What, the high schoolers in your day didn't look 30 years old? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for actors who played teenage characters on TV, despite being significantly older.
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00:00And it's me, I'm Louie, lesbian.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:06And today we're counting down our picks for actors who play teenage characters on TV,
00:10despite being significantly older.
00:12I'm studying. Got a big test coming up.
00:14Since when do you study?
00:16Number 20, Antoine Tanner in One Tree Hill, born April 14th, 1975.
00:21Yo, Luke, man, you know you're one of my best friends, right?
00:25And ain't nothing ever gonna change that, man.
00:27Many know him for his starring role as Worm alongside Samuel L. Jackson in the 2005 film Coach Carter.
00:32That wasn't the only basketball player Antoine Tanner portrayed during the 2000s.
00:36Tanner also played a key role in the television series One Tree Hill, which originally came out in 2003.
00:41Help keep you focused on that prize.
00:43Thanks, man.
00:44Do what you gotta do. Just remember, you always got us.
00:49Alright?
00:51Alright.
00:52Tanner was 28 years old when the term drama first came out.
00:56His character is commonly referred to as Skills, due to his exceptional ability on the basketball court.
01:01For the first few seasons, he's a high school peer and teammate of the main characters Lucas and Nathan.
01:06Number 19, Keiko Agena in Gilmore Girls, born October 3rd, 1973.
01:11Rory Gilmore's good friend and high school classmate, Lane Kim, exemplifies the youthful process of self-discovery,
01:18while balancing personal interests with parental approval.
01:20She often struggles to assert her own decisions, in contrast to her strict mother's expectations.
01:25Don't run. Just walk in there and tell her what you want.
01:28After all, she's your mother, and she wants you to be happy, on some level, I think. Maybe not.
01:32Although, the actress portraying Lane in Gilmore Girls was more than old enough to make her own choices at the time of the series premiere.
01:38Keiko Agena turned 27 just two days prior.
01:41Yet, her character, Lane, is 16 at the start of the show.
01:45She navigates typical high school experiences, including academics, friendships, and her love for music.
01:50I am Keith Moon. I am Neil Peart. I am Rick Allen, with and without the arm, because I am rock and roll, baby!
01:57Number 18, Charisma Carpenter in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, born July 23rd, 1970.
02:03Cast alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar to lead Joss Whedon's series about a demon-slaying cheerleader,
02:08Charisma Carpenter plays Buffy's sidekick, Cordelia Chase.
02:11I'm not through here.
02:12Oh, I beg to differ.
02:17What is wrong with you?
02:18Ow! The chick started it!
02:21She had an even bigger role in the spin-off, Angel, but Carpenter was more than a few years removed from high school.
02:26She was 27 when Buffy the Vampire Slayer first aired, but her fresh face presented the ideal look for the would-be transformative show.
02:34Before then, Carpenter had only a few credits to her name, including Baywatch and Boy Meets World.
02:39But it was on Buffy where she was able to show off more than just her good looks.
02:43All you ever do is what everyone else does, just so you can say you did it first.
02:47And here I am, scrambling for your approval, when I'm way cooler than you are, because I'm not a sheep.
02:56The lead singer of Josie and the Pussycats has got vocals for days.
03:07Josie McCoy is just a high schooler when she puts her musical talent on display in the hit CW series, Riverdale.
03:13In the first few seasons, she's a teen at Riverdale High alongside Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and the rest of the crew.
03:20Actress Ashley Murray, who plays Josie, turned 28 just over a week before the comic-book-inspired TV series came out.
03:26And let's not forget Charles Melton, who was 26 years old when he made his series debut as Reggie Mantle, another classmate of the Core Four.
03:33Bro, you are ready for football. I'm not kidding you, dude. You got rids.
03:37Dude, you're a beast. Look at this arm. It's diesel.
03:39How much you benching, like 220 to 25? You gotta give me some tips, man.
03:43Of course, Murray earns the spot here, as her age gap with her character was bigger.
03:53Before melting the hearts of both men and women alike in the NBC hit TV series, the daughter of former Aerosmither Rick Dufay was relatively unknown.
04:01Believe me when I say that you are all that I have in the whole world.
04:05When the first episode of Friday Night Lights premiered in 2006, however, Kelly beautifully captured the essence of high school drama
04:11when she starred as Lila Garrity, despite already having 26 years under her belt.
04:15Kelly's looks may attract a certain demographic, but her graceful beauty emits a sweetheart vibe as well.
04:20She wasn't the only one on the show who pulled off a significantly younger character, either.
04:24Her co-star, Taylor Kish, was also born in the early 1980s.
04:27I'll go to the store.
04:28God, no. No, no, no, no. I don't want you to go in this weather. Look at it.
04:31It's fine. See you soon.
04:34God, he's cute. Nobody's jailbait. We stay away, okay, darling?
04:41Born September 16, 1992.
04:43He may only be a teenager, but John B., in the Netflix series Outer Banks, has treasure on his mind no matter what dangers get in the way.
04:50John, it's come to our attention that you are an un-emancipated minor living on your own.
04:56No. No. No.
04:59He and his Pogue friends are all about 16 years old when their journey to find the Royal Merchant begins.
05:04Chase Stokes takes the crown for oldest actor to portray one of the teen characters in the show.
05:08He was 27 years old when the series debuted in April 2020.
05:11By the time season three of Outer Banks was released, Chase Stokes had already turned 30, while his character, John B., remained a teenager.
05:18Exactly what my dad would do to call me home. Sarah, that pattern, those bells.
05:24The ding, ding, ding, ding. Sarah, that's him calling me home.
05:30No. 14. Darren Barnett in Never Have I Ever.
05:33Born April 27, 1991.
05:36Have you ever wondered how old Paxton in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever actually is?
05:41He can't truly be a junior in high school, can he? Correct.
05:45Darren Barnett, who portrays the popular teenage boy at school, turned 29 on the same day that the Never Have I Ever pilot dropped.
05:52Whoa, Davey, you came. You brought California brittle. This slaps. Come in.
05:59Now, that must be a nice birthday present.
06:01Co-creator of the show, Lang Fisher, claimed that she didn't even know how old Barnett was when he was cast as Paxton.
06:06Although the series was generally a hit, the age discrepancy certainly sparked conversation on social media.
06:11I'll try to be more observant in the future.
06:13You've met my dad like 40 times, Trent.
06:16I thought that was your hammer.
06:17No. 13. Stacey Dash in Clueless.
06:20Born January 20, 1967.
06:23I'm a guy without a lot of money. How do I get a girl to notice me before the dance?
06:28As if.
06:29After the massive success of Amy Heckerling's 1995 film Clueless, ABC quickly developed a sitcom version for their TGIF lineup.
06:37While Stacey Dash beautifully displayed how Dionne Davenport got down at Bronson Alcott High,
06:42she was close to reaching the big 3-0 by the time the premiere episode aired.
06:46That is, like, way too old to be in high school.
06:50Dash was one of the few cast members to return to the series in her original role,
06:54and she continued to play the part perfectly, despite being 32 by the time the series wrapped.
06:59Well, every good movie review says that the actor was riveting.
07:03Riveting? How do you rivet?
07:05I don't know, but I think it means you have to be, you know, hypnotic.
07:09Oh.
07:10No. 12. Tom Welling in Smallville.
07:12Born April 26, 1997.
07:15For those who are interested in the life of Superman before he became Superman, Smallville is a good place to go.
07:20People jumped at the opportunity to see the pilot episode in 2001 to such an extent
07:25that it had record-breaking ratings for a WB television network debut.
07:29At the time of the pilot, though, actor Tom Welling was already a young man.
07:32Clark, I know this has got to be really hard for you, but you've got to just hang in there like we promised.
07:37I'm sick of hanging in there. All I want to do is go through high school without being a total loser.
07:42He was 24 years old when he began portraying a young Clark Kent in the years leading up to
07:46and following his discovery of his otherworldly abilities.
07:49In season one, Clark is portrayed as a 14 to 15-year-old boy.
07:53That's about 10 years younger than Welling was.
07:55So what are you? Man or Superman?
08:00I haven't figured it out yet.
08:01Number 11. Cory Monteith in Glee.
08:04Born May 11, 1982.
08:06As one of the more heartbreaking examples of celebrities who suffered from substance use disorder,
08:11Cory Monteith went Hollywood in the mid-2000s and sustained a working career in both TV and film.
08:16It's Monteith's role as Finn Hudson on the Fox sensation Glee that gained not only critical acclaim,
08:21but also stunned viewers once they learned that Cory had recently turned 27 years old
08:25when the series premiered in May of 2009.
08:28I'm not afraid of being called a loser because I can accept that that's what I am.
08:32But I am afraid of turning my back on something that actually made me happy for the first time in my sorry life.
08:37For four seasons, he delivered time and time again.
08:40But unfortunately, Cory passed away in 2013 at only 31 years old.
08:45You just feel so surreal.
08:48They don't make him like Finn. He was our quarterback.
08:51We honor Finn Hudson by taking care of the people he loved.
08:55Number 10. Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones.
08:58Born October 23, 1986.
09:00Believe it or not, our dear Khaleesi was actually supposed to be 15 years old in the first season of Game of Thrones.
09:06But considering Emilia Clarke's chops, HBO didn't seem bothered by stats from the source material in this case.
09:11Khaleesi?
09:13He was no dragon.
09:16Fire cannot kill a dragon.
09:18Despite appearing to be in her late teens in the first season, Clarke was actually 24 years old.
09:22The youthful presence made Daenerys a polarizing figure long before her controversial heel turned in the final season.
09:28Natalie Dormer is another Game of Thrones actress with a significantly greater number of years under her belt than her young character, Margaery Tyrell.
09:35How sad it would be if she's wearing rubbish like that.
09:38Perhaps I should just let Joffrey choose it for me.
09:41End up with a string of dead sparrow heads around my neck.
09:44It's just not to the same extent as Clarke, though, which is why Clarke gets the spot here.
09:48Number 9. Laura Dreyfuss in The Politician.
09:51Born August 22, 1988.
09:53The actress who played McAfee Westbrook, a student campaign strategist in The Politician, was old enough to be a U.S. senator when the show first aired.
10:00That's right. Laura Dreyfuss was 31 when her teenage character reached audiences.
10:05Oh, sorry. I'm McAfee Westbrook. We spoke on the phone. I'm your new campaign staffer.
10:11In the U.S., the minimum age requirement to be a senator is 30.
10:15McAfee's advice for her friend Peyton Hobart certainly suggests she knows what she's doing when it comes to strategy and insight for a student government campaign.
10:22We're now only up by two points, which is well within the margin of error.
10:25So depending on turnout, we could either win by six or lose by four.
10:29We need to lock down every single undecided, including that kid.
10:32When it comes to age, McAfee's professional outfits throughout the series make her look more mature.
10:37Number 8. Meredith Monroe in Dawson's Creek.
10:40Born December 30, 1969.
10:42Season 2 marks the first appearance of 16-year-old Andy McPhee in Capeside, Massachusetts.
10:47This bright, driven, and friendly teenager in the WB series Dawson's Creek is portrayed by Meredith Monroe.
10:53Didn't you tell me you're new in town? How do you know Christy Livingstone?
10:56Well, unlike certain sewer rats, she made an effort to welcome the new and slightly insecure Capeside kid.
11:03The actress was 29 years old, 13 or so years older than her character, when she first appeared on screen as Andy.
11:09The character is a sophomore in high school in season 2, a junior in season 3, and a senior in season 4.
11:15This means that Monroe portrayed a high school teenager on the TV screen after turning 30.
11:20When I first met you, I didn't know much about love or friendship.
11:29And each of you taught me a lot about both.
11:32Number 7. Jessica Marie Garcia in On My Block.
11:36Born March 23, 1987.
11:38Jasmine Flores doesn't always behave like just a kid in the Netflix teen dramedy On My Block.
11:43For real? No one's ever told me they had feelings for me.
11:48But Ruby, though? He's always had power over my heart.
11:53There are instances where she displays a maturity beyond her years.
11:56But after all, she is still a kid.
11:58However, the same can't be said for the actress who plays her.
12:01Jessica Marie Garcia turned 31 a week after On My Block premiered, and was 33 during the filming of the fourth and final season,
12:08while still portraying the teenage character.
12:10Okay, hilarious, but really, what's going on?
12:13No, that is what's really going on.
12:15Oh, my God. People actually want to sleep with your mom.
12:18I know at least four girls who have.
12:20As it wrapped up, Garcia posted on social media about the impact that the role of Jasmine had on her life.
12:25Number 6. Timothy Granaderos in 13 Reasons Why.
12:29Born September 9, 1986.
12:31The school scoundrel, Monte de la Cruz, does some brutal things in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.
12:37His presence often entails fights, controversy, and lies.
12:41Maybe you and Hannah are for some fun later.
12:43Me and Hannah?
12:44Yeah, you're fun girls, right?
12:45I mean, that's what it looks like in the picture.
12:47He did disappoint you, Monte, but I'll tell you a secret.
12:50This persona is established early on in his season one appearance.
12:53Monte is 16 at the beginning of the show.
12:55However, Timothy Granaderos, the actor who plays him, was much older at the time of the season one debut.
13:01In fact, he was 30 years old when the show appeared on users' Netflix homepages.
13:05He stuck around for the next couple seasons, too, continuing to portray the troublesome teenage boy.
13:09If I hear that you even looked in his direction, then the cops find out about Tony's car?
13:16About the gun you gave Alex?
13:19Number 5. Gabrielle Carteris in Beverly Hills, 90210.
13:23Born January 2, 1961.
13:25We are gathered here tonight as friends to open the door to the spirit world.
13:33Unfortunately for Gabrielle Carteris, it's likely that no other performance in her career will outweigh the 147-episode run of Beverly Hills, 90210.
13:41Sure, Andrea Zuckerman wasn't the most popular of the bunch, as viewers adored the likes of Luke Perry and Ian Ziering even more.
13:48Both of whom were in their early to mid-twenties while playing teenagers on screen.
13:51But the general public always seemed to wonder the true age of Gabrielle Carteris.
13:55I cannot believe you guys.
13:58I came here tonight because I thought I was going to make good friends.
14:03You guys are so gossipy!
14:05Sure, she wasn't quite an old lady, but she was nearly 30 when the first episode aired.
14:09As was Trevor Donovan when he played Teddy on the show's reboot that aired in 2008.
14:13Number 4. Arden Cho in Teen Wolf.
14:16Born August 16, 1985.
14:18This isn't just your typical new girl at school.
14:21Arden Cho's character, Kira Yukimura, in the MTV Supernatural teen drama Teen Wolf, is a kitsune.
14:27This Japanese folklore figure is linked to foxes and possesses supernatural powers.
14:32Whoa.
14:33Yeah.
14:34What is it?
14:35I don't know. It just started showing up a couple of months ago.
14:37The teenage Kira first appears in season 3, getting a fresh start in a new town and at a new school.
14:43At this time, Cho was nearly 12 years older than her character.
14:46Actress Crystal Reed should also be mentioned here, as she was 26 at the time of her debut as high school sophomore Allison Argent.
14:53There's no such thing as fate.
14:57There's no such thing as werewolves.
15:03Cho gets the spot here, however, with a slightly larger age gap.
15:07Number 3. Jason Earles in Hannah Montana.
15:10Born April 26, 1977.
15:14You do not want to go in there.
15:19Oh, come on.
15:20At one point, this guy was primarily known for being the ancestor of Nicolas Cage in the 2004 film National Treasure.
15:26It wasn't too long after that when Jason Earles appeared in the sensation known as Hannah Montana,
15:31taking the part as Miley's 16-year-old brother, Jackson, at 29 years of age.
15:36With the help of a blossoming superstar, he found his groove in the form of a goofy teenage brother.
15:41Oh, wait!
15:44You guys want to see something? I'll show you a little something.
15:50By the end of the show's five-year run, nobody really seemed to appreciate the inexplicable
15:54Benjamin Button-type appearance of the real-life Jackson Stewart, mainly because he doesn't seem to age whatsoever.
16:00Number 2. Nicola Coughlin in Derry Girls and Bridgerton.
16:04Born January 9, 1987.
16:06Not once, but twice, did Nicola Coughlin show us that she can effectively portray a teenage girl despite being in her 30s.
16:13Not only that, she brought her much younger characters in Derry Girls and Bridgerton to life in two completely different time periods.
16:30When her 16-year-old character, Claire Devlin, hit the screen in the teen sitcom Derry Girls,
16:34Coughlin was about to turn 31 years old.
16:36She continued to play the smart, neurotic teenager for all three series.
16:48As for her character, Penelope, in the historical romance series Bridgerton,
16:51Coughlin was similarly nearly double her character's age at the time of the premiere.
16:54She was 33, playing a 17-year-old.
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17:14Number 1. Bianca Lawson in Pretty Little Liars.
17:17Born March 20, 1979.
17:20This actress has been playing a teenager for the past 20 years.
17:23Bianca Lawson fittingly made her TV debut at age 14 on Saved by the Bell The New Class.
17:28She then had many roles on both sitcoms and dramas throughout the 90s and 2000s.
17:33So once Lawson joined Pretty Little Liars in 2010, she was already a veteran of the business.
17:47The name Maya St. Germain became popular among millennial viewers and beyond.
17:50But her Rosewood journey began when Lawson was already 31 years old.
17:54Tamen Sirsic is another Pretty Little Liars actress with a 10-plus year age gap over her teen character at the time of the series premiere.
18:01But it doesn't quite reach the level of Lawson.
18:14Who are your favorite TV characters who don't look their age?
18:16Let us know in the comments.
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