Full House launched twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to stardom in their role as Michelle Tanner, but the sisters were credited as a single actor until the final season. The long-running ABC sitcom follows widowed father Danny Tanner as he raises three daughters in San Francisco with the help of his brother-in-law and childhood best friend. Having two actors play the youngest daughter, Michelle, made sense for the production of Full House but risked distracting the audience.
The ABC sitcom Full House ran from 1987-1995 with the same core cast for all eight seasons. At nine months old, fraternal twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen made their on-screen debut starring together as Michelle Tanner.
Child labor laws set strict limits on how long a child actor can work, which can negatively impact a production’s schedule. So, like many movies and shows featuring young children, Full House chose to cast twins in the role so that if one was unable to be on set, the other could step in.
Full House Credited Michelle As "Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen"
Instead of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen each receiving a credit for their part in playing Michelle Tanner, Full House credited them as a single actor under the name “Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen.” Although “Mary-Kate” received its own line above “Ashley Olsen,” it was presented as if “Ashley” were the actor’s middle name. The producers of Full House most likely did not want audiences to know Michelle was played by two actors because it would create an unnecessary distraction.
If audiences knew twins shared the role, they would undoubtedly try to spot the differences between the two, taking their attention away from the plot and onto a single character. However, the producers of Full House were willing to show Mary-Kate and Ashley acting side-by-side on occasion, and to add to the confusion, Michelle appears to be ambidextrous due to Mary-Kate and Ashley being left and right-handed, respectively.
Full House Finally Credited The Olsen Twins Properly In Season 8
The first season chose to skip the credit for Michelle all together, making seasons 2-7 the ones in which the t “Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen” credit appears. As Mary-Kate and Ashley grew older, however, telling them apart became easier. In season 8, Full House finally set the record straight and credited both “Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen” as Michelle Tanner.
It's difficult to tell Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen apart in their role as Michelle Tanner in Full House, which was the reason for their casting. The producers may have taken the guise a bit too far, though, when they decided to credit the two as one actor under the name “Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen." In the end, both Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen became household names thanks to their career-defining role.