Dylan Sprouse compares early acting career to 'child labour' in brutal admission
Dylan Sprouse has compared his early acting career to 'child labour' in a candid admission.
The 34-year-old American actor skyrocketed to fame at the young age of 12 after starring in Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody alongside his twin brother, Cole Sprouse.
However, before their big break when they were just infants, the twin brothers shared the role of Patrick Kelly in the sitcom Grace Under Fire from 1993 until 1998.
Sprouse has since opened up about what it was like being a child actor on his recently-launched Wildmen podcast alongside co-host Brendan Columbus and guest Mark Indelicato.
Advert
During the episode, Sprouse explained that he and Indelicato, famous for roles in Ugly Betty and Hacks, had known each other since he was around 12 or 13 years old.
"We worked together on an episode of The Suite Life," Sprouse shared.
Columbus then asked: "Did you sing and dance?"
"I did," Sprouse replied. "I sang and danced. I’m a Disney kid. I have to sing and dance."
He then praised his former The Suite Life co-star as 'one of the most talented actors I know', adding that they both grew up in the industry.
Sprouse then laughed: "It’s child labour. When you work a career at that age, some kids used to work in coal mines and guard the minecart door when they were 15; we just sang and danced.
"It’s still child labour."
He went on to admit he still has 'some mental hurdles as an adult acting now in the same industry', questioning whether he is always 'chasing' acting like a child in his work.
"We’re survivors, literally," Indelicato stated, prompting Sprouse to reflect on the 'workaholic attitude' he developed while working in showbiz from such a young age.
"It’s a full office job. I’ve described this to people a lot before. When you’re working on television, it’s a day job. You go in, you clock in, you clock out, you have a cubicle, you work, obviously. It’s, you know, you’re on a stage, and it’s different, but it’s the same hours," Sprouse said.
However, once this was 'gone', Sprouse said it left a 'void'.
"Because we’ve been doing it for so long, it feels like my self-esteem, for a long time, was tied integrally to my ability to work and be on set," he added, before acknowledging he was 'lucky' that he was able to receive support from his brother Cole and vice versa as they were going through the same thing.
Sprouse went on: "I was lucky enough to have an identical twin who experienced the exact same thing, right?"
Agreeing with Sprouse, Indelicato bravely shared his own 'anxiety' when he wasn't in work.
"We have to grapple with the reality of our lived experience, as does everyone, but I think what makes it a little bit different is that most people do not have our lived experience," he said.
"So we have to keep each other close as a means of being able to lament to people who understand."
Topics: Celebrity
Rhiannon Ingle