Cole & Dylan Sprouse

Infobox actor
name = Cole & Dylan Sprouse


birthname = Cole Mitchell Sprouse & Dylan Thomas Sprouse
birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1992|08|4
birthplace = Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy
yearsactive = 1993 — present
othername = Sprouse Bros.
homepage = http://www.sprousebros.com/
academyawards =
spouse =

Cole Mitchell Sprouse & Dylan Thomas Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American identical twin brother actors. They are collectively referred to "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"cite web | title=The Early Show | work=The 'Suite Life' Of The Sprouse Twins|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/06/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main1781268.shtml | accessmonthday=July 6 | accessyear=2006] and "overwhelming draws"cite web | title=Newsday.com | work=Tween shows, top ratings | url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-fftv4663642mar19,0,2560485.story?coll=ny-entertainment-bigpix | accessmonthday=April 15 | accessyear=2006] 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,cite journal|author=James Brady|title= In Step with Dylan & Cole Sprouse|journal =Parade Magazine|date=August 19, 2007|pages=22|url=http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_08-19-2007/In_Step_With...Dylan_and_Cole ] is 15 minutes older than Cole,cite journal | author=Mad Kids | title= The Mad Kids Chatroom: This Month: Dylan & Cole Sprouse | journal=Mad Kids | month=May | year=2006 | volume=1 | issue=#3 | pages=26–28 | url= ] who is named for jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole.cite journal | author=Popstar | title=Dylan & Cole take over the world!: House of Sprouse! | journal=Popstar Special! | month=June | year=2006 | volume=- | issue=- | pages=90 | url= ] The twins 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, [cite web|title=Dylan & Cole Sprouse|url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-suite-life-of-zack-and-cody/profile/cole-sprouse.aspx|accessdate=2007-12-29] and they now live in Calabasas, California.Fact|date=October 2008

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. Starting when they were only six months old, the two starred on the ABC-TV series "Grace Under Fire" from 1993 to 1998, playing one character, Patrick Kelly.

In 1999, the twins appeared in their first major feature film, "Big Daddy", in which they shared a role of a five-year old boy named 'Julian' who is adopted by Adam Sandler's character 'Sonny Koufax'. That year, the twins 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 twins also had a minor role in the thriller "The Astronaut's Wife". The Sprouses have noted that after "Big Daddys release, the two entered into a slow period in their careers and were not cast in any major roles for a time. During the early 2000s, the twins appeared in episodes of the "The Nightmare Room" and "That '70s Show", as well as in ' (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 started 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 starred 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 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 played in a total of three theatres across the United States, ultimately grossing $29,000 domestically.cite web | title=Box Office Mojo.com | work=THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heartisdeceitfulaboveallthings.htm | accessmonthday=April 14 | accessyear=2006] In November 2006, the two began filming the Sony Pictures film "The Prince and the Pauper", which also starred Sally Kellerman, Ed Lauter and Dedee Pfeiffer, in Palm Beach, Florida; filming had begun in October and ended by December.cite web | title=Palm Beach Post | work=PALM BEACH COUNTY HOSTS 'SUITE' TWINS FOR UPCOMING FLICK | url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2006/11/12/a2a_jose_col_1112.html | accessmonthday=November 15 | accessyear=2006] "The Prince and the Pauper" came out on DVD on February 5th, 2008. The two also lent their voices to a movie called "", which also features the voices of fellow Disney Channel stars Brenda Song and Emily Osment.cite web | title=Dylan Sprouse | work=Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse “Holidaze” Trailer | url=http://www.dylan-sprouse.org | accessmonthday=November 30 | accessyear=2006] Dylan also played the voice of Shasta in Disney's "Snow Buddies." As of late November 2007, they are filming a new movie called Kings of Appletown which is based on Tom Sawyer. It is directed by Bobby Moresco and written by Amanda Moresco. Also starring in it is Victoria Justice from Nickelodeon's Zoey 101.cite web | title=Dylan and Coles Movie Site | work=Sprouse Twins' Movies | url=http://www.sprousemovies.com/SprouseMovies/Home.html | accessmonthday=December 3 | accessyear=2007] It is being filmed in New Braunfels, TX and is estimated to be released around Christmas 2008.cite web | title=San Marcos Daily Record | work=Hollywood Crew filming in New Braunfels |url=http://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/features/local_story_312120303.html |accessmonthday=December 3 | accessyear=2007]

"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 will include DVD movies, CDs, clothing, sports gear, video games, ring tones and deodorants targeted towards preteen and teen audiences. Dualstar has partnered with Leisure Publishing LLC to create a magazine called Sprouse Bros. Code, which will target boys ages 8-14 with a guide on recent trends favored by the Sprouses; Cole Sprouse has stated that the magazine will appeal to "people who are our age and boys. We don't want anything too girlie",cite web | title=The New York Times | work=Boys Just Want to Be ... Olsens (Page 2 of 2) | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/30/fashion/sundaystyles/30TWINS.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1 | accessmonthday=April 29 | accessyear=2006] while Dylan has said that it will have "something that will appeal to everybody".cite web | title=The New York Times | work=Boys Just Want to Be ... Olsens (Page 3 of 3) | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/30/fashion/sundaystyles/30TWINS.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1 | accessmonthday=April 29 | accessyear=2006] The first issue became available on July 18, 2006.cite web | title=TeenPeople | work=Get Ready for the Sprouse Twins | url=http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/article/0,22196,1187633,00.shtml | accessmonthday=April 28 | accessyear=2006]

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 will utilize the "Sprouse Bros." brand. The book series, which was scheduled for release in the summer of 2007, has been described by the publisher as featuring the Sprouses as "young James Bonds or undercover agents".cite web | title=The Book Standard | work=14-Year-Old Celebrity Twin Actors Looking Forward to Providing Interesting Book Content | url=http://www.thebookstandard.com/bookstandard/news/hollywood/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003155202 | accessdate=2006-09-23]

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.cite web | title="Simon & Schuster Inc. Main Website" | work=The Revelation (Sprouse Bros. 47 R.O.N.I.N.) | url=http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=1&pid=534672 | accessmonthday=August 22 | accessyear=2007]

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..."cite web | title=The New York Times | work=Boys Just Want to Be ... Olsens (Page 2 of 2) | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/30/fashion/sundaystyles/30TWINS.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1 | accessmonthday=April 29 | accessyear=2006] While filming "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody", the two received on-set tutoring for three hours each day, and claimed to be getting "straight As and honors". In an interview published in August 2007 edition of J-14, Dylan said that the last girl he had dated was Miley Cyrus after she guest starred on The Suite Life. The Sprouses enjoy skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, basketball and motocrossing, as well as working on drawing a comic strip, "The Adventures of Tibblebu and Thumbin", based on a stuffed animal of Cole's.cite journal | author=BOP | title=Cole and Dylan Sprouse: "We draw" | journal=BOP magazine | month=May | year=2006 | volume=- | issue=- | pages=54 | url= ] Cole Sprouse's favorite school subjects are mathematics and science; he names "" as his favorite video game and "Forrest Gump" and "Godzilla" as the films he likes the most. 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". He has also stated that he has ADD.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnVewgoadXg] The twins have a dog named Bubba, and their favorite actor and co-star is Adam Sandler.

According to a May 2006 interview with "Mad Kids" magazine, the Sprouses do not speak Italian, despite incorrect reports to the contrary: [The Internet Movie Database and several other trivia web sites have incorrectly suggested that the Sprouses speak Italian.]

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

References

External links

* [http://www.sprousebros.com/ Sprouse Bros.] – Official website
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