Dylan Sprouse is now revealing the mental impacts of growing up as a working child actor. Those who grew up through the late '90s and early 2000s could attest to the fact that the Sprouse Twins became a big name during that time. The childhood stardom of Dylan and Cole Sprouse remains one of the most successful and recognizable chapters in modern television history, characterized by an early transition into high-intensity commercial acting and eventual dominance over the Disney Channel empire.

After all these years, it turns out it was not all rainbows and sunshine for the brothers, as revealed by Dylan Sprouse.

Dylan Sprouse has recently dived deep into the cost he paid for childhood stardom while discussing his upbringing in the entertainment business, referring to his early acting career alongside his identical twin brother Cole Sprouse as "child labor." In a recent episode of the Wildmen podcast, the Suite Life star told cohost Brendan Columbus that he wanted to talk to their guest, Mark Indelicato, because he had also started out as a kid actor.

When Indelicato started portraying Justin Suarez on the ABC series Ugly Betty, he was a preteen. Expressing a desire to connect with fellow former child stars, Dylan Sprouse did not mince words when discussing the realities of growing up in the entertainment industry, describing early professional acting as essentially child labor.

“Some kids used to work in coal mines and guard the mine cart door when they were 15, we just sang and danced. It’s still child labor!” he said.

Reflecting on the long-term psychological impact of his upbringing, the Grace Under Fire alum shared in the Wildmen podcast that his early entry into the industry left him with ongoing "mental hurdles" that he continues to navigate as an adult actor. When interviewer Columbus pointed out that anyone meeting Sprouse must inevitably view him through the lens of his childhood stardom, the actor candidly admitted that his playful demeanor might be part of an unconscious pattern, wondering aloud if he is perpetually chasing that lost childhood.

Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse Relationship Timeline: From Dating Rumors to Pregnancy Buzz

He further continued his conversation with Mark Indelicato about surviving in the industry for a long time.

Continuing their conversation on the podcast, Dylan Sprouse and Mark Indelicato reflected on their longevity in the entertainment industry, with Sprouse praising both of them for managing to "survive this long" after enduring the pressures of early stardom. Sprouse, who recently had a close encounter with an intruder, opened up about the entrenched workaholic mindset that developed from spending their formative years - specifically ages 8 to 17 - on a demanding production schedule. He compared television acting to a traditional 9-to-5 office job.

The Sprouse brothers started acting when they were babies, frequently cooperating to play a single role due to child labor laws. They made appearances in movies including Big Daddy and The Astronaut's Wife, as well as television programs like Grace Under Fire and Friends. At the age of twelve in 2005, the twins went on to star in their own Disney Channel program, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. They also did another Disney series The Suite Life on Deck, a Suite Life spinoff.

‘Goodbye Girl’ Filming Update: Cole Sprouse and Natalia Dyer Starrer Rom-Com Alongside Kiernan Shipka Wraps Production

What do you think of Dylan Sprouse’s revelations after all these years? Do let us know.