Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen Booted By Elizabeth On ‘Fuller House’ Due To Lyme Disease? Lori Loughlin Talks Twins Shade
When the news first broke that Full House cast members were returning to create a reboot called Fuller House, fans of Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen eagerly awaited to see how much the twins had changed since growing up on the original sitcom. But their hopes were dashed when producers revealed that the Olsen twins had decided not to participate in the first season. Now, with Season 2 given the green light, speculation is growing that Mary-Kate and/or Ashley still might do a cameo, as well as that their sister, Elizabeth Olsen, could step into the role of Michelle Tanner in their place.
However, Elizabeth has now stepped forward to take on those Fuller House rumors of a role, revealed E! News.
In contrast to her fashion world-focused sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley, Elizabeth has immersed herself in the world of film, and her newest movie, I Saw the Light, lights up theaters March 25. But as for that speculation that Olsen would step into the shoes of Michelle Tanner in Fuller House, Elizabeth denied reports that she had even been offered the role in the reboot.
Told that the rumor emulated from Jeff Franklin, captain of the Fuller House team, Elizabeth backed off of bad-mouthing him.
“[I] can’t say a bad word [about him because he’s] known me since I was an infant,” Olsen pointed out.
And Elizabeth also didn’t have anything negative to say about Fuller House after viewing the initial episode.
“It was great,” praised the 27-year-old sister of the Olsen twins.
However, hope that Mary-Kate and Ashley will still agree to appear on Fuller House remains, thanks to John Stamos (also known as Uncle Jesse). In his double role as actor and executive producer for the Netflix reboot, he was upset when only the Olsen twins refused to return to reprise their role.
Initially “heartbroken,” Stamos continues to aspire to get Mary-Kate and Ashley to take on the role during Season 2.
Although an insider revealed to E! News that Mary-Kate and Ashley have not modified their refusal to star on Fuller House, the creator of the show, Jeff Franklin, also is holding out hope.
“It’s like all family reunions—there’s always somebody that doesn’t show up,” he declared. “But hopefully next time around, we’ll have them back.”
In the interim, Fuller House has dealt with the absence of Michelle Tanner with jokes that some have interpreted as throwing shade at the Olsen twins, pointed out the Huffington Post.
At one point, for example, a character reveals that Michelle is not present because she’s busy controlling her New York fashion empire. All the cast stared at the camera in what many viewers interpreted as a moment of judgement. But were they really throwing shade at Mary-Kate and Ashley?
“You know, it’s funny. I think I was only a part of one of those moments, and it was just fun and tongue-in-cheek,” insisted Lori.
However, Loughlin also emphasized that she didn’t write those jokes or direct the cast to stare so memorably at the camera.
“But again, creatively, it wasn’t my decision,” stressed the actress. “I just showed up, read my script and took direction.”
As for whether Mary-Kate and Ashley might return for the second season of Fuller House, Loughlin neither confirmed nor denied the rumors.
“I don’t really know. I’m sure they’ll always be welcome, though,” added Lori.
However, another take on why the Olsen twins refused exists, as well as a report that Elizabeth actually was offered the role.
According to In Touch Weekly, John Stamos said that both he and Jeff Franklin called Elizabeth’s agent to get her to play Michelle Tanner in place of the Olsen twins.
“We talked to her agent and her agent was like, ‘Come on, she’s not going to do that,’ but we did call her agent,” insisted Stamos.
As for why Ashley and Mary-Kate refused, the Daily Mail reports that Ashley has been in poor health since being diagnosed with Lyme disease. Dealing with that condition may be taking its toll on both Ashley and her supportive twin, because the two were spotted leaving their New York office recently looking exhausted and depressed.
Mary-Kate wed Olivier Sarkozy, 46, about four months ago, but that didn’t seem to perk up her mood. However, Ashley’s enervating Lyme disease explains her look of fatigue, and is allegedly the reason that the Olsen twins opted out of Fuller House.
[Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images]
