10+ Actors Who Were Way Too Young For The Roles They Played

Hollywood has a tendency to cast actors who aren’t the right ages for the roles they are playing, but this happens more often with actors too old for their roles.

However, there have been some notable roles that were played by actors and actresses who were too young for the character.

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Here are 10+ times actors were much younger than the part they played.

Alicia Silverstone in *The Crush*

Silverstone was 18 when cast in this film. While she was on the older end of some of the people on this list, there were still some inappropriate elements for a minor to film.

There were scenes where the character had to remove her clothes, and she also had a crush on a much older man.

Macaulay Culkin in *The Good Son*

While we all know Culkin for playing Kevin in Home Alone , he also played a sociopath named Henry when he was only 13 years old.

The character even attempts to kill his sister. It was overall too dark of a role given his young age at the time.

Evan Rachel Wood in *Thirteen*

This film was met with many controversies given its mature themes. One of the most upsetting things about it was that Evan Rachel Wood was only fourteen at the time of filming.

This casting choice was supposed to make the film seem realistic, but it ended up backfiring.

Dafne Keen in *Logan*

Logan was a fantastic film, but it was also extremely bloody and violent.

The fact that Keen was only 12 at the time made many of these scenes hard to watch. The casting choice was also unnecessary as the character of X-23 was actually in her twenties for the comics.

Mariel Hemingway in *Manhattan*

At only 16 years old , Mariel Heminway played a teenager in the film who dates Woody Allen.

This is especially disturbing in light of the many allegations against Woody Allen. It definitely makes the movie that much harder to watch.

All the actors in *Kids*

There are so many disturbing things about this film, and most of the actors, including Rosario Dawson, were teenagers.

It’s still considered one of the most controversial films of the ’90s, and it’s even more problematic knowing that Harvey Weinstein was involved with the production.

Kirsten Dunst in *Interview With the Vampire*

Before Twilight , Interview With the Vampire was the controversial vampire-centered film everyone was talking about. Kirsten Dunst was only 10 when she was cast as Claudia.

The fact that Claudia shares a kiss with Brad Pitt in the film makes this choice baffling and disturbing.

Natalie Portman in *Léon: The Professional*

Portman was 12 at the time of filming , and she played a hitman-in-training.

While the violence in the film was definitely a concern, the romantic relationship between the character and the adult hitman who mentored her was even worse.

Linda Blair in *The Exorcist*

Linda Blair’s role as Regan was totally terrifying, and The Exorcist is still seen as one of the best horror movies.

It’s wild to think that she was only 13 at the time of filming . But despite her acting skills, this role probably should have gone to someone older.

Dominique Swain in *Lolita*.

The subject matter of Lolita is extremely upsetting, and the fact that Swain was 14 when she played the part alongside Jeremy Irons was just as bad.

While they did use a body double for the more graphic scenes, the part should have been given to an adult.

Dakota Fanning in *Hounddog*

Dakota Fanning was only 12 when she played Lewellen in this film set in the 1960s.

This part was way too mature for someone so young to play. There are some extremely terribly adult scenes.

Jodie Foster in *Taxi Driver*

It might shock some people to know that Jodie Foster was only 12 when she filmed this mature and controversial role.

She played a sex worker named Iris in the film, and even though they used stand-ins for mature scenes, it’s still disturbing that she was so young.

Thora Birch in *American Beauty*

This role was so inappropriate for the 17-year-old that the studio had to get permission from her parents for her to play the role.

This film had many mature themes and was a disturbing look into the life of a middle-aged man in love with a teenager.

Abigail Breslin in *Little Miss Sunshine*

Breslin is a child actress who had many lovable and iconic roles, but her role in Little Miss Sunshine was definitely the most controversial one.

This was because, in one scene, her character enters a beauty pageant for children and does a striptease dance.

Brooke Shields in *Pretty Baby*

Brooke Shields was a child actress who was given age-inappropriate roles at a young age.

But in Pretty Baby , Shields was only 12 when she filmed the movie. Considering the adult themes of the movie, this was not okay.

Jacob Reynolds in *Gummo*

Jacob Reynolds was definitely young during the shooting of this very dark film.

The movie is full of incredibly dark situations and themes. To have someone young in the role just made it worse to watch.

Drew Barrymore in *Poison Ivy*

Drew Barrymore was only 17 when she added this movie to her acting credits.

Her character, who is super seductive, goes through quite a few adult situations in the movie. It’s definitely hard to watch.

Julia Stiles in *Wicked*

Julia Stiles was 16 at the time of filming (and she actually was playing a 14-year-old).

But considering this was a movie that explored themes of incest, perhaps someone even older should have been cast.

Elle Fanning in *The Beguiled*

Elle Fanning’s scene with Colin Farrell, who is twice her age, was definitely hard to watch.

Considering that, maybe it would have been better to hire someone older who just looked younger.

Tatum O’Neal in *Paper Moon*

Tatum O’Neal, who starred in the movie alongside her father, played a very mature role.

Watching a child smoking was enough to have people cringing in their seats. But obviously, that was the point of the movie.

Ryan Simpkins in *Gardens of the Night*

This movie explores some extreme adult themes, and while Simpkins acted it out beautifully, the movie is very difficult to watch.

Considering the movie portrays some realities for some children around the world, it made viewers uncomfortable.

Darlan Cunha and Douglas Silva in *City of God*

There is a lot of child violence in this movie. While it is an excellent film to watch, understanding that the movie is meant to shed a light on real-life experiences makes it difficult to adjust.

Plus, it meant children, even though they were acting, had to learn about guns.

Kataya Berger in *Piccole Labbra*

Berger, who was 12 during the filming of the movie, performed adult scenes for the movie.

It centered around an inappropriate relationship with an older man. Needless to say, it’s awful to watch.