Did you know that Dylan Sprouse — best known for his lead role in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody — sold mead in college? Or that he once tried to order at a bar in Shakespearean Chinese?

Laidback and clad in a jet-black leather coat, the 31-year-old actor divulged these anecdotes and more during his surprise Q&A Tuesday night in Stamp Student Union’s Grand Ballroom — his first ever talk on a college campus.

Ecstatic attendees lined up an hour before Student Entertainment Events organizers opened the doors. For students like Amanda Burke, the event provided a fun opportunity to get an intimate look into the actor’s life.

“I grew up watching him,” the sophomore kinesiology major said. “I think it’d be cool to hear what it was like growing up as a child actor.”

While Sprouse discussed his time as a child star, that section of his life only scratches the surface of his body of work.

Kicking off the Q&A with a joke about having one too many Guinnesses at Looney’s Pub the night before, Sprouse spilled on his time studying video game design at New York University — where he had a party guy reputation. He also discussed his mead brewing business, his work as a comic book artist and his post-Disney acting career.

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He told The Diamondback about his first experience executive producing with The Duel, a film set to come out later this year. While Sprouse is interested in continuing to work on movies — expressing an aversion to working in TV again — he wants to be selective about the jobs he takes.

“I don’t tend to work on projects with people that I think are really annoying or shitty to work with,” Sprouse said. “That’ll save you a lot of stress in your life just in general.”

Throughout the night, the actor seamlessly navigated between topics and blended personality with charisma to craft each answer. Sprouse’s aura of relatability tied into his easy-going banter — much to the delight of the crowd, who laughed at various points.

He also grew vulnerable with the audience, opening up about his mother’s mental health and addiction, and describing how her life and Danish heritage became the story foundation for his comic Sun Eater. This storytelling experience was a part of his healing process, he told the audience.

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Sprouse wasn’t afraid to share his true feelings about the entertainment industry, emphasizing that the best performances come from actors with life experience — sorry nepo babies. He also shared that he’s still close with his twin brother and Suite Life co-star Cole, who would send him videos from the Riverdale set.

Reboots are a hot topic in Hollywood, but Sprouse gave a heavily implied “no” to the possibility of returning to the Zack and Cody franchise.

“When you touch on something again that was such a piece of time and history, even the way that the technology was back then, the way it was shot, the cameras they used, the mics they used, all of that stuff is a snapshot of time,” Sprouse said. “I feel like it should remain where it’s at. It’s part of the beauty.”

Of course, Sprouse said he’s grateful for the show’s legacy — even if he’s reluctant to consider himself a “legend.” Because people watched the show with their families, they seem to consider him a part of their family, he said.

Junior kinesiology major Max Price, who grew up watching Sprouse on The Suite Life on Deck, expressed a similar sentiment. To Price, Sprouse feels like a friend.

“He had all of the childish rambunctious energy,” he said. “I feel like I know him very well. I almost grew up with him.”

Throughout the evening, Sprouse spoke to the crowd with a familiar ease. He may be a celebrity, but the actor going to Looney’s two nights in a row proves the old saying: “Stars, they’re just like us.”

“People will see my brother and I in this very specific way, which is almost like a family member, weirdly, because a lot of the time that’s how people watched the show: with their families,” Sprouse said. “They talk to me like I’m their cousin. And I am. This is just to let you know that I will talk to you back like you’re my cousin.”