Actor Dylan Sprouse knows he had a lasting effect on an entire generation of fans.

“I always got the cooler side of it because there weren’t many people trying to be mean to me,” Sprouse said. “I just think people see me as their cousin, you know?”

The Marshall Student Center Ballroom (MSC) was filled with this very atmosphere. For an hour, everyone in the audience was Sprouse’s cousin.

Sprouse, best known for his roles in Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “The Suite Life on Deck,” spoke at this semester’s first University Lecture Series Thursday night. 

Even though the event was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., check-in started as early as 5:30 p.m.

The line to get in circled three floors of the MSC. When doors opened at 7 p.m., all 900 ballroom chairs were filled in a matter of minutes.

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At 8 p.m. sharp, Sprouse walked into the ballroom, gestured the “Horns Up” sign with both hands and asked everyone how they were doing.

“Am I allowed to curse? Is that something I’m allowed to do?” Sprouse asked as he sat down to cheers.

Sprouse started acting at just eight months old. He said his acting career began early because the industry and casting scene were very different then.

“If you were in California at the time and were a baby identical twin who could work double the hours, you got work,” Sprouse said. “This is exactly what happened to my brother and I.” 

It was easy to act with his brother, Cole Sprouse, because they had the same sense of humor, but the experience shifted once they became teenagers on a set.

“We fought, wrestled and yelled at each other, but then we’d still have to drive an hour and a half back home from work, which was very funny,” Sprouse said. “It was honestly a pleasure, and I think you should always work with people you love.”

As soon as “The Suite Life on Deck” ended filming on the day of the twins’ 18th birthday in 2011, Sprouse began to study video game design at New York University. 

Sprouse said he is glad he stepped away from acting to pursue higher education since it was a time when he learned a lot about himself and met lifelong friends.

Despite being famous, Sprouse said his college life was “pretty lowkey.” He said it wasn’t until about junior year that it started to get a little different.

“Our show was always aimed at a younger demographic, so it wasn’t until that demographic got into college with us that it started to get a little funny,” Sprouse said.

Sprouse said he is considering a future collaborative project to act with his brother again. However, he said it could take a while since there aren’t many existing twin roles, and the brothers would likely need to write something new.

Trying new things is not a problem for Sprouse, who said his resume includes acting, directing, writing comic books and even opening his own company.

Years after graduating, Sprouse opened his own meadery at 26 years old. He said he felt attempting something new at that age was appropriate.

“Your early to late 20s is a very formative time for you guys to still make a lot of mistakes,” Sprouse said. “You just have to go out there and try to do the thing, and everything will be okay — unless you take money from the mafia.” 

In the final 15 minutes, moderator Fariza Bhuiyan, a senior applied mathematics major, started to read the questions students sent in through a QR code. 

Bhuiyan said the questions had to adhere to USF’s guidelines and be respectful towards the guest.

The audience burst into laughter as Sprouse took the moderator’s iPad and pretended he would read all the questions out loud despite their potential content.

Attendees’ questions incorporated everything from professional to personal life experiences. 

Sprouse shared that his wife, model Barbara Palvin Sprouse, never watched “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” or “The Suite Life on Deck ” and is more of a “Hannah Montana girl.”

Some other fun facts were that Sprouse enjoys country songs, fantasy movies and big adventures — such as when he ate a snake in China while filming a movie.

Sprouse closed the hour-long lecture, thanked all attendees for being so enthusiastic about his presence and shared one last tip for the generation he inspired.

“When in doubt, just try it,” Sprouse said. “You guys are the perfect age for trying, so enjoy the rest of your studies, and good luck on graduating.”