Meet the forgotten Olsen sibling! Insiders spill on life in twins Mary-Kate and Ashley’s shadow… and pivotal secret job

Lookalike twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen rocketed to fame as kids on the ’90s sitcom Full House, both starring as Michelle Tanner. But despite their instant celebrity, they managed to avoid many of the pitfalls that other child stars suffer, largely because of a stealth presence keeping guard. 

As they grew up, Mary-Kate and Ashley quickly became tabloid fixtures and then famed designers. But did you know that they have one little-known older brother Trent who looked to be on a similar path to stardom until he left Hollywood behind forever?

Ever since, he has been behind the scenes protecting his sisters, 38, and their interests, leading them to become the wildly successful moguls they are today. 

After majoring in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California, James Trent Olsen, now 41, initially had dreams of becoming an actor and appeared in several of his sisters’ films. Until, suddenly, he opted for a more quiet life – and instead took on more of a advisorial role to his famous sisters.

‘Most people have no idea how close Mary-Kate and Ashley are with their brother,’ an insider divulged. ‘He’s not just their sibling – he’s been their anchor for their whole lives and was there for everything – from their rise to fame through the Full House years and into their mogul era.’ 

Trent ‘played more of a dad role than a brother sometimes,’ the insider added. ‘It was intense, they needed that kind of tough love and they knew it.’ 

James Trent Olsen, now 41, initially had dreams of becoming an actor and appeared in several of his sisters’ films. Until, suddenly, he opted for a more quiet life – and instead took on more of a advisorial role to his famous sisters

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen skyrocketed to fame as children on Full House, both starring as Michelle Tanner

Trent famously appeared in several of his twin sisters’ videos, including You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s Sleepover Party and Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen: Our First Video 

Before he stepped away from the spotlight, it looked like Trent was on his way to becoming another prominent member of the Olsen empire. 

He made cameos in several of his twin sisters’ famous films, including ‘You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s Sleepover Party’. And, according to IMDB, Trent auditioned for a role in the 1989 horror TV show Tales from the Crypt, but his parents refused to let him appear.

By the tender age of 12, his acting career was over.

While he grew up ‘around the industry, it wasn’t really his thing,’ our insider said, explaining that he’s now spends his time reading comic books, watching horror flicks and enjoying life outdoors.

The trendy Olsen twins reportedly find his love of hunting and fishing ‘cringe,’ but they appreciate how ‘he has always been unapologetically himself.’ 

‘He was always there in the background holding it down for them,’ the source continued. ‘He’s one of the only people who can call them out without sugarcoating anything, and they listen.’ 

While his sisters still lead incredibly glamorous lives and own high-priced property, Trent lives in a tiny apartment. 

It’s in West Hollywood near the A-list beloved haunt Chateau Marmont, but the rental is far less lavish than his sister’s multi-million dollar digs. The two bed, one bath 1,000 square foot apartment would cost a mere $325,000 if he were to buy it. The rental estimate is around $3,965 monthly. 

Meanwhile, Ashley reportedly lives in a New York City Park Avenue apartment that’s estimated to be worth a whopping $39 million. Last year, she also listed a Greenwich Village loft for over $7 million.

Mary Kate lived with her French banker husband Olivier Sarkozy, 56, in a Manhattan townhouse that listed for $11.5 million when they divorced in 2020.

But all this property is a mere drop in the bucket for the twins, who are said to be worth a combined $500 million, as they still receive royalties from their TV shows and movies. 

Their luxury fashion brand The Row is estimated to have made between $250 million and $300 million in revenue in recent years, and was valued at around $1 billion in 2024, according to The Business of Fashion. The twins remain the majority stakeholders.

n February 2023, Trent posted on his public Instagram about how he reconnected with an old friend, who he later started dating, Alexis Armistead (pictured) 

Our insider confirmed that while Trent may have closely monitored his sister’s beaus, the twins much more accepting of his relationships, saying of Alexis: ‘She has been a part of Trent’s life for 20 years and Mary-Kate and Ashley trust her and they definitely approve’ 

In a later post last year, Alexis shows off an engagement ring, and Trent describes the moment he took a knee 

So while his sisters have been busy selling flip flops for close to $1,000 and shearling coats for $12,000, Trent has tread a decidedly different path.

In 2014, he was listed as a staff member at Storm King Productions, focusing on vampire films and TV. 

He has also authored several comic books, which he likes to collect, according to The New York Post. He’s now the editor-in-chief of Rogue Matter, a comics-focused digital platform. 

He has, occasionally, capitalized on his sisters’ fame.

In high school, he sold signed photos of the twins for cash – something the siblings all ‘still laugh about’ today, our insider said. ‘They used to joke he was their brother PR pimp.’

However, that doesn’t mean to say the relationship has always been smooth sailing. 

Our insider revealed that ‘there was a time when Trent was seriously worried about them’ – particularly during the late 90s and early 2000s, their notorious ‘party phase’. 

‘During that whole party phase, he was constantly checking in, wanting to know where they were and who they were with,’ the source said.

In fact, despite the high-profile men his sisters have dated, he ‘never really approved of anyone they’ve been with’ and was ‘not shy about sharing’ his opinions.

Now, the twins are in lower-key relationships, with Mary-Kate dating PC Valmorbida, a Melbourne-born art trader, and Ashley married to artist Louis Eisner. They share son Toby, who was born in 2023. 

Unlike his sisters – whose once tumultous love lives were lived out in public – Trent’s romantic partners over the years have gone relatively unknown. 

In February 2023, he posted on Instagram about how he had reconnected with an old friend, who he later started dating, Alexis Armistead. 

He wrote: ‘I love you and look forward to seeing what all the next phases have in store… including my nerd s**t that’s definitely starting to rub off on you.’

In a later post last year, Alexis shows off an engagement ring, and Trent describes the moment he took a knee.

Our insider confirmed that while Trent may have closely monitored his sister’s beaus, the twins much more accepting of his relationships, saying of Alexis: ‘She has been a part of Trent’s life for 20 years and Mary-Kate and Ashley trust her and they definitely approve.’