The Sprouse Twins’ Mom Encouraged Them to Be Different from Each Other as Kids — Here’s How They Did It
Cole Sprouse and Dylan Sprouse have always had distinct personalities, even though their careers often overlapped. Before they were even a year old, they were already acting together on Grace Under Fire, playing the son of Brett Butler.
In a 1999 interview with PEOPLE, their mother, Melanie Wright, shared that she raised them with the same values—chores, prayer, respect, and responsibility—while still supporting their individuality.
Dylan, who was born about 15 minutes before Cole, was more outgoing. He enjoyed listening to the Beastie Boys and once aspired to be a stuntman, inspired by his mom’s then-partner, Spike Silver. Cole, on the other hand, was more reserved, with interests in geology and music by Neil Young.
A Shared Gift for Acting
What truly connected them was their natural talent on screen. Adam Sandler, who worked with them in Big Daddy, once praised their performances as impressively good. Even as young children, their sense of humor stood out. When asked what they liked about each other, Dylan joked, “He’s a nut,” while Cole quipped, “Nothing—except he’s really nice.”
They later rose to fame as Disney Channel stars in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck. After their Disney years, their careers took different directions.
Cole moved into darker and more layered roles, especially as Jughead Jones on Riverdale, and later in Lisa Frankenstein alongside Kathryn Newton. Dylan gravitated toward romantic films, starring in After We Collided, Beautiful Disaster, and Beautiful Wedding.
Could They Share the Screen Again?
It’s been more than a decade since they last worked together in 2012, but Dylan has said he’d consider a reunion. Speaking on Live with Kelly and Mark (July 31), he joked that twin roles are often overly cheesy. He also teased Cole for being unimpressed with Tom Hardy playing dual roles in Legend.
Life Off-Screen
Outside of acting, both have focused on their personal lives. Dylan married model Barbara Palvin in Hungary on July 15, 2023, while Cole has been in a relationship with model Ari Fournier.
Despite their different paths, they remain close. During an appearance on Let’s Talk Off Camera in April 2024, Cole spoke warmly about Dylan and Barbara, calling them a perfect match. When asked about starting a family, he joked that maybe once they do, their dad might finally stop asking him the same question.
