III. The Body as a Territory of Resistance
In an industry that demands eternal youth, Cole Sprouse has turned physical change into an ethical stance. He hasn’t tried to freeze his teenage image or replicate the teen idol mold. Instead, he’s embraced transformation: sharper features, a fuller body, a gaze that carries weight.
For years, Cole maintained a slender, almost ethereal frame. From Zack & Cody to Riverdale, his body was read as a symbol of lightness, intellect, and sensitivity. But unlike other actors clinging to youthful aesthetics, Cole allowed his body to evolve. He broadened, gained volume, grew a beard. And he did it unapologetically.
In photoshoots and public appearances, his aesthetic breaks from the CW canon. No sculpted abs, no prefab smiles. There are shadows, textures, silences. Instead of selling an image, Cole builds a narrative. Every outfit, every hairstyle, every gesture is a statement—not of perfection, but of presence.
This bodily gesture is also political. In an Interview Magazine piece, he said: “I’m more interested in what the body communicates than what it sells.” And he proves it. Rather than fitting the mold of the teen heartthrob, Cole has become an actor who uses fashion as language—not as ornament, but as an extension of thought.
Few actors engage with clothing without seeming vain or affected. Cole treats fashion as another form of performance, of character creation. This allows him to wear bold outfits with ease, without pretense, while remaining relaxed and unbothered in private life. His body becomes a narrative canvas, not a site of judgment.
During the 2020 lockdown, Cole and Dylan both appeared with beards and mustaches, in what they called a fraternal competition. But while Dylan kept the look longer, Cole—contractually bound to Riverdale—had to shave frequently. This difference confused the public: when Cole had blonde hair and a beard, some mistook him for Dylan or accused him of copying. In truth, it was a legitimate aesthetic exploration—a search for new ways to inhabit his body.
Post-lockdown, Cole faced bodyshaming from parts of the fandom. He had gained weight, like many during a global stress event. But instead of hiding, he showed up. He wore looser clothes, explored new styles, and posed for shoots that challenged the canon. Some were celebrated—like those by Damon Baker or Davis Bates—others criticized. But all spoke of the same thing: a body that no longer wants to please, but to signify.
In 2023 and 2024, Cole solidified his new aesthetic: masculine, mature, sophisticated. He walked fashion weeks, returned to blonde, grew out his hair, kept the beard. His body is no longer that of a slender teen, but he doesn’t seek to be. It’s the body of a man who has lived, who has thought, who has chosen.
And that, in an industry that rewards repetition, is an act of resistance.
