In Hollywood, you have a lot of actors playing much younger characters in movies and TV shows. However, some actors have been in the acting business since they were kids, although, for most, that’s the last time they were cast in a role that perfectly matched their age. Every role they have played since has been of a character either older, or younger than they actually are. Playing such characters is a challenge most actors embrace, and face head on because it’s not an easy feat to convincingly pull off. Their acting chops can really come into play with such roles. There’s only so much special effects, or hair and make-up can do anyway. It is not an unusual occurrence in Hollywood, and more often than not, an actor will be cast to play a character that’s not their age. Nonetheless, a number of actors have had the rare opportunity of playing characters that perfectly matched their actual age.
Christina Ricci (Wednesday Addams)
Before Jenna Ortega’s portrayal of the iconic character became all the rave, there was Christina Ricci’s version of the Addams family’s Wednesday. She played the character in The Addams Family (1991), and its sequel, Addams Family Values (1993). The movies are film adaptations of Charles Addams’ classic cartoon series, The Addams Family. Ricci’s performance captured the character’s morbid sense of humor and unique personality. In the first movie and its sequel, she was 11 and 13 years old respectively, the exact same age as the character she played. Her performance as Wednesday has been highly praised over the years, and is heavily referenced in pop culture, even until now.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (Chloe and Riley Carson)
This iconic Olsen Twins duo have more than a dozen projects together. With their extensive filmography as a pair, the 2001 sitcom, So Little Time remains an underrated series. The show follows the lives of two teenage sisters, Chloe and Riley Carson, portrayed by Mary-Kate and Ashley, respectively. In So Little Time, the Carson sisters are 14 years old, the same age the Olsen twins were at the time they starred in the show. While So Little Time was relatively short-lived, it contributed to the Olsen twins’ growing popularity, and further boosted their status as teen idols in the early 2000s.
Tracee Ellis Ross (Joan Clayton)
Tracee Ellis Ross played the role of Joan Clayton, one of the main characters, in the sitcom TV series Girlfriends. The show premiered in 2001 and aired for eight seasons until 2008. Joan Clayton was 28, on the verge of turning 29 in the pilot episode, and Ross herself was a 28-year-old at the time. Her portrayal of Joan earned her acclaim for her comedic timing, relatable depiction of a modern woman, and her ability to bring depth to the character’s experiences and emotions. Was she eccentric and a little annoying? Yes, but she’s also a ride-or-die best friend.
Corbin Bleu (Chad Danforth)
Disney’s original High School Musical trilogy was a worldwide phenomenon. The musical film series gained immense popularity in the mid-2000s, and so did its cast of young actors. The youngest of the main cast was Corbin Bleu, who portrayed the charismatic and endearing Chad Danforth. The character is Troy Bolton’s (played by Zac Efron) best friend, and basketball teammate. Bleu was 16 years old when he played 16-year-old Chad Danforth in the first movie.
Raven-Symoné (Raven Baxter)
Raven-Symoné is regarded as one of the greatest child stars of all time, and this is arguably her most iconic role ever. Her portrayal of Raven Baxter, the main character on the Disney Channel TV series That’s So Raven, brought her international fame and acclaim. Raven Baxter is a teenager who possesses psychic abilities that allow her to have brief visions of the future. These visions often lead to comedic misunderstandings and misadventures throughout the series. Raven-Symoné was 15 when she filmed the first season. While Raven Baxter was a 14-year-old at the beginning of the show, the first season ended with the character turning 15, the same age the actress was when she was filmed.
Dylan and Cole Sprouse (Zack and Cody Martin)
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody aired on the Disney Channel from 2005 to 2008, and was a major success among young audiences. The sitcom ran for three seasons, and featured twin brothers Cole and Dylan Sprouse in the lead roles as the identical titular characters. Dylan and Cole portrayed Zack and Cody Martin respectively. The Sprouse brothers were 12, the same age as their characters, when they portrayed Zack and Cody in the first season of the show. The brothers gained widespread recognition for their roles in the beloved series.
Queen Latifah (Khadijah James)
Queen Latifah starred in one of the most successful sitcoms of the ‘90s as one of its main characters. Living Single, the pioneering situational comedy, aired for five seasons from 1993 to 1998. Latifah played the cool-headed and funny Khadijah James in the show. In Living Single, Khadijah James is said to have been born in the year 1970, the very same year Queen Latifah was born. This fact effectively makes them the same age.
Xolo Mariduena (Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle)
DC’s Blue Beetle is currently showing in theaters, and is enjoying a ton of praise from critics and fans alike. The movie spotlights a lesser-known superhero, and is one of DC’s best superhero flicks in the last few years. The leading man and rising star, Xolo Mariduena has a limited filmography, only previously appearing in main roles on the TV shows Parenthood (2012 – 2015), and Cobra Kai (2018 – present). Nevertheless, the young actor shows a lot of promise, and his role as Jaime Reyes in Blue Beetle could be the one to shoot him to stardom. Mariduena is 22 years old, the exact same age as his character in the movie.
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Over a decade after the last of the Harry Potter movies was released, the film series is still as relevant in pop culture as it was in the 2000s. The beloved franchise will likely always be a significant part of pop culture, and that is a legacy it has earned. Daniel Radcliffe had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of portraying “The Boy Who Lived,” and movie after movie, the actor delivered a stellar performance. Radcliffe was 11 years old, the same age as Harry Potter, when he portrayed the titular character in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).
Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana / Miley Stewart)
Miley Cyrus gained widespread fame for her dual role as Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel TV series Hannah Montana. The show aired for four seasons from 2006 to 2011, and is one of Disney Channel’s most commercially-successful franchises. Cyrus has since moved on from her role as Hannah Montana, and has become a full-fledged popstar herself. Nonetheless, the legacy of the iconic character will never fade. Hannah Montana was a 14-year-old at the start of the series, and Miley Cyrus was the exact same age at the time the first season aired.
