Act Your Age:
Older Actors In Younger Roles
by Lisa Davis
Word Count: 800
I came across an interview recently with Sophia Coppola, talking about her film 'The Virgin Suicides', a film about the suicide of five teenage sisters. She said that she was very pleased to have been able to cast actors in the five roles that were about the same ages as the characters they were playing - that it annoyed her that usually teenagers are played by older actors.
It is surprising how few directors seem to feel this way. I was amazed a few months back, while catching up on the latest 'Buffy' news, to be informed that Nicholas Brendon was about to turn 29, despite the fact that Xander, his alter-ego, is only 20. I did a check and he's not the oldest on the show - in fact, Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia, now moved onto Angel) is a year older than Brendon. Other actors on the show are a bit younger - both Alyson Hannigan (Willow) and Seth Green (who did play Oz until he decided to pursue an acting career instead) are both 26, whilst the beautiful Sarah Michelle Geller is 23. Amazingly enough, Eliza Dushka, who plays bad girl Faith, was born in 1980 - however, Faith's actual age (nor her last name) is never made known to viewers.
I checked some other teen shows. The birth dates of actors in 'Dawson Creek' tend to fall between 1979-77, which is not too out there; and Melissa Joan Hart was born in 1976 - but "Sabrina, the 20-something witch" just doesn't have the same ring, does it?
This phenomenon isn't limited to the small screen, nor to American productions. The recent Australian 'Looking for Alibrandi' had 26-year-old Pia Miranda playing 17-year-old Josie.
This is not limited to recent productions, either - the 1978 'Grease' (voted "best teen film ever" by me) starred a 24-year-old John Travolta, a 29-year-old Olivia Newton-John, and a 34-year-old Stockard Channing as the wonderful Rizzo.
Strangely enough, one of my best friends completely rejected 'Grease II', because she claimed the actors looked too young. She could have rejected it because it was an abysmal flop, with a reaching storyline and crap songs (not including the wonderful "Reproduction" number of course, that's a classic) - but no, she didn't like it because the actors just looked too young. I pointed out to her that Michelle Pfieffer was 25 when it was filmed (but she looked great dressed up as a Christmas tree, didn't she?), and that Adrian Zmed, who played the T-bird leader, Johnny, was 28. Maxwell Caulfield, who played Pfieffer's love interest, Michael, was 23.
The next time anyone sees 18-year-olds that can grow such huge sideburns and broad chests, do give them my number.
Sometimes changing the storyline can make up for the fact that an actor is
cast in a younger role. Emma Thompson's version of 'Sense and Sensibility' had
the 36-year-old Thompson playing Elinor. In Austen's novel, Elinor was only 19.
Similarly, Mel Gibson's 'Braveheart' had a 39-year-old Gibson playing Wallace,
while history records Wallace starting his naughty anti-English activities in
his teens.
These actors have to be careful that they are not typecast forever more in teen roles. Michael J. Fox, for instance, was 24 when he starred in his first 'Back to the Future' movie (that year he also made 'Teenwolf' - I am possibly the only person who still fondly remembers that was their favourite film when they were seven). The second and the third instalments of 'Back to the Future' saw Fox reach 28 and 29.
His youthful looks prevented him from being taken seriously in older roles for a long time, until finally 'Spin City' helped the viewing public realise that he was all grown up. I was very surprised, though, to see him in the final episode, sporting a very familiar look - jeans, an American school-sport-team jacket and a baseball cap.
Despite all of my pedantic nitpicking (I've actually restrained myself well -
I had a whole list of 80s movies: 'The Breakfast Club' included a 26-year-old
Judd Nelson - must have been a long detention, and Matthew Broderick was wagging
school at 24 in 'Ferris Beullers' Day Off' - see what happens when you're not
devoted to your studies!) it does make sense to go for the best actor for the
part, despite their age. If casting directors limited their selection to teenage
actors when casting roles in teen flicks then experience, life knowledge, bust
size, and all important sideburn thickness would be limited - and who would want
that?
Title Picture: Michael J. Fox, courtesy of Filofox
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