Last week, a 2004 Oprah Winfrey interview with Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen was re-released, drawing criticism from viewers for Oprah’s wrong and upsetting questions on the eating problem rumors at the time.
The twins, who were 18 at the time of the interview, opened up about their lives for the exclusive interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show despite typically keeping their lives quiet.
“I know a new rumour [that’s] recently surfaced has really upset you, right?” Oprah asks them. “You know, the one about eating.”
Looking slightly uncomfortable, Ashley jumped in, telling Oprah: “Yeah, you know people are gonna write what they’re gonna write. We try not to read the good or the bad because it just comes with the territory. Either you’re too fat, too skinny and people are just gonna write what they–”
Ashley appears surprised when Oprah asks, “What size are you by the way?” before she can continue. She first asks, “Size?” before clarifying that although they are both ‘small,’ they don’t know their sizes because they need all their clothing altered due to their 5ft 1 height.
“Oh, that’s so interesting,” Winfrey sarcastically responded, with the audience laughing in response. “That is so interesting, I’m obsessed with size and you’re like, “I really don’t know.” While the twins laughed along, they were uncomfortable – with Mary-Kate adding. “If we were obsessed with our size it’d be, I don’t know, a different story.”
Mary-Kate was admitted to treatment for anorexia nervosa later that year. After the news broke, a Got Milk? Advertisement with the twins was taken down, and she didn’t appear in another movie again until 2006.
With the clip posted to the TikTok account 2000shollywood, new viewers of the historic interview are seemingly shocked by the line of questioning. “I know we’re living in different times, but how did they think that was okay!?!’ one user commented. ‘Because they’re young?”
While it’s unknown if bringing up the eating disorder rumors was approved in advance by Mary-Kate and Ashley (as is frequently the case for celebrity interviews), Oprah’s question about the twins’ size has been criticized for both its intrusiveness and how triggering it is for those who also struggle with eating disorders.
The progress we’ve made in learning to talk about eating disorders is what interviews like this one highlight, though. We are so taken aback that Mary-Kate and Ashley were even questioned about the rumors, which says a lot.
While it’s evident that interviewers are frequently more prepared to ask the correct questions as directed by mental health charities today, celebrities may still sincerely wish to open up about their experiences with mental illness.
It probably won’t be the last time we see a beloved interviewer reveal their prior ignorance as more of these appearances follow the success of Framing Britney Spears.
Still, as long as said interviewers can demonstrate a better understanding of the topics, we can hopefully celebrate the growth rather than condemn them.
Visit our Twitter page if you’re interested in up-to-the-minute updates. Get updated on the news that matters to you most right here.