Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse openly discussed his experiences as a child actor on a recent episode of his podcast, “Wildmen.” At 34, Sprouse spoke with co-host Brendan Columbus about the pressures facing child actors, comparing it to “child labor.” He expressed eagerness to converse with guest Mark Indelicato about coping with the industry’s demands while growing up.

“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 said. “Like, when you work at that age, some kids used to work in coal mines and guard the mine cart door when they were 15, we just sang and danced. It’s still child labor!”

Sprouse shared insights into his ongoing challenges with mental pressures in the entertainment industry, finding it complex to continue working where he started years ago. He wondered if his child-like tendencies were consistent because of this long-standing involvement.

Two-time Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse likened child acting to child labor.

Sitting alongside Indelicato, who starred in “Ugly Betty” from the ages of 12 to 15, the conversation revisited the child labor topic. Sprouse drew parallels between acting as a child and holding a full-time office job, highlighting the intense work ethic ingrained in him early.

“I’ve described this to people a lot before – when you’re working on television, it’s a day job,” he said. “You go in, you clock in, you clock out, you have a cubicle … it’s different, but it’s the same hours. You work it like that.”

Dylan Sprouse and his twin brother, Cole, first appeared in film at the age of six, featuring in “Big Daddy” alongside Adam Sandler. Before this, they portrayed Patrick Kelly on “Grace Under Fire” from infancy to age five.

The twins gained popularity with the roles of Zack and Cody in the Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” followed by “The Suite Life on Deck.” After the spin-off concluded, Dylan took a break to study video game design at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

Dylan’s return to acting after his studies has been more occasional than his brother Cole, and he revealed to Indelicato a sense of “void” felt when projects ended during childhood.

“It feels like my self-esteem, for a long time, was tied integrally to my ability to work and be on set,” he explained.

Both Dylan and Cole discussed their mother’s role in their acting careers, revealing personal family dynamics. Cole has previously said financial sensibilities influenced their mother’s decision. The Diary of a CEO podcast in March 2023 disclosed Cole’s perspective on their mother’s motives and their father’s contrasting views.

“[My father, Matthew Sprouse] desperately wanted us to be normal kids, and my mother wanted us to be a bit more of a caricature of two normal kids,” Cole shared. “When my father was given forced custody, we pretty much lost everything from the youngest parts of our career.”