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
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Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen
Character: Evan Hansen, 17
Platt's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Nina Dobrev in The Vampire Diaries
Character: Elena Gilbert, 17
Dobrev's Actual Age at Filming: 20
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Zendaya in Euphoria
Character: Rue, 17
Zendaya's Actual Age at Filming: 22
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Olivia Newton-John in Grease
Character: Sandy, 18
Newton-John's Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls
Character: Regina George, high school junior
McAdams' Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Cole Sprouse on Riverdale
Character: Jughead Jones, 16
Sprouse's Actual Age at Filming: 24
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Stacey Dash in Clueless
Character: Dionne, high school junior
Dash's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Stockard Channing in Grease
Character: Rizzo, 18
Channing's Actual Age at Filming: 34
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Taylor Kitsch on Friday Night Lights
Character: Tim Riggins, high school junior
Kitsch's Actual Age at Filming: 28
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Bianca Lawson in Pretty Little Liars
Character: Maya St. Germain, 16
Lawson's Actual Age at Filming: 31
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Henry Winkler on Happy Days
Character: The Fonz, high schooler
Winkler's Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Darren Barnet in Never Have I Ever
Character:Paxton Hall-Yoshida, 17
Barnet's Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Shirley Henderson in Harry Potter
Character: Moaning Myrtle, teenage high school student
Henderson's Actual Age at Filming: 37
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Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls
Character: Lane Kim, 16
Agena's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Gabrielle Union in Bring It On
Character: Isis, high school senior
Union's Actual Age at Filming: 28
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Charisma Carpenter on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Character: Cordelia Chase, 16
Carpenter's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Chase Stokes in Outer Banks
Character: John B., 17
Stokes' Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Alexa Demie in Euphoria
Character: Maddy Perez, high school student
Demie's Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Shay Mitchell on Pretty Little Liars
Character: Emily, 16
Lawson's Actual Age at Filming: 30
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Paul Wesley on Vampire Diaries
Character: Stefan Salvatore, 17
Wesley's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Ian Somerhalder on Vampire Diaries
Character: Damon Salvatore, 17
Somerhalder's Actual Age at Filming: 31
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Ashleigh Murray on Riverdale
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
Character: Derek Reynolds, senior in high school
Thomas' Actual Age at Filming: 31
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Sissy Spacek in Carrie
Character: Carrie White, 16
Spacek's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing
Character: Baby Houseman, 17
Grey's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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John Heder in Napoleon Dynamite
Character: Napoleon, high school student
Heder's Actual Age at Filming: 26
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Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted
Character: Susanna Kayson, 18
Ryder's Actual Age at Filming: 28
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Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Character: Cameron, 17
Ruck's Actual Age at Filming: 30
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Selma Blair in Cruel Intentions
Character: Cecile Caldwell, 17
Blair's Actual Age at Filming: 27
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Parminder Nagra in Bend It Like Beckham
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
Character: Andrea Zuckerman, 16
Carteris' Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra
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
Character: Jack McPhee, high school sophomore
Smith's Actual Age at Filming: 26
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Tammin Sursok on Pretty Little Liars
Character: Jenna Marshall, high school student
Sursok's Actual Age at Filming: 31
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Jason Earles on Hannah Montana
Character: Jackson, high school student
Earles' Actual Age at Filming: 29
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Cory Monteith on Glee
Character: Finn, high schooler
Monteith's Actual Age at Filming: 27-31
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Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man
Character: Peter Parker, 17
Garfield's Actual Age at Filming: 28
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Ben Platt on The Politician
Character: Payton Hobart, high school senior
Platt's Actual Age at Filming: 26
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Lucy Boynton on The Politician
Character: Astrid, high school senior
Boynton's Actual Age at Filming: 25