‘Full House’ star Jodie Sweetin says she drifted apart from Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen after the show

Actor recalls friendship shifts after 1980s sitcom and later reunion at Bob Saget memorial in 2022

Jodie Sweetin has spoken about how her close childhood friendship with Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen gradually changed over time following their shared work on Full House. In a recent podcast interview, she reflected on what it was like growing up alongside the twins during the sitcom years and how their lives eventually moved in very different directions.

Sweetin played Stephanie Tanner on Full House, which aired from the late 1980s into the mid 1990s. The Olsen twins jointly portrayed her younger sister Michelle Tanner. During the show’s run, the cast often spent time together off set, and Sweetin described a close bond during those early years, including visits, sleepovers, and family gatherings.

She explained that at the time she often took on a protective, older sister role with the twins, recalling shared childhood activities and time spent together outside filming. However, she noted that as they grew older, that closeness naturally changed.

Sweetin said that after Full House ended, their contact became less frequent. The Olsen twins eventually stepped away from acting and built a successful fashion career, co founding luxury brand The Row and focusing heavily on life outside the entertainment industry. Sweetin, meanwhile, continued acting and later returned for the Fuller House revival, which did not include Mary Kate or Ashley Olsen.

She explained that there was no conflict between them, but rather a gradual separation as their lives took different paths. She said, "It was not about bad blood, we just ended up living very different lives and drifting apart over time."

Sweetin also recalled that she did see the twins on occasion at family related events in the years following the original series, although those meetings became less common as time went on. One of the most notable reunions she mentioned took place after the death of co star Bob Saget in 2022, when members of the Full House cast came together in mourning.

She described that gathering as a rare moment where the group felt united again, noting that despite years passing, the dynamic briefly felt familiar. She said it was a reminder of their shared history, even if their day to day lives had moved in separate directions.

Sweetin emphasised that while they are no longer in regular contact, she still holds affection for the Olsen twins and respects the path they chose away from Hollywood.