palm Beach County hosts 'Suite' twins for upcoming flick". Palm Beach Post.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Dylan Sprouse". Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse "Holidaze" Trailer.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Dylan and Coles Movie Site". Sprouse Twins' Movies.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "San Marcos Daily Record". Hollywood Crew filming in New Braunfels.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "The New York Times". Boys Just Want to Be ... Olsens (Page 2 of 2).
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The New York Times". Boys Just Want to Be ... Olsens (Page 3 of 3).
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "TeenPeople". Get Ready for the Sprouse Twins.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Book Standard". 14-Year-Old Celebrity Twin Actors Looking Forward to Providing Interesting Book Content. Retrieved 2006-09-23.[dead link]
- ^ ""Simon & Schuster Inc. Main Website"". The Revelation (Sprouse Bros. 47 R.O.N.I.N.).
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ BOP (2006). "Cole and Dylan Sprouse: "We draw"". BOP magazine: 54.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ The Internet Movie Database and several other trivia web sites have incorrectly suggested that the Sprouses speak Italian.
- ^ "Youth Impact Report '07 alumni update". Variety. October 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
- ^ "The Sprouse twins official bio". Retrieved 2007-12-23.
External links
- Sprouse Bros. – Official website
- Cole Sprouse at IMDb
- Dylan Sprouse at IMDb