Where Are They Now: Dylan and Cole Sprouse

Erica Witte, Blogger

Dylan and Cole Sprouse are identical twins, but everyone knows Dylan is cuter. Maybe it has something to do with their respective roles on “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody;” Dylan played Zack, the cool ladies’ man, while Cole played Cody, the geeky bookworm. Although they’re best known for their roles in the Disney Channel show, their acting careers started when they were in diapers … literally. Their first big break was a diaper commercial at eight months where, as in many of their early roles, they both played a single character. Essentially, they were the boy versions of Mary-Kate and Ashley in “Full House.” Cole, however, was the only twin selected to play Ben Geller on “Friends,” which is one of my favorite credits of his. Well, I guess Cole was cuter to begin with, but he clearly had an awkward puberty stage when “The Suite Life” premiered, unlike his twin.

The show ran from 2005 to 2008 and then transformed into the spinoff, “The Suite Life on Deck,” from 2008 to 2011, finally culminating with “The Suite Life Movie” in 2011. The boys also launched a brand, which included comic books, a magazine, a clothing line and even a personal hygiene line. Who knew? 

Anyway, everyone who’s anyone agrees “The Suite Life” was one of the best Disney Channel shows of our time. I don’t even want to get into the junk they’re spewing today. Mr. Moseby, Maddie Fitzpatrick, London Tipton and Esteban will always live on in my heart, as well as the twins’ classic handshake (skip to :34).

One of the sadder moments of my life was when I learned the Sprouses were enrolling at New York University the same year my sister was transferring. I had so carefully planned a casual run-in during one of my visits where I wouldn’t pretend to be a crazed fan (even though I was), and we’d become the best of friends.

Every once in a while I look them up to see what they’ve been up to at NYU. Dylan is focusing on video game design, while Cole studies humanities and archaeology … wait, no wonder Cole played Ben Geller — his TV father, Ross, is a paleontologist. It all makes sense now.

In more exciting news, Dylan joined the club of Disney stars to take nude selfies! They were leaked online for your viewing pleasure right before the turn of the new year. He blamed the incident on his untrustworthy friends, while adding he took the photos because he thought he looked hot. “Whoops, guess I’m not 14 and fat anymore,” he tweeted Dec. 15 after the leak. He followed up the next day with, “At least you can’t see my third testicle.” Well, that probably scored him a few more Twitter followers. See? I knew Dylan was the cool one from the start.

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Twitter: @ericawitte