What 10+ Stars Looked Like When They Were the Same Age as the Characters They Played

Quite often, adult actors have to play much younger characters. Talented actors do it so masterfully that viewers often don’t even notice it. But we decided to take a look at what the movie stars looked like at the same age as the characters they portrayed. And at the end of the article, we’re going to tell you about a young actress that wasn’t afraid of playing a character that was several years older than her, and it was a great choice.

Jennifer Lawrence — Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

In the first film of The Hunger Games story, Katniss is 16 years old. She was played by a 21-year-old Jennifer Lawrence. She was so great that nobody even noticed it.

Kate Winslet — Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility

In the 1995 novel adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, Kate Winslet got the role of one of the Dashwood sisters. The character was 16 while the actress was already 20.

Kirsten Dunst — Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette

When Kirsten Dunst was filming Marie Antoinette, she was 24 years old. But she was really convincing in the role of the queen at different periods of her life, including her teenage years, when she was only 14.

Anya Taylor-Joy — Beth Harmon, The Queen’s Gambit

In 2020, The Queen’s Gambit became a big hit. It’s about the childhood, teenage years, and young adult life of a talented chess player. Anya Taylor-Joy played the main role, and she portrayed the character in different periods of her life.

Blake Lively — Serena Celia van der Woodsen, Gossip Girl

The series about New York school students, Gossip Girl, was so loved by audiences that it was on air for 6 seasons. Blake Lively got one of the lead roles. Throughout the series, she was growing together with her character, as she was 4 years older than Serena.

Nicole Kidman — Satine, Moulin Rouge!

Baz Luhrmann’s charming musical was released in 2001. Nicole Kidman was 33 at the time, but she nailed the role of Satine, who was supposed to be much younger.

Saoirse Ronan — Christine McPherson, Lady Bird

This comedy-drama is about a 17-year-old high school student, Christine, who everyone knows as Lady Bird. When the film was released, Saoirse Ronan was 23. She was nominated for a lot of prestigious awards, and the small age difference proved not to be a problem.

Cole Sprouse — Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, Riverdale

Cole Sprouse became an actor as a child. But Riverdale was a breakthrough role for him. The 24-year-old actor played a 16-year-old teenager in this drama.

Rose McIver — Lindsey Salmon, The Lovely Bones

The drama, The Lovely Bones, is about a 14-year-old girl that becomes a victim of a maniac. The main character was played by Saoirse Ronan, and the role of her younger sister, Lindsay, was played by Rose McIver, who was 21 at the time.

Lily Collins — Rosie Dunne, Love, Rosie

Lilly Collins easily transformed into a high school student in Love, Rosie. At the beginning of the film, the main characters are no older than 18, but when the film was released, the actress was 25.

Matt Damon — Scott Thorson, Behind the Candelabra

In the biographical drama, Behind the Candelabra, Matt Damon did the almost impossible: he was really convincing as an 18-year-old tamer, Scott Thorson, even though he was 25 years older than his character.

Julia Roberts — Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

The romantic drama, Eat, Pray, Love, is based on the memoirs of Elizabeth Gilbert. The character, who travels around the world, is 34. And the charming Julia Roberts, who played the character, was 43 at the time.

Audrey Hepburn — Holly Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Breakfast at Tiffany’s revolves around a 19-year-old Holly Golightly. And the charming Audrey Hepburn was a bit over 30.

Bonus

With actress Scarlett Johansson, this age gap was significant. In 2003, she played a young Yale graduate in Lost in Translation. Even though the actress was 5 years younger than her character, she was so good, nobody even noticed it.

In your opinion, which of these actors and actresses was the most convincing on-screen?