You may know him as Jughead Jones on The CW's "Riverdale." Perhaps you recognize him as little Julian from "Big Daddy" or even Ben Geller from "Friends." I know you've seen at least one episode of "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody." Wherever you know him from, you'll be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't heard of Cole Sprouse and his twin brother, Dylan. What you may not know about him, though, is his insane talent for photography that, should his acting career end, will most definitely carry him for the rest of his life. I just love a man who is multitalented, don't you?
"It was depression that drove me to do it," he wrote on Instagram in 2016, explaining why he got into photography in the first place. "That's the real truth. It was depression that led me to the camera. It heals you know, a hobby. There's no bandaid like a hobby. I've been destructive, I know that now. I can see that I'm in a desert, and I've been thinking about that oasis when I should've been trying to get out."
Unhandled
Take one look at his portfolio or IG feed and it's no wonder why he's been tapped to shoot magazine covers and ad campaigns other amateur photographers can only dream of.
“I’m much more comfortable behind the camera,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Times, for which he also photographed Kendall Jenner. "I don’t find the passion in acting that I find in photography, and, truthfully, I’ve been dabbling with the notion that if and when photography takes a more prevalent role in my life, I will likely never return to acting.”
Also in his already-impressive portfolio is a shoot for W magazine with "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner and an Italian Vogue cover with the songbird himself, Sam Smith. Not too shabby, eh?
"Photography is a pursuit that allows you to be very hands-on with what you show people of either yourself or the art you want to make, and acting is kind of the exact opposite," Sprouse told Teen Vogue in 2017. "You do have a modicum of creative freedom as an actor, but you're still very much a cipher for other people's art. If you're a photographer, you end up being the raw creative force that allows other people to see what kind of narrative you want to be giving or what kind of art that you want people to see."
And a creative force he is, even showing off his talent with his "Riverdale" costars and his brother, Dylan.
Not to mention his costar-slash-girlfriend, Lili Reinhart. I'm unsure if I've ever wanted to be someone's "muse" more than I do right now.
Most recently, he shot a few members of the cast of "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" for WSJ mag and let me tell you, these photos are a treat.
Not into the super artsy and/or editorial photos he usually posts? Don't worry, he has an antidote for that. Presenting @camera_duels, an Instagram account also run by Cole that is completely dedicated to him taking photos of people before they get a chance to take a photo of him. Oh, to be a celebrity.
You're welcome.