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Former disney star dylan sprouse says acting kid child labor
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In Short: Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse has opened up about his experiences as a child actor, drawing parallels between his work and a full-time job.
Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse has opened up about his experiences as a child actor, drawing parallels between his work and a full-time job. Speaking on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, Sprouse expressed his ongoing 'mental hurdles' in the entertainment industry, noting that acting as a child was akin to 'working a full office job.
Sprouse, who starred alongside his brother Cole in 'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody' and 'The Suite Life on Deck,' shared insights into the pressures of growing up in the industry. 'I act like a kid anyway,' he said, reflecting on the workaholic attitude that came with his roles. Despite stepping away from acting to study video game design, Sprouse has since returned to the industry, feeling a 'void' each time a project ends.
In a candid conversation with fellow actor Mark Indelicato, Sprouse delved into the complexities of transitioning from a child star to an adult actor. 'It’s still child labor!' he exclaimed, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the challenges he faces. Sprouse's comments come as he copes with the legacy of his early career, which began in 1993 with his infant appearances on 'Grace Under Fire.
The actor's reflections on his childhood in the entertainment industry highlight the broader issue of child labor in Hollywood. Sprouse's experiences, shared with Hellomagazine, underscore the difficulties he and other child actors face in navigating the industry as adults. 'There's just not many opportunities for like, good twin roles that aren't taken by a single actor trying their hand at playing two people,' he noted, drawing attention to the limited options available to child actors.
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- "I definitely want to dive in and talk with him a little bit about some of that, how he’s coped growing up in the industry because, essentially, we’re beating around the bush, but it’s child labor," Dylan said.
- Sprouse brought the topic of child labor back up when he and Columbus were joined by Indelicato, who starred as Justin Suarez on "Ugly Betty" from ages 12 to 15.
- "[My father, Matthew Sprouse] desperately wanted us to be normal kids, and my mother wanted us to be a bit more of a caricature of two normal kids," he said on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast in March 2023.
- But it would be 2005, when they were 12 years old, when they became America's new favorite set of twins when they began starring as Zack and Cody Martin in Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
- Dylan explained he was most interested in diving into how Mark translated his fame as a child star into consistent work as an adult, most notably on the Emmy-winning comedy Hacks, citing his own "[expletive] mental hurdles" with working in Hollywood now.
- They continued with the show's spin-off, The Suite Life on Deck, until 2011, and Dylan continues to act.