Television is full of sitcoms and soaps that revolve around the lives of teenagers. Some of them deal with the woes of growing years, while others live their supernatural eternal teenage years. It is weird, though, how many of the actors who play the beloved teenagers on television are way past their teens. Let us look at some of the adult actors playing teenagers on TV.
10. Bianca Lawson
Bianca has portrayed the role of Maya St. Germaine in the teen drama mystery-thriller. Maya was seen in the first three seasons, and the character met her death at the age of about 17.
Bianca, born in 1979, was a 34-year old actor playing the role, making her double the age of the character. She was 31 when she joined the cast. Bianca is also well-known for her regular roles in Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Goode Behaviour. She also has recurring roles is several other popular series.
9. Trevor Donovan
In the teen drama television series, 90210, the fourth series of the Beverly Hills franchise, Trevor Donovan has played the role of the 19-year old boy, Teddy Montgomery.
Trevor, born in 1978, was almost 35 when the series ended in 2013, and he started playing the role when he was a few weeks away from turning 30. Trevor has appeared in several other television series such as Days of Our Lives, Melissa & Joey, Awkward, etc., as well as in movies and television films.
8. Paul Wesley
Paul plays the role of Stefan Salvatore, a vampire, in the supernatural drama television series The Vampire Diaries. Technically, Stefan is more than a century old – 167 years, to be precise – but, physically, he is just destined to be 17 for all eternity.
So, yes, Paul plays the role of a 17 year old. The actor, who also has also portrayed the characters of Aaron Corbett in Fallen, was born in the year 1982, and he turned 32 on 23rd July, 2014. When the series started in 2009, Paul was 27.
7. Matt Lanter
Born in 1983, Matt is now 31, and is portraying the character of Roman, an alien boy of about 16 years, in the science fiction romantic drama television series, Star-Crossed, which released in 2014.
Matt is popular for his role in the coming of age series, 90210, as a teenage Loam Court, when he himself was 25 years old. Matt has appeared in several other movies, including Vampires Suck, a parody of Twilight where he plays the spoof of eternally 18-year old vampire. He was 27 then.
6. Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry has appeared in several dance films such as Step Up 2, Step Up 3D, You Got Served and Stomp the Yard, but is most popular as Mike Chan from Glee. Mike is approximately 19 years old, and Harry, born in 1982, is 32.
His first appearance in Glee was in the very first season in 2009 as the high school student, when Harry himself was 27 years old. Aside from his performance in Glee, Harry has worked in several short films, web series, television series, music videos, etc.
5. Mark Salling
Mark is popularly known as the teenaged school jock and musician, Puck, or Noah Puckerman, in the musical comedy-drama television series, Glee. Glee is a coming of age story where Puck is currently about 15 years old, and Mark, being born in 1982, is now 32.
When he joined the Glee cast for the pilot episode in 2009, he was almost 27. Apart from portraying Puck Glee where he is now a recurring guest star, Mark is also a musician and has worked in Children of the Corn IV.
4. Tammin Sursok
Tammin portrays the character of Jenna Marshall, a teenage girl of about 17, in Pretty Little Liars. Born in 1983, Tammin is actually 32 years old. She is married, and has a baby, too.
She was almost 27 years old when her character was introduced in the first season in 2010. Apart from Pretty Little Liars, Tammin is also known for her roles in Home and Away, and The Young and the Restless. She has appeared in several other series and films, and is also a musician with an album.
3. Cory Monteigh
Cory played the beloved teenaged school sports hero and musician, Finn Hudson of about 19 years, in the television series Glee. Born in 1982, Cory was a 29 year old when he started playing the role of Finn in the first season, back in 2009.
Cory was 30 when he was last seen as a regular character in the 4th season in 2012-13. He did other small gigs in films and television, and had a starring role in Sisters & Brothers. He passed away in 2013, at the age of 31.
2. Jason Earles
Jason shot to popularity as Jackson Stewart, the elder brother of Miley Stewart in the musical comedy series, Hanna Montana. Born in 1977, was 29 years old when he started portraying the role of the 16 year old goofy teenager, thus being 13 years older than his character.
The series ended in 2011, and by that time, Jason had reached his mid-thirties. Jason has also appeared in the Disney series Kickin’ It, besides several other TV series, as well as films including Hanna Montana.
1. Crystal Reed
Crystal is best known for portraying the character of 17 year old Allison Argent in the hit television series named Teen Wolf. Reed was born in 1985, and was 26 when she started portraying the character of Allison. Allison appeared for 3 seasons of the show, and Crystal was 29 when she acted for the 3rd season of Teen Wolf.
She has also appeared in several other TV series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, Drop Dead Diva, etc., and also acted in several movies.
There are several other adult actors portraying the roles of teenagers in television series. Some of them are in their early twenties, making it less difficult to pull off the roles of characters who belong to the age group that they have only recently crossed.
For others who have reached their thirties or are approaching the age, it might be a little challenging to do the same, especially because they may start to look more mature. However, with talent, dexterity and diligence, these actors have managed to look and play the part to the best of their capabilities, and created remarkable characters whom the TV buffs, especially the youngsters, absolutely love to watch.