Dylan Sprouse Says He and Cole Nearly Left Acting After ‘Suite Life’

Sprouse told Lewis that both brothers’ lives were “in a lot of disarray” when they started the Disney sitcom. After it wrapped, they took a break from acting to attend college. But time spent with Lewis, Sprouse said, was one of the main reasons he kept thinking about returning to the profession. He also told Lewis the series “would be nothing without” him and called himself Lewis’s “number one fan.”

Lewis said he nearly rejected the role because of its pay. After a chemistry read, Disney offered him the job and told him the weekly rate; he and his representatives turned it down, which Lewis described as “crazy.” The company returned with updated offers until he accepted. Lewis said the brothers’ personalities helped persuade him that he wanted to be part of the show.

The conversation also touched on compensation. Lewis said the crew filmed “wraparound episodes,” shooting extra scenes that were later assembled into episodes, and that the actors were not paid for that work. Sprouse has previously said the only residual check he received for “The Suite Life” was five cents for a crossover episode with “Hannah Montana.” He also recalled that Disney presented itself as a channel focused on children, with shows translated into about 80 languages.