15 Actors Who Were Younger Than You Might Have Thought

Hollywood has always been surprisingly good at convincing audiences that actors are much older or younger than they really are. Makeup, costumes, confidence, and the types of roles performers play can completely distort how people remember their ages years later. Some actors carried themselves with such maturity that viewers assumed they were seasoned veterans, while others looked far younger than the number on their resumes. Looking back now, it feels strange realizing how young certain stars actually were during some of the most famous performances of their lives. In many cases, they delivered iconic roles long before most actors even reach the peak of their careers.

Keanu Reeves — Speed

Keanu Reeves was just 29 during Speed, even though he already carried himself like an experienced action veteran.

Laurence Fishburne — Apocalypse Now

Laurence Fishburne was only 14 years old when he lied about his age to join the production.

Leonardo DiCaprio — Catch Me If You Can

Leonardo DiCaprio was only 28 while convincingly playing a master con artist living multiple adult identities.

Marlon Brando — The Godfather

Heavy makeup and his performance made Marlon Brando seem far older, even though he was only 47.

Millie Bobby Brown — Stranger Things

Millie Bobby Brown became one of television’s biggest stars before even reaching adulthood.

Natalie Portman — Black Swan

Natalie Portman won the Academy Award for Black Swan at only 29 years old.

Orson Welles — Citizen Kane

Orson Welles was only 25 years old when he directed and starred in one of cinema’s greatest achievements.

Robert Redford — Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Robert Redford already looked like a classic Hollywood icon while still only in his early thirties.

Saoirse Ronan — Lady Bird

Saoirse Ronan earned another Academy Award nomination before even turning 24 years old.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster — Game of Thrones

His youthful appearance made many viewers assume he was far younger than he actually was during the series.

Tom Holland — Spider-Man: Homecoming

Tom Holland was only 21 when he successfully carried a massive Marvel movie almost entirely on his own.

Al Pacino — The Godfather Part II

Al Pacino looked and carried himself like a hardened crime boss despite being only 34 years old.

Christian Bale — American Psycho

Christian Bale was only 26 when he delivered one of the most intense performances of his career.

Jennifer Lawrence — Silver Linings Playbook

Jennifer Lawrence won an Academy Award at just 22 years old with a remarkably mature performance.

Jodie Foster — The Silence of the Lambs

Jodie Foster brought incredible confidence to Clarice Starling despite being only 28 at the time of filming.