Dylan Sprouse Says Being a 'Huskier Young Lad' Gave Him Confidence to Resist Fat Jokes Towards His “Suite Life” Mom
The actor explained why he once insisted that an insensitive joke about Kim Rhodes, who played his mom on 'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody', be changed
It'S A Laugh Productions/Walt Disney Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
Cole & Dylan Sprouse with Kim Rhodes on "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"Dylan Sprouse isn’t afraid to speak up when he objects to a line of dialogue or a bad joke.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live on August 1, the actor — who starred with twin brother Cole Sprouse on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody — recalled how he spoke to one of the show’s producers after refusing to make a fat joke about Kim Rhodes, who played his mother and was pregnant at the time.
“I don’t know, but I also just don’t really think fat jokes are funny,” Dylan, 31, explained. “I think they’re just like, there’s a better joke somewhere else unless you’re talking about yourself, unless it’s self-referential, which I find is fun.”
“But if you’re pointing the finger at people and talking about how they look, I just don’t tend to find that very funny in general,” Dylan continued. “I think there’s better jokes, and I mean, you’d be amazed at what having your own show at 11 will do for your confidence.”
The actor also explained how he was motivated to speak up on behalf of Rhodes, 55, because of his own body shape at the time.
“I was a huskier young lad who, again, really didn’t come into himself until he was like 18,” he added.
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Dylan Sprouse at the Montblanc event celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Meiserstuck pen held at the Paramour Estate on May 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.During an appearance on the Back to the Best podcast in November 2023, Rhodes also recalled Sprouse’s benevolent intervention while filming.
"I got pregnant when I was on the show, and of course, the show dealt with it by making fat jokes,” she said during the podcast episode. "And one of my favorite memories is Dylan had a line that was a fat joke, and he just kept skipping over it. It was like in the middle of a chunk of dialogue, so he kept skipping this laugh line."
When an executive producer yelled at Dylan from backstage — “He goes ‘Cut! Dylan! Say the line!’" — Dylan fired back.
‘I would not disrespect any woman that way, let alone this woman. You write something funny, and I’ll say it,’” Rhodes recalled him saying, adding, “That’s my little man.”
Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett
Kim Rhodes, Cole Sprouse and Dylan Sprouse on 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.'Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer??, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody aired on Disney Channel for three seasons from March 2005 to September 2008 and spawned the spinoff The Suite Life on Deck from 2008 to 2011 and The Suite Life Movie in 2011. In addition to Dylan, Cole and Rhodes, the cast included Brenda Song, Ashley Tisdale and Phill Lewis.
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