I can see where age discrepancies might trouble those looking for Teen Role Models on TV. Doesn’t Disney have some shows that might fit that niche? Or–the Nickoledeon channel for older kids?
My teen years are far behind me. Real teens aren’t hired that often because they’re still growing. And there are legal considerations–hours worked, time off for school, etc. (Not to mention “adult” aspects of certain roles.)
I didn’t look to Buffy for a realistic slice of life–just like my High School! The show featured actors in their early 20’s–who aged as the show continued. Speaking words written by very smart writers in their 30’s (& maybe 40’s). And the stories included vampires, werewolves & demons!
The concept of High School as Hell Mouth certainly resonates. But all that TV stuff is fiction! Either you enjoy it or you don’t.
I’m dating myself here, but I was a kid when “Welcome Back, Kotter” was on. Everyone above my age was either “big kid,” “grown-up,” or “old.” From day one, none of the Sweathogs looked at all like big kids. They were always grown-ups.
Way back in that horrible time known as “The Eighties” I could never understand why the actors in movies and TV shows were so old. I mean, mustaches, body hair, loads of muscle tone in your average high school class? Puh-leeze. And they were all driving cars too. Made no sense.
Then I found out that in most of North America, high school goes two years beyond what it does in Quebec. That was a big change. But all those actors still looked old to me.
This may be true, but it means that they are either bad actors or getting bad direction (or both.) Any decent actor should be able to play the mannerisms of a different age, but can’t do all that much about appearance.
^^^See, to me, its just not “mannerisms.” Hard to explain, but watch a 22-year-old woman lean against a locker. Watch the way her eyes focus, watch the way she imperceptibly tilts her head. Then watch a 15-year-old who has not “grown” mentally into her adult-sized body.
They will not lean against the locker the same way. Watch as they walk away. The older will carry her body in an “adult” manner. She’s had it for seven or eight years, has matured mentally into it. The fifteen year old has had it for a year or two.
Maybe, its just me, but I am hardly ever wrong when I guess ages.
Jason Earles who plays Hannah Montana’s teenage (out of high school I think - I don’t actually WATCH the show) brother is 31. I don’t think he’s convincing, but my kids were FLOORED to learn he was actually a grown up.
I find the Harry Potter kids to be more or less convincing - which is to say that kids grow up a lot between 11 and 17 - which is what the Harry Potter kids have been doing. I’ve known plenty of mature looking 15 to 17 year old kids - and plenty of 22 year olds who can pass for 17.
(I was still getting carded for RATED R MOVIES!!! into my twenties. It took me into my late 30s to stop being asked for ID when I ordered a drink with dinner. And in my late 20s I had 17 year old boys ask me out and assume I was their age. My sister, on the other hand, has looked middle aged since high school - and now at 39 looks more like my mother’s sister than my sister - though she did have a year of chemo to age her prematurely. And the baby hit 22 at 15 and stayed there until 30 - when hard living made her age rather quickly.)
The record my be by Leo Gorcey who was still playing a teenager in The Bowery Boy movies when he was 39. Was he believable? I loved those movies as a kid when they came out and it never occurred to me to question his age until my older brother pointed it out. Then it was obvious.
John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, Jeff Conaway and Stockard Channing were 24, 30, 28 and 34 years old respectively when they played high school students in Grease. They looked it too.
^^^ Obvious point. And my point is that 99% of the 22-year-olds playing teens I’ve seen can’t convincingly act that age despite looking that age.
I’m alone on this, it seems.
But to be fair, my teen show watching ended in the 70s and I am aware of only one or two of the actors named in this thread. Maybe kids and young adults have really changed that much in 25 years.
The thing I find interesting about the show Gossip Girl is that the only actress who is the same age as her character is Jenny…who is not only the youngest main character (14), but looks much older than she should be, while the actually older actors look right on spot.
At my high school a junior boy and girl were crowned Prince and Princess at the Winter Semi-formal, but that’s it. Prom and Homecoming honors were reserved for seniors. Freshmen and sophomores weren’t even allowed to attend Prom except as dates of upperclassmen.
I watched those things all the time when I was under 10, and it never occurred to me that they were supposed to be kids. But at that age 17 was ancient.