Fuller House Didn't Even Bother Asking The Olsen Twins Back For Final Season 5

Fuller House Michelle Tanner Mary-Kate Olsen Ashley Olsen
(Image credit: Full House Screenshot / Warner Bros.)

When Fuller House debuted its trailer for Season 5, there was one face noticeably absent – Michelle Tanner’s. If you thought the tease that the familiar faces returning for the remaining episodes applied to The Olsen Twins, reconsider. When it came time for the Netflix series’ final season, Fuller House did not even reach out to ask them to return for it.

Fans will recall that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen shared the role of youngest Tanner daughter Michelle throughout Full House’s original run. Ever since its spinoff got the green light, fans had been hopeful they would somehow reprise the part. There was ample reason to be skeptical. However, you can now officially cancel all hope of a last-minute cameo happening on Fuller House.

Candace Cameron Bure confirmed that Fuller House did not approach the Olsen Twins to put in an appearance for Season 5. The actress who plays Michelle’s eldest sister D.J. shared the somewhat surprising update as fans are still taking in the ending of Season 5. Regarding Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Bure told TVLine:

We did not reach out to them. It was very clear several seasons ago that they did not want to do it.

When it comes to Fuller House reaching out, it sounds like it was asked and answered a long time ago. For five seasons, the spinoff has given periodic updates on the missing Tanner daughter. In Season 5, Danny remarked that it was “nice to have three daughters again” following D.J., Stephanie and Kimmy’s engagements.

If you were too focused on the thought of the trio’s wedding plans, you might be unaware that others took Danny’s joke another way. Screen Rant has theorized that Michelle may actually be dead. Yes, dead! Now that she is not set to be played by the Olsen Twins at any point in Season 5, the theory could gain more steam!

In a close family like the Tanner’s, it is a bit shocking in a story sense that Michelle could be out of the picture for this long. That is my opinion, though. Fuller House has clearly had no choice except to roll with it. Of course, they could have recast the role of Michelle, but a decision like that could have been controversial.

I think it might be sort of necessary, though, considering those upcoming weddings. Candace Cameron Bure said that Fuller House did not reach out to the Olsen Twins. But, is there a chance the Netflix series secretly cast another actress to play Michelle? The cast’s farewell posts when Fuller House wrapped did not hint at anything.

It seems like Michelle Tanner may have been seen for the last time back on Full House. Take from that the emotions that you will! Fuller House Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix as one of this winter’s premieres. The series’ final episodes will be available to stream on Netflix in 2020.

Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.