Rise to Fame
Cole Sprouse spent his childhood as half of a Disney commodity. He and Dylan were cast as a package deal in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, which ran their faces across every preteen's bedroom wall. His escape plan was unusually thorough: NYU, a self-designed degree in archaeology, and an actual dig in Bulgaria where he unearthed a ceramic theatrical mask. He came back on his own terms, requesting the Jughead audition for Riverdale instead of Archie, with a stated plan to quit acting for good if it didn't pan out.
In the Spotlight
Riverdale gave him the post-Disney reset he wanted, but the show's teen drama arc hit diminishing returns long before its 7-season run ended in 2023. He's built a credible second career in photography, shooting covers and editorials for L'Uomo Vogue, GQ, and W Magazine. The indie film pivot is picking up. A 2023 podcast where he discussed his breakup with Lili Reinhart in real detail got backlash fast, which is how you know the public image is still a work in progress.
Side Notes
He runs an Instagram account called @camera_duels documenting fans who try to sneak-photograph him in public. Originally a privacy protest, it backfired when fans decided appearing on it was a badge of honor. He was born in Arezzo, Italy (his parents were English teachers abroad), named after Nat King Cole, and graduated from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2015 with a self-designed major in archaeology. He and Dylan swapped diplomas at graduation and nobody noticed until they admitted it.