Entertainment

Cole Sprouse Is Back On TV In A Big Way

by Lindsey Kupfer
Diyah Pera/The CW

Your new favorite CW teen drama has at least one very familiar face. Cole Sprouse plays Jughead Jones on Riverdale, and it’s the first time we’ve seen the twin on TV since his days on the Disney Channel. In 2011, after Suite Life on Deck ended, Cole and Dylan Sprouse went to college, taking a break from their acting career, which began a little after their first birthday. Last year, Sprouse talked to Entertainment Weekly about his time on Disney, and why he needed a break.

“I felt like an automaton. I needed to take a break and step outside myself … I needed a dose of reality and I needed to see myself in a more objective point of view. And now I think I can enjoy [acting], which is a really fundamental part about being an actor.”

Now he's back and putting his own spin on the classic comic character, Jughead Jones. In this story of Archie and the gang, Jughead is a reporter for the school paper and investigating the mysterious death of classmate Jason Blossom. On top of his journalist role, Sprouse is also the narrator of the series. While the initial storyline of Jughead revolves around his investigation and his strained friendship with Archie, Sprouse told Teen Vogue he hopes that the show keeps his character asexual, like in previous versions of the comic. “I hope that huge corporations like the CW recognize that this kind of representation is rare and severely important to people who resonate with it … It would be a wonderful thing if that were the case.”

Fans have been missing the Sprouses for the last six years, so in honor of Cole’s return to the screen, let’s look back at his best roles.

The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody

Before their life on a boat, don’t forget the original Zack and Cody show, which took place in the hotel their mom was working in. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody ran for three years where Cole and his brother Dylan were front and center.

Friends

Never forget that Cole Sprouse played Ross Gellar’s son Ben on Friends in the later seasons of the show before they pretty much stop acting like he existed on the show. I'm still not sure Ben ever met his sister Emma.

Big Daddy

Both Dylan and Cole Sprouse played the adorable Julian in Big Daddy, which I think we can all agree was one of Adam Sandler’s best movies.

Grace Under Fire

Cole played baby Patrick Kelly on Grace Under Fire in 1993. He was just over a year old when the pilot episode premiered and was in 112 episodes over five years in the '90s.

The Astronaut's Wife

New Line Cinema

By the time they were seven, Dylan and Cole were in movies with the likes of Charlize Theron. While their roles weren’t huge in The Astronaut’s Wife, they got to act with the pros.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

I honestly have no idea if this even came out in theaters, but I want to know why no one shows this on TV for the holidays. I would love to see a whole film where Dylan and Cole Sprouse prank a man they believe is Santa.

Just For Kicks

In the early 2000s, the twins starred in this gem about twins who try to get a former soccer player to coach their team.

Welcome back to TV, Cole.