Teen Stars As Teenagers
* Phew * I thought I was just ugly when I was 16.
You * may * have noticed that movies and TV shows don’t usually cast real teenagers.
Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
This is mainly due to labor law, which requires certain working hours and resources for underage actors.
But what would these classic movies and films look like if they actually * used * teenage actors?
To that end, here are 24 actors who played teenagers and how they actually viewed their characters’ ages!
1.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays a 17-year-old in Catch Me If You Can
Dreamworks / Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Leonardo DiCaprio as the current 17-year-old
Jerry Fitzgerald / ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection
2.
Lili Reinhart plays a 16 year old in Riverdale
Diyah Pera / The CW Network / Courtesy of the Everet Collection
Lili Reinhart as a real 16 year old
3.
Gabrielle Union plays a teenager in Bring it On
Universal / courtesy Everett Collection
Gabrielle Union as a teenager
Gregg Deguire / WireImage via Getty Images
4th
Jennifer Lawrence plays a 16-year-old in The Hunger Games
Murray Close / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection
Jennifer Lawrence as a real 16 year old
5.
Liam Hemsworth plays a teenager in The Hunger Games
Murray Close / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection
Liam Hemsworth as a real teenager
6th
Cole Sprouse plays a 16-year-old in Riverdale
Dean Buscher / The CW Network / Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Cole Sprouse as the current 16 year old
Kristin Callahan / Everett Collection
7th
Kerry Washington plays a teenager in Save The Last Dance
Paramount / courtesy Everett Collection
Kerry Washington as a real teenager
8th.
Dylan O’Brien plays a 16-year-old in The Maze Runner
Ben Rothstein / 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
Dylan O’Brien as the current 16-year-old:
9.
Lucy Hale plays a 16-year-old in Pretty Little Liars
Danny Feld / ABC Family / Courtesy Everett Collection
Lucy Hale as a real 16 year old
Nickelodeon
Ok, that pisses me off because if Aria had been played by a 16 year old Lucy, we would have absolutely disagreed with Ezra.
10.
Timothée Chalamet plays a 17-year-old in Call Me By Your Name
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom / Sony Pictures Classics / Courtesy Everett Collection
Timothée Chalamet as an actual 17 year old
YoungArts / YouTube / Via youtube.com
Another where it would have been SUPER CREEPY if 17-year-old Timothée Elio had played.
11.
Harry Shum Jr. plays a teenager on Glee
Miranda Penn Turin / Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
12th
Asa Butterfield plays a teenager in sex education
Sam Taylor / Netflix / Courtesy of the Everett Collection /
Asa Butterfield as a real teenager
Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
13th
Haley Lu Richardson plays a teenager in Unpregnant
Haley Lu Richardson as a real teenager
14th
Alisha Boe plays a 16 year old for 13 reasons
Alisha Boe as a real 16 year old
fifteen.
Darren Criss plays a high school boy on Glee
Adam Rose / Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
Darren Criss as an actual high school student
16.
James Van Der Beek plays a 16-year-old on Dawson’s Creek
Columbia Tristar Television / Courtesy Everett Collection
James Van Der Beek as the current 16 year old
17th
Joshua Jackson plays a 15-year-old on Dawson’s Creek
Columbia Tristar Television / Courtesy Everett Collection
Joshua Jackson as the current 15 year old
Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
18th
Greta Onieogou plays a teenager on All American
Greta Onieogou as a teenager
19th
Zendaya plays a teenager on Euphoria
Zendaya as a real teenager
Eric McCandless / Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection
20th
Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays a teenager in The Maze Runner
Thomas Brodie-Sangster as a real teenager
Universal / courtesy Everett Collection
Thomas was 15 when Nanny McPhee was released.
21.
Saoirse Ronan plays a teenager in Lady Bird
Saoirse Ronan as a real teenager
Focus functions / Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Hanna came out when Saoirse was days before his 17th birthday.
22nd
Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a 15-year-old in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sarah Michelle Gellar as a real 15 year old
ShoutFactoryTV
Sarah was 15 at Swans Crossing.
23
Michelle Trachtenberg plays a 16-year-old for Gossip Girl
Giovanni Rufino / The CW / Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Michelle Trachtenberg as a real 16 year old
24
Finally, Emma Stone plays a high school girl in The Amazing Spider-Man
And Emma Stone as a real high school girl
Which of them were the most surprising? Do you feel better about your youthful self now? Let me know in the comments!
BuzzFeed Daily
Stay up to date with the BuzzFeed Daily Newsletter!