Kaitlin Olson is a popular American actress and comedian, best known for her roles in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Mick, and Finding Dory. She is also the wife of Rob McElhenney, her co-star and creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. But is she related to another famous pair of actors, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen?
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The Short Answer: No
The short answer is no, Kaitlin Olson is not related to the Olsen twins, despite having a similar last name. According to The Little Facts, Kaitlin’s last name ends with “son” while the Full House alum’s surname ends with “sen”. This is a common spelling variation of Scandinavian surnames, but it does not imply any family connection.
The Long Answer: Different Backgrounds and Careers
The long answer is that Kaitlin Olson and the Olsen twins have very different backgrounds and careers, which further indicate that they are not related. Kaitlin was born in Portland, Oregon, to Melinda and Donald Olson. She grew up on a small farm and developed an interest in acting at a young age. She attended the University of Oregon and moved to Los Angeles after graduating to pursue her comedy career.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, on the other hand, were born in Sherman Oaks, California, to David and Jarnette Olsen. They have an older brother, Trent, a younger sister, Elizabeth (who is also an actress), and two half-siblings from their father’s second marriage, Courtney and Jake. They started their acting career when they were only nine months old, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner on Full House. They became child stars and launched their own media empire, producing movies, TV shows, books, video games, and fashion lines.
The Confusion: Sometimes Mistaken for Elizabeth Olsen
While Kaitlin Olson and the Olsen twins do not bear a family relation, over the years, Kaitlin and their younger sister Elizabeth have been linked by some on social media. Despite Kaitlin being 13 years older than Elizabeth, some users on Twitter appear to have previously confused the two actresses for one another. There is even a line on the biography page of Kaitlin’s IMDb which mentions the confusion as it reads: “Sometimes mistaken in her films for Elizabeth Olsen.”
The line goes on to clarify that while she has been mistaken for Elizabeth, she is not related to the Olsen twins. Elizabeth herself has opened up about growing up with Mary-Kate and Ashley and how it influenced her acting career. She told The Sun that she considered changing her name when she was a little girl because she wanted to prove herself to everyone. She said: “I always had this need to prove myself to everyone around me that I work really hard. I couldn’t walk in a room without everyone already having an opinion.”
She later changed her mind and embraced her family name. She said: “I was like, ‘I love my family, I like my name, I love my sisters. Why would I be so ashamed of that?’ It’s fine now.” She also told Harper’s Bazaar UK that she felt lucky to have older twin sisters who helped her navigate the industry. She said: “I always felt that having older twin sisters was an advantage. I felt very clear about how I was going to approach lots of things because of watching them.”
The Conclusion: A Coincidence of Names
In conclusion, Kaitlin Olson is not related to the Olsen twins or their sister Elizabeth Olsen. They just happen to share a similar sounding surname that has different spellings and origins. They also have very different backgrounds and careers that show no signs of any family ties. The rumor of their relation is likely based on a coincidence of names and a confusion of faces.