17 Actors Who Played Teenagers When They Were Definitely...Not In Their Teens

    Aaisa pehli baar nahi hua hai satra-athra saalon mein.

    Md Aqib Khan
    by Md Aqib Khan

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Let's accept it — We've all been victims of a "teenage" lead who never really goes through puberty like the rest of us and looks like a full-grown adult. Well, because lots of them ARE actually adults. So here's a rundown of some of them currently on your screens.

    1. Darren Barnet in "Never Have I Ever" — Actually 30

    Darren Barnet as Paxton Hall-Yoshida standing shirtless in Devi's bedroom
    Netflix

    Darren Barnet plays 17-year-old Paxton Hall-Yoshida in "Never Have I Ever". 

    P.S: Darren was 28 and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (who plays Devi) was only 17 when the filming for the first season of the show started. Big YIKES, I know.

    2. Cole Sprouse in "Riverdale" — Actually 29

    Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones sitting in a corner booth at a cafe with a laptop on the table
    Netflix

    Yep, our "weirdo" 16-year-old Southside Serpent leader Jughead Jones, is played by a 29-year-old Cole Sprouse who was 26 when the first season aired, which is still a whole decade ahead of the character's age. 

    3. Taylor Zakhar Perez in "The Kissing Booth 2" — Actually 29

    Taylor as Marco wearing a school uniform and sitting in a cafeteria, surrounded by other students. He has a plate of food and water in front of him
    Netflix

    29-year-old Perez, who caused a stir with his role as Marco in "The Kissing Booth 2" has also appeared in shows like "iCarly" and "Young & Hungry". 

    4. Ncuti Gatwa in "Sex Education" — Actually 28

    Gatwa as Eric smiling wide while holding a bicycle helmet. Rahim is in the background in front of the school
    Netflix

    Ncuti Gatwa portrays the loveable Eric Effiong, a 16-year-old high school student from Moordale on Netflix's "Sex Education".

    5. Prajakta Koli in "Mismatched" — Actually 28

    Prajakta as Dimple holding her hands in front of her and smiling
    Netflix

    The 28-year-old Indian YouTuber and actress plays Dimple, a cold-coffee connoisseur, who is also a teen, in "Mismatched". 

    6. Keir Gilchrist in "Atypical" — Actually 28

    Keir as Sam sitting on the floor with folded legs, holding a book in his lap and a pencil in his hand. He is also wearing headphones
    Netflix

    Keir plays Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum in "Atypical". 

    7. Kedar Williams-Stirling in "Sex Education" — Actually 26

    Kedar as Jackson, clad in a jacket, holding a mic and singing
    Netflix

    The 16-year-old star athlete from "Sex Education" who, for a change, didn't have to go through the epic highs and lows of high school football, is played by a 26-year-old Kedar.

    8. Danna Paola in "Elite" — Actually 26

    Danna as Lu holding a pen in her hand and leaning on a desk
    Netflix

    Paola, who gained popularity as a child actress and singer, plays the high-school student Lucrecia Hendrich of Las Encinas in "Elite".

    9. Emma Mackey in "Sex Education" — Actually 25

    Emma as Maeve wearing a ruffle jacket and smiling sideways
    Netflix

    Emma plays Maeve Wiley, a 16-year-old rebel and "complex female character" in "Sex Education".

    10. Zendaya in "Euphoria" — Actually 25

    Zendaya as Rue staring at something in a still from Euphoria
    HBO

    The troubled 17-year-old Rue Bennett in "Euphoria" is portrayed by Zendaya.   

    11. Asa Butterfield in "Sex Education" — Actually 24

    Asa as Otis wearing a puffer jacket looking with trees in the background
    Netflix

    24-year-old Asa plays the 16-year-old teen therapist Otis Milburn in "Sex Education". 

    12. Miguel Bernardeau in "Elite" — Actually 24

    Miguel as Guzmán standing in front of his locker, clad in a school uniform
    Netflix

    Bernardeau portrays the role of Guzmán Nunier Osuna, a high-school student in the murder-mystery drama "Elite". 

    13. Jacob Elordi in "Euphoria" — Actually 24

    Jacob as Nate walking down the hallway, brooding, with a backpack on his back
    HBO

    Elordi plays the role of high-schooler Nate Jacobs in HBO's "Euphoria" and also a teenager in Netflix's "The Kissing Booth".

    14. Arón Piper in "Elite" — Actually 24

    Arón as Ander sitting at a desk, holding a pen in his hand and a tab lies open in front of him.
    Netflix

    Internet's heartthrob 24-year-old Piper plays high-schooler Ander Muñoz in the Spanish teen drama "Elite".

    15. Rohit Saraf in "Mismatched" — Actually 24

    Rohit as Rishi with his fingers crossed in front of him
    Netflix

    Rohit plays the shaadi-crazed teen, Rishi Shekhawat in "Mismatched". 

    16. Diego Tinoco in "On My Block" — Actually 23

    Tinoco as Cesar in a vest with a bag hanging on his right shoulder
    Netflix

    California-based model and actor Tinoco portrays Cesar Diaz in "On My Block".

    17. Charlie Gillespie in "Julie and the Phantoms" — Actually 23

    Charlie as Luke in a beanie and vest t-shirt smiling with a microphone in front of him and a guitar strap across his schoulders
    Netflix

    Gillespie plays the role of Luke Patterson, a 17-year-old musician who dies in 1995 and becomes a ghost.

    So, to all the 16-year-olds reading this who might feel insecure because you don't look like these actors at 16, I just have one thing to say — don't. Because not only are they NOT your age, but they also have a dedicated team of people just to help them get ready in the morning.

    Which ones did I miss out on? Comment below!