When the Full House reboot was announced, many fans were hopeful that they would see their favorite character Michelle Tanner back on the show. The only problem with getting Michelle Tanner back on Full House was to convince Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the twins who played her for eight years, to come out of retirement from acting. Since the show ended, the two have enjoyed lucrative careers as heads of their own fashion empire, and unfortunately for Full House executives, they haven’t looked back on their acting career since.
Full House’s rebooted Netflix show, aptly titled Fuller House , features the characters DJ, Stephanie, and neighbor Kimmy as grown ups, balancing all life’s mysterious blunders, with their own brood of kids. Most of the show is focused on DJ (Candace Cameron Bure) and her children, and Stephanie (a DJ turned live in aunt), and Kimmy (also a live in aunt with her own kid to boot.)
Throughout season one, producer John Stamos went back and forth on whether or not the Olsen twins would make an appearance on the show. The star, who makes guest appearances from time to time, even called them out, when they claimed they hadn’t heard from anyone in regards to coming on the show. After a call with Mary-Kate Olsen to soothe things over, it sounded like Mary-Kate was considering reprising the role that she and her sister made famous, but the timing wasn’t right. At that point Stamos seemed hopeful that they could get Michelle Tanner back on the screen if not at the end of season one, then certainly for season two.
The end result is that the original cast came together in the first episode of Fuller House to explain Michelle’s absence. Like the actresses that portrayed them, Michelle was off in New York starting her fashion empire. It was a nice moment that got a lot of laughs and set the tone for the rest of the show. Other than that, Michelle’s name was sprinkled throughout the first season, but Mary-Kate Olsen never made it on to the set. Still, some were still hopeful that Michelle Tanner would be brought back to life for an episode for season 2. As it turns out, the hope is dwindling now that the cast is hard at work at the second season.
While Candace Cameron Bure said she wouldn’t hold her breath about the Olsen twins returning from the very beginning, now actress Jodie Sweetin is joining her in saying that seeing Michelle Tanner on screen is beyond hope.
Jodie Sweetin says that #FullerHouse has “given up” on a potential Olsen twins cameo: https://t.co/uk6Sb4lOGp pic.twitter.com/DM5jh8X4ox
— Vulture (@vulture) August 17, 2016
The actress spoke to ET and was asked about the possibility of getting the Olsen twins back on the show. “We’ve tried everything. I think we’ve kinda given up,” said Sweetin.
Producer Jeff Franklin said the following regarding the situation.
“I was honestly disappointed that they didn’t come and play with us for at least an episode, but the door is still open and everybody is still friends and I hope that someday they’ll decide that it seems like fun to come back and visit us. I’m hoping that will happen. They were missed.”
Back in March, John Stamos even said he was going to beg the twins to reprise the role.
“They’re totally welcome. I was going to see Ashley last night and beg her to be on the show. We would love to have them. I know everybody would love to see them. I have a good feeling about it.”
John Stamos May Still Be Trying To Get The Olsen Twins On Fuller House https://t.co/WB85hdC1e7 pic.twitter.com/iEfL45o9VV
— Relive The 80’s (@Relivethe80s) July 16, 2016
If Fuller House is so desperate to get Michelle Tanner on screen, will they look for other actresses to play her? Seeing as the Netflix series has branded the show on its authentic nostalgia factor, it seems highly unlikely, but there was another option the producers were scoping out.
At one point it was rumored that Elizabeth Olsen, the twins’ younger sister, was approached to be on the show, but her rep turned the idea down immediately.
Stamos told Andy Cohen for his SiriusXM radio show :
“We actually went to—I don’t think this has been talked about… I didn’t do it, I think Jeff Franklin did—I said, ‘Call the sister [Elizabeth Olsen]. Ask her’ … 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.”
Do you think the Olsen twins will appear on Fuller House ?
[Photo by Warner Bros.]