See 42 Actors Who Played High Schoolers When They Were Adults (and How Old They “Actually” Were!)
- - See 42 Actors Who Played High Schoolers When They Were Adults (and How Old They “Actually” Were!)
Maria Yagoda, Andrea Wurzburger, Katie LabovitzJuly 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Eddy Chen/HBO; IMPRINT ENTERTAINMENT/MAVERICK FILMS/SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT/NEWCOMB, DEANA/Album; Silver Screen Collection/Getty
Zendaya as Ruby 'Rue' Bennett on 'Euphoria'; Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in 2008's 'Twilight'; Henry Winkler as Arthur 'The Fonz' Fonzarelli on 'Happy Days'
Entertainer W.C. Fields is often credited with first saying, "Never work with children or animals" because of their unpredictability and ability to upstage anyone else.
Kids in showbiz also require on-set tutors and chaperones, and can only work a certain number of hours a day. With such constraints, it almost makes sense to have adults playing much younger characters — to skirt the restrictions of child actors, but also to control when and how they "grow up." When you hire someone post-puberty, there's less risk of an unexpected growth spurt or someone's voice radically changing.
Having adult actors play teenagers isn't a new concept, as some actors included on this list starred in movies and sitcoms of the 1970s. However, it does seem that lately, many high schoolers are portrayed by people who are old enough to have graduated from college.
Ahead, see which of-age actors have played on-screen youngsters and just how old they were while filming these iconic teen characters.
Robert Pattinson in The Twilight Saga
Netflix/Summit Entertainment
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in 2008's 'Twilight,'
Character: Edward Cullen, 17
Robert Pattinson's Actual Age at Filming: 21 (Twilight)
Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
Erika Doss/Universal Pictures Ben Platt as Evan Hansen and Julianne Moore as Heidi Hansen in 2021's 'Dear Evan Hansen,'
Character: Evan Hansen, 17, high school senior
Ben Platt's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Zendaya on Euphoria
HBO Zendaya as Ruby 'Rue' Bennett on 'Euphoria'
Character: Ruby "Rue" Bennett, 17, high school junior
Zendaya's Actual Age at Filming: 22 (season 1)
Alexa Demie on Euphoria
Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez on 'Euphoria'
Character: Maddy Perez, 17, high school student
Alexa Demie's Actual Age at Filming: 28–29 (season 1)
Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls (2004)
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Rachel McAdams as Regina George in 2004's 'Mean Girls,'
Character: Regina George, high school junior
Rachel McAdams' Actual Age at Filming: 26
Reneé Rapp in Mean Girls (2024)
Jojo Whilden/Paramount
Reneé Rapp as Regina George in 2004's 'Mean Girls,'
Character: Regina George, high school junior
Reneé Rapp's Actual Age at Filming: 23
Ashleigh Murray on Riverdale
Shane Marvey/The CW
Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy on 'Riverdale'
Character: Josie McCoy (of Josie & the Pussycats), high school sophomore
Ashleigh Murray's Actual Age at Filming: 28 (season 1)
Cole Sprouse on Riverdale
Dean Buscher/The CW Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones on 'Riverdale'
Character: Jughead Jones, 16, high school sophomore
Cole Sprouse's Actual Age at Filming: 24 (season 1)
Stacey Dash in Clueless (1995)
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport in a promotional still for 1995's 'Clueless,'
Character: Dionne Davenport, high school junior
Stacey Dash's Actual Age at Filming: 27–28
Olivia Newton-John in Grease (1978)
Paramount Pictures/Courtesy: Everett Collection.
Olivia Newton-John as Sandy Olsson in 1978's 'Grease,'
Character: Sandy Olsson, 18, high school senior
Olivia Newton-John's Actual Age at Filming: 28–29
Stockard Channing in Grease (1978)
Paramount Pictures/Alamy Stock Photo
Stockard Channing as Betty Rizzo in 1978's 'Grease,'
Character: Betty Rizzo, 18, high school senior
Stockard Channing's Actual Age at Filming: 33
Joe Keery on Stranger Things
Netflix Joe Keery as Steve Harrington on 'Stranger Things'
Character: Steve Harrington, 17, high school junior
Joe Keery's Actual Age at Filming: 23 (season 1)
Taylor Kitsch on Friday Night Lights
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Taylor Kitsch as Tim Riggins on 'Friday Night Lights'
Character: Tim Riggins, high school junior
Taylor Kitsch's Actual Age at Filming: 25 (season 1)
Henry Winkler on Happy Days
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
Henry Winkler as Arthur 'The Fonz' Fonzarelli on 'Happy Days'
Character: Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli, high school dropout who later enrolls in night school
Henry Winkler's Actual Age at Filming: 28 (season 1)
Darren Barnet on Never Have I Ever
ISABELLA B. VOSMIKOVA/NETFLIX Darren Barnet as Paxton Hall-Yoshida on 'Never Have I Ever'
Character: Paxton Hall-Yoshida, 17, high school junior
Darren Barnet's Actual Age at Filming: 29 (season 1)
Shirley Henderson in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Murray Close/Getty
Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle in a 2004 promotional still for the 2005 film 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,'
Character: Moaning Myrtle, 14, third-year student at Hogwarts at the time of her death
Shirley Henderson's Actual Age at Filming: 36 (Chamber of Secrets)
Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls
The CW/Courtesy Everett Collection
Keiko Agena as Lane Kim on 'Gilmore Girls'
Character: Lane Kim, 16, high school sophomore
Keiko Agena's Actual Age at Filming: 27 (season 1)
Gabrielle Union in Bring It On (2000)
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Gabrielle Union as Isis in 2000's 'Bring It On,'
Character: Isis, high school senior
Gabrielle Union's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Charisma Carpenter on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Getty
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase in a promotional photo for 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Character: Cordelia Chase, 16, high school sophomore
Charisma Carpenter's Actual Age at Filming: 27 (season 1)
Chase Stokes on Outer Banks
COURTESY OF NETFLIX Chase Stokes as John B. Routledge on 'Outer Banks'
Character: John B. Routledge, 17, high school junior
Chase Stokes' Actual Age at Filming: 27 (season 1)
Shay Mitchell on Pretty Little Liars
ABC Family Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields on 'Pretty Little Liars'
Character: Emily Fields, 16, high school sophomore
Shay Mitchell's Actual Age at Filming: 23 (season 1)
Tammin Sursok on Pretty Little Liars
ABC Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh and Tammin Sursok (center) as Jenna Marshall on 'Pretty Little Liars'
Character: Jenna Marshall, 16, high school sophomore
Tammin Sursok's Actual Age at Filming: 26 (season 1)
Nina Dobrev on The Vampire Diaries
Tina Rowden/The CW Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert on 'The Vampire Diaries'
Character: Elena Gilbert, 17, high school junior
Nina Dobrev's Actual Age at Filming: 20 (season 1)
Paul Wesley on The Vampire Diaries
The CW Paul Wesley (left) as Stefan Salvatore on 'The Vampire Diaries'
Character: Stefan Salvatore, 17
Paul Wesley's Actual Age at Filming: 27 (season 1)
Ian Somerhalder on The Vampire Diaries
The CW Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore on 'The Vampire Diaries'
Character: Damon Salvatore, 25
Ian Somerhalder's Actual Age at Filming: 30 (season 1)
Sean Patrick Thomas in Save the Last Dance (2001)
Paramount Sean Patrick Thomas as Derek Reynolds in 2001's 'Save the Last Dance,'
Character: Derek Reynolds, senior in high school
Sean Patrick Thomas' Actual Age at Filming: 30
Sissy Spacek in Carrie (1976)
Everette Collection Sissy Spacek as Carrie White in 1976's 'Carrie,'
Character: Carrie White, 16, high school senior
Sissy Spacek's Actual Age at Filming: 25–26
Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing (1987)
Courtesy Everett Collection Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle and Jennifer Grey as Frances 'Baby' Houseman in 1987's 'Dirty Dancing,'
Character: Frances "Baby" Houseman, 17, recent high school graduate
Jennifer Grey's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Jon Heder in Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Courtesy Everett Collection Efren Ramirez (left) as Pedro Sánchez and Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite in 2004's 'Napoleon Dynamite,'
Character: Napoleon Dynamite, 16, high school student
Jon Heder's Actual Age at Filming: 26
Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Courtesy Everett Collection Angelina Jolie (left) as Lisa Rowe and Winona Ryder as Susanna Kaysen in 1999's 'Girl, Interrupted,'
Character: Susanna Kaysen, 18
Winona Ryder's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Courtesy Everett Collection From left: Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller, Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson and Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye in a promotional photo for 1986's 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,'
Character: Cameron Frye, 18, high school senior
Alan Ruck's Actual Age at Filming: 29
Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions (1999)
Courtesy Everett Collection Selma Blair (bottom left) as Cecile Caldwell and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Kathryn Merteuil in 1999's 'Cruel Intentions,'
Character: Cecile Caldwell, 15, high school freshman
Selma Blair's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham (2003)
Courtesy Everett Collection Parminder Nagra as Jess Bhamra and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Joe in 2003's 'Bend It Like Beckham,'
Character: Jess Bhamra, 18
Parminder Nagra's Actual Age at Filming: 26
Gabrielle Carteris on Beverly Hills, 90210
mikel roberts/Getty Images Gabrielle Carteris as Andrea Zuckerman on 'Beverly Hills, 90210'
Character: Andrea Zuckerman, 16, high school junior
Gabrielle Carteris' Actual Age at Filming: 29 (season 1)
Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra (2013)
HBO Matt Damon as Scott Thorson in 2013's 'Behind the Candelabra,'
Character: Scott Thorson, 18
Matt Damon's Actual Age at Filming: 42
Meredith Monroe on Dawson's Creek
Columbia TriStar Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
Meredith Monroe as Andie McPhee in a promotional still for season 2 of 'Dawson's Creek'
Character: Andie McPhee, 16, high school sophomore
Meredith Monroe's Actual Age at Filming: 29 (season 2)
Kerr Smith on Dawson's Creek
Columbia TriStar Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee in a promotional still for season 5 of 'Dawson's Creek'
Character: Jack McPhee, 17, high school sophomore
Kerr Smith's Actual Age at Filming: 26 (season 2)
Jason Earles on Hannah Montana
Disney Channel/Courtesy: Everett Collection
From left: Billy Ray Cyrus as Robby Ray Stewart, Jason Earles as Jackson Stewart, Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana, Mitchel Musso as Oliver Oken and Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott in a promotional still for 'Hannah Montana'
Character: Jackson, 16, high school student
Jason Earles' Actual Age at Filming: 28 (season 1)
Cory Monteith on Glee
FOX Image Collection via Getty
Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson on 'Glee'
Character: Finn Hudson, 16, high school sophomore
Cory Monteith's Actual Age at Filming: 27 (season 1)
Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Jamie Trueblood/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in 2012's 'The Amazing Spider-Man,'
Character: Peter Parker/Spider-Man, 17, high school junior
Andrew Garfield's Actual Age at Filming: 27
Ben Platt on The Politician
Courtesy of NETFLIX Ben Platt as Payton Hobart on 'The Politician'
Character: Payton Hobart, 18, high school senior
Platt's Actual Age at Filming: 26 (season 1)
Lucy Boynton on The Politician
Nicole Rivelli/Netflix
Lucy Boynton as Astrid Sloan on 'The Politician'
Character: Astrid Sloan, 18, high school senior
Lucy Boynton's Actual Age at Filming: 25 (season 1)
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