Mary Kate Olsen aka Mary biography

Mary Kate Olsen is an American actress and entreprenuer. She and her twin sister Ashley were the youngest self-made millionaires in US history and currently hold fortunes of approximately $150 million each.

Mary Kate was born two minutes after her identical twin sister, Ashley, into a family that would eventually include an older brother, younger sister, and two half siblings. At six months old, the twins began the shared role of Michelle Tanner on the family sitcom "Full House." The show went on for eight seasons, during which Mary Kate was used for the comedic sequences while Ashley covered the dramatic moments.

Upon cancellation of the series, the girls filmed dozens of children's movies and television specials. Their popularity led to the formation of their brand featuring their names and likeness on a myriad of children's products. Mary Kate and Ashley formed their corporation Dualstar to oversee their kiddie empire.

Following high school, Mary Kate moved to New York to attend NYU, where she took classes in acting and photography. She began dating Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos, who would go on to date Paris Hilton (subsequently ending the friendship between the two girls). But constant tailing by the paparazzi and classmates interning for gossip magazinees left Mary Kate anxious and stressed out. She developed anorexia and her condition worsened as the media caught on, especially after they publish photos of her ribs poking out of a backless dress at her Walk of Fame star reveal. She retreated to a rehabilitation center in Utah for six weeks.

Mary Kate completed two years at NYU before deciding to return to Los Angeles. She chose to focus her energy on her clothing lines, high end collection The Row and couture line Elizabeth and James, and to launch her solo acting career by seeking roles in independent films. She had a cameo in "Factory Girl" and shared a makeout session with Ben Kingsley in "The Wackness". In 2007, she landed the recurring role of a devout Christian with a love of marijuana on "Weeds."