Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland… These adult actors who played teenagers in the cinema

Leonardo DiCaprio, Florence Pugh…Many actors have played teenage roles when they were, in fact, much older. Here are 10 actors who have lent their features to characters much younger than them.

1/ Timothée Chalamet (Dunes)

During the filming of the film Dunes, released in 2021, Timothée Chalamet was 21 years old. However, he embodied the character of Paul Atreides, who was only 15 years old.

2/ The actors of Spiderman

Since 2001, three actors have played Spider-Man. In each film, Peter Parker was between 15 and 17 years old, but the actors were much older. Tom Holland was 21 when he first appeared, Tobey Maguire 26 and Andrew Garfield was 29.

3/ Robert Downey Jr. (Captain America: Civil War)

You might think Tony Stark and Robert Downey Jr are about the same age, and you’re right. But remember, in Captain America: Civil War, we see Tony Stark younger. And it was Robert Downey Jr., 51 years old, at that time, who played the role. It was not sorcery, but special effects that made it possible to rejuvenate the actor for the occasion.

4/ Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)

Do you remember Mimi Whining? The 14-year-old student killed by the Basilisk? The actress who played her role was much older! Indeed, she was 36 when she first appeared, well over twice her character’s age.

5/ Michael Tucci (grease)

The character of Sonny was only 18 years old while the actor had passed the majority for a long time. When filming, he was 31 years old.

6/ Jennifer Gray (dirty dancing)

Everyone remembers Frédérique Houseman (Baby), the 17-year-old heroine who carried the film dirty dancing alongside Patrick Swayze. In reality, actress Jennifer Gray was 27 years old at that time, 10 years older than her character.

7/ Michael J. Fox (Back to the future)

Marty Mcfly is only 17 in the trilogy. His actor is more than 10 years older! Indeed, during the filming of the last film, Michael J. Fox was 29 years old.

8/ Leonardo DiCaprio (Catch Me If You Can)

Leonardo DiCaprio also played the role of a teenager when he was already in his twenties. Frank Abagnale Jr. is just 16 in the movie Catch Me If You Canwhile the actor was 28 years old during the filming.

9/ Florence Pugh (The Daughters of Doctor March)

If after a few time jumps, Emy is around 20 by the end of the movie The Daughters of Doctor March, she is only 12 years old at the beginning of the feature film. And it is the actress Florence Pugh who embodies the character through the ages, the latter being 22 years old at the time of filming.

10/ Channing Tatum (She’s the man)

A 16-year-old high school student, Duke is one of the secondary characters in the film. She’s the man. Channing Tatum was then 10 years older than his character in this film, since he was already 26 at the time of filming.