Mary-Kate Olsen life and biography

Mary-Kate Olsen breakout role was on the show "Full House" when she was just nine months old. Due to strict child labor laws, she and her fraternal twin sister, Ashley Fuller Olsen, shared the role Michelle Tanner. After "Full House," Mary-Kate went on to star in numerous television programs and films as well as endorse a seemingly endless string of commercial products. She was also the first person called upon the discovery of Heath Ledger's body, raising some questions about her knowledge of the actor's sudden death.

Founded in 1993, the production company Dualstar was created to produce and merchandise films and TV shows starring Mary-Kate and Ashley, becoming an extremely profitable enterprise. Mary-Kate became joint CEO of Dualstar in 2004, securing her position in the Forbes celebrity rich list. Mary-Kate is the older sister of Elizabeth Olsen.

Since 2006, Mary-Kate has been pursuing acting roles independent of her sister and the "Mary-Kate and Ashley" tag. Her first part was a supporting role in the 2006 film Factory Girl. She has also starred in TV shows such as Weeds and Samantha Who?. The 2011 release Beastly is her first major role in a film without her sister Ashley.

Mary-Kate's personal life has also been the subject of tabloid attention. In 2004 her health and subsequent admittance to a treatment facility for anorexia nervosa were subject to intense tabloid attention. Following the death of Heath Ledger in early 2008 Mary-Kate received worldwide press attention speculating her connection to the case, however she was never interviewed by investigating officers. Her sometimes controversial fashion choices have often found her on both the best and worst dressed fashion lists, particularly for her decision to wear fur.

Olsen was born in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Jarnette (née Fuller), a personal manager, David Olsen, a real estate developer and mortgage banker, and elder sister of Elizabeth Olsen. Mary-Kate began her career in 1987, aged just nine months old, when she and her twin sister Ashley were given a shared role as Michelle Tanner on the television show Full House. The twins were cast as one character in the shared role because of labor laws that limited the amount of time children their age could work. By hiring twins, the producers were able to double the available filming time. The producers also liked that in their audition, Mary-Kate and Ashley loved playing their role and never cried.

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