Television shows centered around teenagers always prove to be massive hits with audiences. High school settings, coming of age themes, young romance, awkward humor and addictive drama are all key elements that make for a great teen series. While these shows are applauded for their entertainment value and relatability, the teen characters at the center rarely look like actual teens. There’s been a pattern of adult actors in their twenties, and even thirties, playing teenagers in movies and shows.
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Most of these actors also happen to be unrealistically attractive, when teens are supposed to be going through awkward growth and bodily changes. Examples include older shows such asGossip GirlandPretty Little Liars, but even more recent series such asEuphoriaandRiverdaleare guilty. The common trend has been largely criticized, as itcreates a lack of authenticitythat makes it difficult for audiences to connect with the characters. That’s why when the teenage characters on these shows actually look like teens, it’s much more effective and believable.
10‘Cobra Kai’ (2018-)
Cobra Kaiis the hit Netflix series that acts as a follow-up to 1984’sThe Karate Kidand its sequels. It reunites Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), whose childhood rivalry is reignited and creates a new generation of karate kids.
Daniel and Johnny’s students, such as Miguel (XoloMaridueña) and Hawk (Jacob Bertrand), play a huge part in the show, as well as their children Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Sam (Mary Mouser). Most of the young cast were aged between seventeen and twenty when the show began (excluding Mouser, who was well into her 20s), and were able to successfully pass as high school students.
9‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020-2023)
Let’s get one thing straight - Paxton, the ridiculously chiseled and swoon-worthy love interest of Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) inNever Have I Everdoes not look like a high schooler. That’s because he’s portrayed byDarren Barnet, a thirty-one-year-old man.
If we exclude Paxton’s Abercrombie & Fitch-esque appearance, most of the young cast ofMindy Kalling’s charming comedy series look like your everyday teenagers. From pimple-prone Ben (Jared Lewison) to our awkward protagonist, these characters are portrayed with the lack of sophistication you’d expect from teens. Having Devi look like a regular sixteen-year-old girl simply makes her much more relatable and effective as a character.
8‘Atypical’ (2017-2021)
The heartwarming dramedy seriesAtypicalfollows Sam (Keir Gilchrist), a teen on the autism spectrum who decides he’s ready for a girlfriend and more independence in his life. Supporting Sam are his parents, his sister Casey (Bridgette-Lundy Paine) and friends like Zahid (Nik Dodani) and Paige (Jenna Boyd).
Despite most of the young cast being in their late twenties during the show’s run, they were all surprisingly able to pull off playing believable teenagers. None of them are glamorized, fully embracing the awkward parts of themselves to help authentically and hilariously portray these characters.
7‘On My Block’ (2018-2021)
One of Netflix’s more underrated teen shows,On My Blockfollows four street-smart friends navigating high school and adolescence while growing up in a rough and gang-ridden Los Angeles neighborhood. It’s the perfect mix of goofy comedy and more mature themes.
The main quartet of actors who play Monse (Sierra Capri), Ruby (Jason Genao), Jamal (Brett Gray) and Cesar (Diego Tinoco) were all aged between eighteen and twenty when cast, with youthful enough appearances to convincingly play teenagers. What’s most surprising is thatJessica Marie Garcia, who plays Jasmine, was shockingly over thirty-years-old during the show - but is plausible as a teen nonetheless.
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6‘Wednesday’ (2022-)
Wednesday, the reimagining of the classic character fromThe Addams Family, took the world by storm when it premiered at the end of 2022. Starring breakoutJenna Ortegain the titular role, the series focuses on the teen version of Wednesday as she attends Nevermore Academy.
ExcludingHunter DoohanandJoy Sunday, who are in their mid-to-late twenties, the young cast ofWednesdayare all around twenty-years-old, including Ortega andEmma Myers, who plays Enid. Choosing younger actors who look the part helps to reiterate the show’s fun, quirky and comedic tone.
5‘Ms. Marvel’ (2022)
In the MCU’s first coming-of-age showMs. Marvel, Pakistani-American teen Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) discovers she has superpowers. The miniseries has been applauded for its on-screen diversity, and marks the debut of Marvel’s first Muslim superhero.
Vellani, along with co-starsMatt LintzandYasmeen Fletcher, who play Kamala’s friends Bruno and Nakia, were all under the age of twenty-one during the filming of the series. Vellani is set to have a further role in the larger MCU, so it’s lucky that she’ll be able to pull off playing a teen for quite a while.
4‘Derry Girls’ (2018-2022)
Set during the Troubles in early 1990s Northern Ireland,Derry Girlsfollows sixteen-year-old Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) and her friends who attend a Catholic girls’ school. With a national conflict as the backdrop and a strict private school as the setting,the series is full of humor and heart.
While most of the cast who play the youngsters are actually over thirty years of age and well past their high school days, they manage to pull off their parts authentically and endearingly. These teens aren’t sophisticated and sleek, but instead slightly dorky and a little rough around the edges.
3‘I Am Not Okay With This’ (2020)
Netflix is known for notoriously canceling TV shows before their time, and one of its victims was the darkly hilariousI Am Not Okay With This. The unique and promising teen series only had one season, which is a real shame as it had some incredibly complex and intriguing young characters.
The story follows Sydney (Sophia Lillis), a teen girl navigating high school, family, sexuality and her newfound superpowers. Lillis and co-starWyatt Oleff, who reunited after starring in theItmovies, were around sixteen to seventeen years old during filming - which is also around the actual age of their characters.
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2‘That ‘90s Show’ (2023-)
That ‘70s Showis one of the most popular and defining sitcoms to come out of the 90s. Following its success, Netflix debutedThat ‘90s Showmore than twenty years later. The series follows a new generation of Point Place kids as Leia (Callie Haverda) visits her grandparents during the summer of 1995.
The young ensemble cast are aged between thirteen and eighteen - so they are all actually teens playing teens! Haverda, who plays Leia, is fifteen years old, the same age her character turns during season one. It may seem like a small thing, but it rarely happens in these kinds of shows.
1‘Heartstopper’ (2022-)
Heartstopperhas become one of the most celebrated and universally acclaimed modern teen shows, due its heartwarming story and thoughtful queer representation. The series follows Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), two teens who discover their friendship may be something more.
The show’s authenticity doesn’t just stop with LGBTQ+ representation - both Locke and Connor, as well as co-starsYasmin FinneyandWilliam Gao, were all around seventeen and eighteen years old during the filming of season one, making them only a year or so older than the characters they play.
