Gender: | Male |
Date of birth: | August 4, 1992 (age 32) |
Place of birth: | Arezzo, Italy |
Role(s): | Zack Martin (Dylan) Cody Martin (Cole) |
Other Notable Projects: | Grace Under Fire Big Daddy The Prince and the Pauper |
Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse, commonly referred to as the Sprouse Bros. or Sprouse Twins, are the portrayers of the protagonists in the popular Disney Channel show The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and the spin-off movie.
Besides The Suite Life series, the twins are also known for their role in Adam Sandler's Big Daddy, in which they both played the same character (Julian McGrath) in different scenes. Because of their work in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck, the twins have become very popular among kids aged nine to sixteen, notably becoming heartthrobs to many fans.
Biography[]
Identical twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse were born in Arezzo, Italy, on August 4, 1992, to parents Matthew Sprouse and Melanie Wright. Dylan was named after the poet Dylan Thomas. For many years, people have assumed Cole was named after the jazz singer Nat King Cole, but in an interview, the actor stated it wasn't true. Despite being born in Italy, the twins were raised in their parents' hometown of Long Beach, California.
In the end of the summer of 1993, the twins began their first role at eight months old in a toilet paper commercial, apparently getting the role because they were the only babies in the room that were not crying. They would switch off-screen for several scenes. Later that year, at the age of eight months, and until 1998, the two got a dual role as Patrick Kelly in Grace Under Fire, again switching for one another during different scenes.
In 1997, Dylan and Cole's parents divorced.
In 1999, the twins landed their first major role in Big Daddy, a feature film starring Adam Sandler, marking what would be the beginning of their feature acting career. Following this movie, they jumped around to minor roles in The Astronaut's Wife, The Chanukah Song, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, and Just for Kicks, among others. Returning to work with Adam Sandler once more, the two had voice-acting roles for his feature film, Eight Crazy Nights.
After being involved with a few direct-to-video family movies, the twins were approached by Disney, where Danny Kallis had an idea to base a television show off their lives, living in hotels as they went across the country to perform in different productions. Though the series was initially to be titled The Suite Life and then The Suite Life of Dylan & Cole, the characters' names were changed to Zack and Cody.
Along with their work on The Suite Life, they also starred in films such as The Prince and the Pauper and Adventures in Appletown.
Aside from acting, the twins developed their own brand (the "Sprouse Bros. brand") and started their own book series, 47 R.O.N.I.N., about teenage brothers who become spies for their undercover dad.
In 2008, after The Suite Life of Zack & Cody aired its 87th episode, a spin-off was introduced, that would have taken their characters away from their home life into a ship, where they would learn to live like young adults.
After concluding production on their third season, the twins stated that they would be attending New York University, though the production of the show remained unknown.
In late 2010, an announcement was made by Disney that there would be a movie made from the series, which would also star Dylan and Cole.
Notable filmography[]
Title | Year(s) running | Part(s) played | Awards won | Award nominations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grace Under Fire | 1993–1998 | Patrick Kelly (dual role) | N/A | ||
Big Daddy | 1999 | Julian McGrath (dual role) | 1 (Dylan), 1 (Cole) | 3 (Dylan), 3 (Cole) | |
Eight Crazy Nights | 2002 | KB Toys toy soldier | N/A | ||
Just 4 Kicks | 2003 | Dylan Martin (Dylan), Cole Martin (Cole) |
N/A | Origin of the twins' fictional last names in the Disney sitcom, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. | |
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | 2005–2008 | Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole) |
4 (Dylan), 3 (Cole) | 6 (Dylan), 7 (Cole) | |
The Prince and the Pauper | 2007 | Tom Canty (Dylan), Eddie Tudor (Cole) |
N/A | ||
According to Jim | 2008 | Themselves | N/A | Small guest appearance as themselves. | |
Snow Buddies | Shasta (Dylan) | N/A | Voice role. | ||
The Suite Life on Deck | 2008–2011 | Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole) |
2 (Dylan), 1 (Cole) | 2 (Dylan), 3 (Cole) | |
Kung Fu Magoo | 2009 | Justin Magoo (Dylan), Brad Landry (Cole) |
N/A | Voice roles; co-starred with Alyson Stoner, known for playing Max in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. | |
The Kings of Appletown | Will (Dylan), Clayton (Cole) |
N/A | |||
I'm in the Band | 2010 | Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole) |
N/A | Only in: "Weasels on Deck", a crossover episode with The Suite Life on Deck. | |
The Suite Life Movie | 2011 | Zack Martin (Dylan), Cody Martin (Cole) |
N/A |