Adult Actors Playing High Schoolers

1 of 30

Olivia Newton-John in Grease

Everett

Character: Sandy, 18

Newton-John’s Actual Age at Filming: 29

2 of 30

Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls

Paramount/Everett

Character: Regina George, high school junior

McAdams’ Actual Age at Filming: 27

3 of 30

Stacey Dash in Clueless

Everett

Character: Dionne, high school junior

Dash’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

Continued on next slide.

4 of 30

Stockard Channing in Grease

Everett

Character: Rizzo, 18

Channing’s Actual Age at Filming: 34

5 of 30

Taylor Kitsch on Friday Night Lights

Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Getty

Character: Tim Riggins, high school junior

Kitsch’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

6 of 30

Henry Winkler on Happy Days

Everett

Character: The Fonz, high schooler

Winkler’s Actual Age at Filming: 29

Continued on next slide.

7 of 30

Shirley Henderson in Harry Potter

Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Getty

Character: Moaning Myrtle, teenage high school student

Henderson’s Actual Age at Filming: 37

8 of 30

Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls

Everett

Character: Lane Kim, 16

Agena’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

9 of 30

Gabrielle Union in Bring It On

Everett

Character: Isis, high school senior

Union’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

Continued on next slide.

10 of 30

Charisma Carpenter on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Everett

Character: Cordelia Chase, 16

Carpenter’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

11 of 30

Shay Mitchell on Pretty Little Liars

ABC Family

Character: Emily, 16

Lawson’s Actual Age at Filming: 30

12 of 30

Paul Wesley on Vampire Diaries

The CW

Character: Stefan Salvatore, 17

Wesley’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

Continued on next slide.

13 of 30

Ian Somerhalder on Vampire Diaries

The CW

Character: Damon Salvatore, 17

Somerhalder’s Actual Age at Filming: 31

14 of 30

Ashleigh Murray on Riverdale

The CW

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

Murray’s Actual Age at Filming: 30

15 of 30

Sean Patrick Thomas in Save the Last Dance

Paramount

Character: Derek Reynolds, senior in high school

Thomas’ Actual Age at Filming: 31

Continued on next slide.

16 of 30

Sissy Spacek in Carrie

Everette Collection

Character: Carrie White, 16

Spacek’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

17 of 30

Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Baby Houseman, 17

Grey’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

18 of 30

John Heder in Napoleon Dynamite

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Napoleon, high school student

Heder’s Actual Age at Filming: 26

Continued on next slide.

19 of 30

Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Susanna Kayson, 18

Ryder’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

20 of 30

Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Cameron, 17

Ruck’s Actual Age at Filming: 30

21 of 30

Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Cecile Caldwell, 17

Blair’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

Continued on next slide.

22 of 30

Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham

Courtesy Everett Collection

Character: Jess Bhamra, 17

Nagra’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

23 of 30

Ross Butler on 13 Reasons Why

Character: Zach Dempsey, high school student

Butler’s Actual Age at Filming: 27

24 of 30

Gabrielle Carteris on Beverly Hills, 90210

mikel roberts/Getty Images

Character: Andrea Zuckerman, 16

Carteris’ Actual Age at Filming: 29

Continued on next slide.

25 of 30

Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra

HBO

Character: Scott Thorson, 17

Damon’s Actual Age at Filming: 43

26 of 30

Tammin Sursok on Pretty Little Liars

ABC

Character: Jenna Marshall, high school student

Sursok’s Actual Age at Filming: 31

27 of 30

Jason Earles on Hannah Montana

Character: Jackson, high school student

Earles’ Actual Age at Filming: 29

Continued on next slide.

28 of 30

Cory Monteith on Glee

Patrick Ecclesine/FOX

Character: Finn, high schooler

Real Age: 27-31

29 of 30

Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man

Sony Pictures

Character: Peter Parker, 17

Garfield’s Actual Age at Filming: 28

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

1 of 30

Olivia Newton-John in Grease

2 of 30

Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls

3 of 30

Stacey Dash in Clueless

4 of 30

Stockard Channing in Grease

5 of 30

Taylor Kitsch on Friday Night Lights

6 of 30

Henry Winkler on Happy Days

7 of 30

Shirley Henderson in Harry Potter

8 of 30

Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls

9 of 30

Gabrielle Union in Bring It On

10 of 30

Charisma Carpenter on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

11 of 30

Shay Mitchell on Pretty Little Liars

12 of 30

Paul Wesley on Vampire Diaries

13 of 30

Ian Somerhalder on Vampire Diaries

14 of 30

Ashleigh Murray on Riverdale

15 of 30

Sean Patrick Thomas in Save the Last Dance

16 of 30

Sissy Spacek in Carrie

17 of 30

Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing

18 of 30

John Heder in Napoleon Dynamite

19 of 30

Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted

20 of 30

Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

21 of 30

Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions

22 of 30

Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham

23 of 30

Ross Butler on 13 Reasons Why

24 of 30

Gabrielle Carteris on Beverly Hills, 90210

25 of 30

Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra

26 of 30

Tammin Sursok on Pretty Little Liars

27 of 30

Jason Earles on Hannah Montana

28 of 30

Cory Monteith on Glee

29 of 30

Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man

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