When we were kids, we thought teenagers were adults. All of the kids on Power Rangers were supposed to be high school students, but they were all in their twenties. Some shows were good about this, like Saved by the Bell, and Nickelodeon generally cast real-life teenagers in high school roles, but once in a while, a legitimate grown-up would slip through.
When an actor is cast in a role, the producers’ primary considerations include acting ability, marketability, and chemistry with co-stars. Way down on the list is the actor’s actual age. Usually, this isn’t a particularly big deal; after all, in Hollywood, anything between the ages of 30 and 50 is pretty much old news, especially for men.
Sometimes, however, characters are overtly written as teenagers, in stories which take place in a high school setting. In these cases, it is often impractical to cast a 15-year-old actor, or a much older actor simply feels better in the part. They would be the perfect fit for the role, save their age difference with the character they portray.
In contrast, the casting of young men and women in adult roles is not totally unheard of; with many accepting these roles because they feel like it is their opportunity to shine. Remember Drew Barrymore in Poison Ivy? That served as the perfect example of a young actress being cast into too mature a role considering her age.
Here, are 12 actors that were too old to play high schoolers, and 12 young ones that took up very adult roles:
24. CAREY MULLIGAN – THE GREAT GATSBY-TOO OLD
Carey Mulligan is one of those Hollywood gems who has been blessed to age slowly. She may be well in her 30s but still rocks somewhat of a baby face. This could be what helped her bring to life the role of Daisy Fay in The Great Gatsby, who was supposed to be 17 years old, yet Carey was 28 years old when she was cast. She had also just come off playing high school students in both An Education and Never Let Me Go. (Source: Mirror)[/nextpage][nextpage]
24. EMILY KINNEY – THE WALKING DEAD-TOO OLD
Many fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead were shocked when they learned that Beth Greene, Hershel’s youngest daughter, who was supposed to be just 16 years old, was being played by Emily Kinney, who was 26 during her Season 2 introduction to the show. Her character had such a youthful nature and Kinney looks like such a kid that she fit right in. Indeed, when she plays nursemaid to baby Judith, she’s indistinguishable from a real teenage babysitter. Wonder what her secret could be? (Source: BusinessInsider)[/nextpage][nextpage]
22. SISSY SPACEK – CARRIE-TOO OLD
The first filmed adaptation of a Stephen King story, Carrie also ranks as one of the best. Sissy Spacek played innocent high-school girl Carrie White, who was only about 16 years old. Spacek, however, was 26, a full decade older than her character. Meanwhile, the other high-school students, played by such actors as John Travolta and Nancy Allen, were similarly much older than their teen-aged characters, with the boyish Travolta being among the youngest, at 24 when the film released. (Source: Parade)[/nextpage][nextpage]
21. MICHAEL J. FOX – BACK TO THE FUTURE-TOO OLD
Michael J. Fox was 24 when Back to the Future came out, though his character, Marty McFly, was only supposed to be 17. It’s a credit to the actor’s youthful appearance and endearing voice cracks that he was believable in the role. He continued to thrive in the two sequels, which released four and five years after the original. Hilariously, the entire Back to the Future trilogy all takes place within just a few weeks from Marty’s perspective. This meant that Michael J. Fox was 29 years old playing the 17-year-old McFly. (Source: Zimbio)[/nextpage][nextpage]
20. ALEX WINTER AND KEANU REEVES – BILL AND TED’S ADVENTURE-TOO OLD
The rocking prowess of Bill and Ted in the movie Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventurewould in a few short years be the stuff of legend and go on to save the world. However, our two would-be rock messiahs were a little more than easy-going high school slackers who love heavy metal when the movie begins. Despite being school kids, Bill and Ted are played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, who were 25 and 26, respectively, when the film came out. Still, their funny haircuts and Keanu’s adorably crooked smile made it easy to accept them as a pair of clueless teenage rebels. (Source: MentalFloss)
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