Cole Sprouse has said he and his twin brother Dylan were robbed of having a normal childhood by their “narcissistic” mom who wanted to live off their fame and money. In an interview on Steven Bartlett’s “Diary of a CEO” podcast, Cole said the brothers started their career at eight months old and never really stopped.
While Cole insists he was never forced to do acting, he “unconsciously” did it so the family could eat and pay bills.
“I would hardly call it pushing because I was eight months old,” he explained. “Single mom, two twin boys, put food on the table, so the choice never really existed.”
Cole and Dylan Sprouse became an immediate success in Hollywood, and their mom took advantage of that and began “living vicariously through the success of her children.”
Cole and Dylan Sprouse had a difficult relationship with their mom
“A person that grapples with mental illness, drug abuse, but primarily narcissism. A wicked narcissism,” the “Riverdale” star said.
Eventually, the court had to get involved as Cole’s mom was found to be “unfit” to raise her children.
Meanwhile, Cole struggled with fame. He loved the job of acting, but the scene in Hollywood was difficult for a young boy.
“I loved being on stage. I didn’t like the sh*t that came with it,” Cole said. “This industry encourages the worst qualities of you… selfishness, greed. You know, authenticity and vulnerability are not really encouraged traits. You’re given these lessons in your life so that you can triumph over them and use the traits that you’ve acquired from those lessons over time to carve out who you are.”
He went on to say that social media has made this even worse for young stars, putting on more pressure than ever before.
“The proliferation of social media means you can’t cut your Teeth In silence anymore. Everyone sees your portfolio globally. And you’re expected to put it on display,” he said. “I feel quite afraid for young actors now who have to hone their craft over time, but to a global audience.”
