Although their famous sister Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision) is the family star now, she would’ve never gotten her name without the Olsen Twins - here's every movie the twin sisters did, ranked from worst to best. One couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in the ‘90s. From as young as six months old when they began starring on the hit TV show Full House, the Olsen twins haven’t stopped working hard. After the show ended in 1995 when they were eight years old, unlike most child stars who began to slow down, they only got more famous.
Mary-Kate and Ashley were born on June 13th, 1986, in Sherman Oaks, California, to David and Jarnette Olsen. The first six months of their lives were pretty standard until they auditioned for Full House and began filming at nine months old. Their lives haven’t been normal since. Aside from a few direct-to-video movies during the show, the Olsens stayed to their part as Michelle Tanner on Full House. Once the show ended, though, is when their careers really took off.
The Olsens starred in numerous direct-to-video movies, including To Grandmother’s House We Go (1992), Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993), and their mystery musical series The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, which aired from 1994-1997. After almost two decades of acting, their last roles on screen together was New York Minute (2004) when they were 18 years old. Mary-Kate acted for a few more years, featuring in 2011’s Beastly, but has strayed from the big and small screen since. The Olsen twins have lived relatively quiet lives since, focusing on their successful clothing line called “The Row,” which they began in 2006. Although they haven’t acted in years, not even in the Full House reboot Fuller House, fans will always connect the 1990s to the Olsens. Here is a list of every Olsen Twins movie, ranked from worst to best.
10. To Grandmother's House, We Go (1992)
To Grandmother’s House, We Go (1992) was the first non Full House acting project that the Olsen Twins did, yet Full House creator Jeff Franklin directed this made-for-TV Christmas film. The movie is a silly, cheesy film, which is why it’s bottom on the list, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad; it’s just made for kids, and its leading roles are kids. The movie is almost a mix of Home Alone (1990) and Hansel and Gretal: two goofy crooks who kidnap the twins when they run away from home to go to their grandmother’s house. The film has an average rating of 5.7/10 (via IMDB). The movie isn’t trying to be a masterpiece, as it was strictly a kick-off to launch the Olsen twin’s career aside from playing Michelle on Full House. Their efforts worked, as this was just the beginning of their filmography.
9. How The West Was Fun (1994)
How fun was the west? Not exceptionally fun, as How The West Was Fun (1994) is a bit of a forgotten film in the Olsen twin’s long repertoire of movies. The plot of this 1994 film follows the twin’s latest adventure in trying to help a woman to save her ranch from developers. The plot isn’t anything special, which is why this film is low on the ranking scale. The movie isn't necessarily bad nor good; it is simply unforgettable.
8. Switching Goals (1999)
As the title suggests, Switching Goals (1999) is about Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s characters who switch places. Sam (Mary-Kate), the tomboy, and Emma (Ashley), the girly-girl, are picked for opposite soccer teams. One of the teams is awful, and their father coaches the other one. Because of this, the two switch places so Emma can get better, and Sam doesn't have to be coached by their father. The two end up getting caught, forcing them to grow both on and off the field.
7. Double, Double Toil and Trouble (1993)
Double, Double Toil and Trouble (1993) was a made-for-TV Halloween film. This movie is far from scary, as it feels more like a Disney-esque Halloween film. The film follows the twins, who are seven years old, trying to save their parents from their evil Aunt Agatha. Although this film feels like it was made for tv, it has some pretty exceptional acting from Aunt Agatha, who is portrayed by Emmy and Oscar winner Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show, Young Frankenstein), which makes the film a bit more memorable. Although the twins’ acting isn’t extraordinary in any aspect, Leachman’s evil witch role makes the film what it is.
6. Passport To Paris (1999)
The Olsen twin movies got more entertaining when they got a little older, presenting the sisters with more mature, more complicated storylines. Passport to Paris was released in 1999 when the girls were 13 years old, and they also served as executive producers. The film follows the two girls going on vacation to Paris, being tourists with two attractive teen boys. Passport To Paris features the girl’s first on-screen kiss (and real-life kiss). This film is above the others on this list mainly for one reason only: it was a significant milestone for the twin’s movies. Not only was it their first kiss, but it was also their first international film. Passport to Paris highlighted the fact that they were growing up, and that they will begin to have more mature roles moving forward.
5. Holiday in the Sun (2001)
Holiday in the Sun was a true teenager’s fantasy in the early 2000s: beach days, bikinis, hot boys — all without a care in the world. The twins, Madison (Mary-Kate), and Alex (Ashley) go to the Bahamas, and bask in the sun all day because of the cute boy Jordan, who runs the “Sea-Doo Shack.” Along with this, the film also has a fun side-plot of the twins' vacation taking a turn when they see a man trying to steal artifacts. The film also stars a young Megan Fox (Transformers, Jennifer’s Body), portraying a snotty teenager who likes the same guy as Alex. Holiday in the Sun ranks relatively high on the scale because it’s not simply a romance movie, but has a bit of a mystery adventure to it as well.
4. Our Lips Are Sealed (2000)
Our Lips Are Sealed (2000) is an adventure-filled, crime teen movie. The film follows the twins, Abby (Ashley), and Maddie (Mary-Kate), who witness a crime this time around, forcing them to go into hiding. The two are put into a witness protection program, but when they have trouble keeping their identities secret, the FBI sends them to Sydney, Australia. The premise of this film is pretty unique, which is why it scores higher on the scale. The film also has some pretty hilarious lines, the best being when a boy asks why they are in Sydney, and they claim it’s because their parents inherited them from “some dead guy.”
3. Billboard Dad (1998)
Billboard Dad (1998) was one of those movies in the ‘90s that was just cool to watch, with the premise of two stylish twin girls trying to set up their dad with the single ladies of Venice, California. The movie showcased landscape camera angles of the Los Angeles beach and had a fun, unique storyline. It also helped that it had a pretty star-studded cast for a direct-to-video movie: Tom Amandes (The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) Second Chances (1998)), as the Billboard Dad, and Pretty Little Liars star Troian Bellisario as one of their best friends (who also happened to be their real-life best friend).
2. It Takes Two (1995)
It Takes Two (1995) gets a bad rep, with just an 8% rating (via Rotten Tomatoes). Although having a low rating, the film is high on this ranking for being a fun, exciting movie, with an exceptional cast featuring Steve Guttenberg and Kirstie Alley. It Takes Two is about rich girl Alyssa (Ashley Olsen) and orphan Amanda (Mary-Kate Olsen), who meet at summer camp and are shocked when they are identical. Yes, the film sounds like a carbon copy of The Parent Trap (1961/1998), but it did come before the Lindsay Lohan movie, so it seems that perhaps the remake actually took some ideas from this film. The film’s low rating could be for its predictability factor, but that doesn’t make it less fun. Film critic Roger Ebert called the film “harmless and fitfully amusing” (via Roger Ebert), which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
1. New York Minute (2004)
The best-ranked film of the Olsen Twins is also, sadly, the last time the twins were ever seen on screen together. New York Minute follows Jane (Ashley Olsen), a studious girly girl, and Roxy Ryan (Mary-Kate Olsen), a relaxed, carefree tomboy, who are teenage Long Island twins. One day, they go to Manhattan on a school day, which Jane is not happy about. While Jane is trying to prepare for an important speech she needs to do to win a scholarship, Roxy is more concerned about trying to track down her favorite New York City rock group. The Olsen twin movies are pretty predictable, as almost everyone has Mary-Kate as the tomboy and Ashley as the girly-girl, but that doesn’t make them any less entertaining. New York Minute was a great last-hoorah for the two on-screen. The film also notably features a cameo from the late Bob Saget, which is a fun little callback to the girls acting origins.