Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse shared insights about his career as a child actor on a recent episode of his podcast, “Wildmen.” Speaking with co-host Brendan Columbus, the 34-year-old actor expressed his perspective on the demands placed on child actors, referring to it as “child labor.”
“I definitely want to dive in and talk with him a little bit about some of that, how he’s coped growing up in the industry because, essentially, we’re beating around the bush, but it’s child labor,” Dylan remarked. He emphasized that while some children historically worked in harsher conditions, acting as a child still involves significant demands.
Sprouse also discussed his ongoing “mental hurdles” related to his career, noting the difficulty of navigating an industry he has been part of for so long. “I act like a kid anyway. So, I wonder if I’m just always chasing that,” he said.
The conversation continued when Sprouse and Columbus were joined by Mark Indelicato, known for his role on “Ugly Betty.” Sprouse compared child acting to having a “full office job,” highlighting the workaholic mindset that comes with it. “You work it like that,” he noted, likening the structure to a typical day job.
Dylan and his twin, Cole Sprouse, first appeared on screen at six with their role in “Big Daddy.” They became household names with “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” on Disney Channel. Despite stepping back to study video game design, Dylan later returned to acting, albeit less prolifically than Cole.
Reflecting on his childhood career, Dylan shared feelings of a “void” upon completing projects. “It feels like my self-esteem, for a long time, was tied integrally to my ability to work and be on set,” he explained, emphasizing how work became central to his self-worth.
Cole has also spoken about their upbringing, noting their mother’s motivations for entering them in acting. On different podcasts, he shared how their mother saw financial and personal reasons for their careers, whereas their father preferred them to live more typical childhoods.
Lori A. Bashian is an entertainment news writer at Fox News Digital, providing further context to these discussions.
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