Adult Actors Who Played High Schoolers … and How Old They Really Were

We do not know what we would have done if there were an adult Taylor Kitsch in our high school
By Maria Yagoda and Andrea Wurzburger
September 27, 2019 04:20 PM

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Olivia Newton-John in Grease

Credit: Everett

Character: Sandy, 18

Newton-John's Actual Age at Filming: 29

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Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls

Credit: Paramount/Everett

Character: Regina George, high school junior

McAdams' Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Stacey Dash in Clueless

Credit: Everett

Character: Dionne, high school junior

Dash's Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Stockard Channing in Grease

Credit: Everett

Character: Rizzo, 18

Channing's Actual Age at Filming: 34

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Taylor Kitsch on Friday Night Lights 

Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Getty

Character: Tim Riggins, high school junior

Kitsch's Actual Age at Filming: 28

6 of 33

Henry Winkler on Happy Days

Credit: Everett

Character: The Fonz, high schooler

Winkler's Actual Age at Filming: 29

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Shirley Henderson in Harry Potter

Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Getty

Character: Moaning Myrtle, teenage high school student

Henderson's Actual Age at Filming: 37

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Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls

Credit: Everett

Character: Lane Kim, 16

Agena's Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Gabrielle Union in Bring It On

Credit: Everett

Character: Isis, high school senior

Union's Actual Age at Filming: 28

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Charisma Carpenter on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Credit: Everett

Character: Cordelia Chase, 16

Carpenter's Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Shay Mitchell on Pretty Little Liars

Credit: ABC Family

Character: Emily, 16

Lawson's Actual Age at Filming: 30

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Paul Wesley on Vampire Diaries

Credit: The CW

Character: Stefan Salvatore, 17

Wesley’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Ian Somerhalder on Vampire Diaries

Credit: The CW

Character: Damon Salvatore, 17

Somerhalder’s Actual Age at Filming: 31

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Ashleigh Murray on Riverdale

Credit: The CW

Character: Josie (of Josie & the Pussycats), high school student

Murray’s Actual Age at Filming: 30

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Sean Patrick Thomas in Save the Last Dance

Credit: Paramount

Character: Derek Reynolds, senior in high school

Thomas’ Actual Age at Filming: 31

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Sissy Spacek in Carrie

Credit: Everette Collection

Character: Carrie White, 16

Spacek’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Baby Houseman, 17

Grey’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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John Heder in Napoleon Dynamite

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Napoleon, high school student

Heder’s Actual Age at Filming: 26

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Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Susanna Kayson, 18

Ryder’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

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Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Cameron, 17

Ruck’s Actual Age at Filming: 30

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Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Cecile Caldwell, 17

Blair’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Jess Bhamra, 17

Nagra’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Ross Butler on 13 Reasons Why

Character: Zach Dempsey, high school student

Butler’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

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Gabrielle Carteris on Beverly Hills, 90210

Credit: mikel roberts/Getty Images

Character: Andrea Zuckerman, 16

Carteris’ Actual Age at Filming: 29

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Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra

Credit: HBO

Character: Scott Thorson, 17

Damon’s Actual Age at Filming: 43

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Meredith Monroe on Dawson's Creek

Character: Andie McPhee, high school sophomore

Monroe's Actual Age at Filming: 29

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Kerr Smith on Dawson's Creek

Credit: Columbia TriStar Television/courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Jack McPhee, high school sophomore

Smith's Actual Age at Filming: 26

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Tammin Sursok on Pretty Little Liars

Credit: ABC

Character: Jenna Marshall, high school student

Sursok’s Actual Age at Filming: 31

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29 of 33

Jason Earles on Hannah Montana

Character: Jackson, high school student

Earles’ Actual Age at Filming: 29

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Cory Monteith on Glee

Credit: Patrick Ecclesine/FOX

Character: Finn, high schooler

Monteith's Actual Age at Filming: 27-31

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Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man

Credit: Sony Pictures

Character: Peter Parker, 17

Garfield’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

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Ben Platt on The Politician 

Credit: Courtesy of NETFLIX

Character: Payton Hobart, high school senior

Platt's Actual Age at Filming: 26

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33 of 33

Lucy Boynton on The Politician 

Credit: Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty

Character: Astrid, high school senior

Boynton's Actual Age at Filming: 25

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By Maria Yagoda and Andrea Wurzburger