How Much Money Did Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Earn From Full House?
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were a big part of "Full House," but were they paid fairly for their contributions? "Full House" is arguably one of the last great feel-good family comedies. "Full House" centered on The Tanner girls, their dad, and two honorary fathers (Dave Coulier and John Stamos) who moved in after the death of their mother. Candace Cameron played DJ Tanner, the oldest sister, while Stephanie Tanner was portrayed by Jodie Sweeten. So where did Mary-Kate and Ashley fit into the "Full House" cast? Well, they played the adorable Michelle Tanner who had everyone — especially her Uncle Jesse (Stamos) — wrapped around her little finger.
Between 1987 and 1995, the "Full House" cast and crew won numerous awards for their portrayals of the Tanner family, including several ASCAP and Young Artist awards. More importantly, "Full House" became such a pop culture mainstay that it warranted a reboot in 2016. And though "Fuller House" has since ended, Stamos is thinking of adding another show to the "Full House" universe. "There's a lot of energy still with that show," Stamos shared with E! News (via Deadline) in 2019. "And there's too much happiness that show has brought to a lot of people." Given that the Olsen twins decided not to act in "Fuller House," it's unlikely that they'll join the cast of a third spin-off. Still, "Full House" undoubtedly kicked off Mary-Kate and Ashley's careers.
Here's how much they made per episode.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen made $80,000 per episode
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were making $80,000 per episode by the time "Full House" went off the air, according to The Washington Post. Although it would've been nice if the twins were making this amount from the very first episode, their salaries matured as the show's popularity flourished. But even if they only made $80,000 an episode for the final season, which consisted of 24 episodes, that added up to $1.92 million per twin. Even a fraction of that across eight years would've wielded a nice sum for the young actors.
However, according to TMZ, the twins were only paid $1,650 per episode of "Full House" during the early years. The outlet also shadily pointed out that the child actors from "Fuller House" started out making considerably more than the twins, between $10,000 and $15,000 per episode, when the show premiered. Adjusted for inflation, it's possible that the new generation of Tanner kids wasn't really making that much more than Mary-Kate and Ashley did, but it's not a competition.
The Olsen twin's Full House salary doesn't compare to their fortune today
As kids, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were likely quite happy with their $80,000 paychecks. But The Olsen twins reached that financial milestone before they even became teenagers, which meant that they'd either possibly never develop a healthy respect for money or continue to build their wealth. Fortunately, they chose the second path. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the Olsen twins' careers have resulted in a collective $500 million net worth, which began with their time on "Full House." Their extensive collection of movie and television projects allowed them to avoid the career lull a few of their castmates faced after "Full House" ended.
Of course, The Olsen twins also eat from their famous fashion brands, The Row and Elizabeth and James, which the twins have prioritized over their acting endeavors over the past few years. In 2012, Ashley shared their reasoning behind shifting their energies. "I don't have to be a pretty face," shared Ashley with Elle UK (via Huff Post). "I've done that, but now it's important and liberating to be on the other side of the lens. I don't like to be the center of attention anymore." She continued, "It doesn't mean I'm not interested in Hollywood. I like the way it operates, I like the people who are involved and the sense of possibility. But if I ever get back in, it's not going to be as an actress."