Top 10 Disney Stars Who Are Way Older Than You Thought
#10: Dylan Playfair
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Playfair is a recent addition to the Disney lineup, with his first Disney role coming along in 2017, when he appeared as Gaston’s son Gil in “Descendants 2.” He subsequently reprised the role for “Under the Sea: A Descendants Story” and “Descendants 3.” Sure, he doesn’t exactly look like a teenager, but would you believe that he is almost 30? Playfair was born in June of 1992, meanwhile “It’s Going Down” was released in July 2017, which means Playfair was 25 when he first began acting in the “Descendants” series. We suppose that baby face of his helps him look a lot younger!
#9: Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Tisdale is a Disney veteran. From 2005 to 2008 she played Maddie Fitzpatrick on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and Sharpay Evans in all three “High School Musical” films. However, Tisdale would have been long out of high school by 2006. She was born in July of 1985, making her 21 the year “High School Musical” was released. By “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” she was 23. Yeah, senior year of college, maybe! As of 2019, Tisdale is in full adult mode and is not only rocking her mid-30s but is years into a happy marriage with Christopher French.
#8: Sofia Carson
Evie and her pal Jay are truly some ageless people. For one thing, you may not know that Booboo Stewart, the man who plays Jay, was actually 21 in the first “Descendants” movie, which was released in 2015... making him 25 in the 2019 sequel. More surprising? Evie actress Sofia Carson turned 26 the same year “Descendants 3” was released. This means she was well past her teen years while playing one in the first “Descendants.” That movie was released on July 31, 2015, making Carson 22 years old at the time. She could buy her character a drink – just about anywhere in the world!
#7: Tiffany Thornton
“Sonny with a Chance” followed Demi Lovato’s Sonny Munroe as she starred in the fictional teen sketch comedy show “So Random!” But wouldn’t you know it, much of the main cast weren’t actually teenagers! For example, teenage heartthrob Sterling Knight was just one month away from turning 20 when the show premiered in February 2009. But the oldest cast member is Tiffany Thornton, who played Tawni Hart. Tiffany was just a few days away from turning 23 years old when the show premiered. As of 2019, Thornton is a 33 year old mother to three children, the oldest of which turned 7 the same year.
#6: Garrett Clayton
Once again, we have a young adult playing a teenager. It really is rare to have real teenagers playing fictional teenagers, isn’t it? Garrett Clayton plays Tanner Lewis in “Teen Beach Movie” and its sequel, and while his specific age isn’t given, the “Teen Beach Movie” wiki states that he could be 16. However, Clayton is most definitely not 16. He was born in March of 1991, making him 22 years old when the movie premiered on July 19, 2013. As of 2019 Clayton is now 28 years old and engaged to his long-time partner, Blake Knight.
#5: Tessa Netting
Netting briefly starred in the Disney Channel sitcom “Bunk’d”, playing the amazingly named Hazel Swearengen, the former – and very clumsy – head counselor at Camp Kikiwaka. Despite her role as head counselor, Hazel is still on the younger side, with the show's wiki placing her age between 16 and 17. However, Tessa was born on September 1, 1990, which means she was just a few months shy of 25 when “Bunk’d” premiered in July 2015. As of 2019, Tessa is 29 years old and running her eponymous YouTube channel, so you should definitely check that out if you want to see more of her work.
#4: Jedidiah Goodacre
Goodacre plays Chad Charming in the “Descendants” series, which is certainly fitting, considering his boyish good looks. But you may be surprised to hear that Goodacre isn’t so much of a boy anymore. He was born in January 1989, meaning he was 26 years old when the first “Descendants” movie was released in 2015. But perhaps even more surprising is that Goodacre celebrated his 30th birthday the same year that “Descendants 3” was released. We like these movies as much as the next person, but come on, the dude is in his 30s now! He can only play a young adult for so long.
#3: Jessica Marie Garcia
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Garcia played Willow Cruz in “Liv and Maddie,” which aired from July 2013 to March 2017. Willow is both Maddie’s best friend and a member of the basketball team, and per the show's wiki she was born in 1998, making her 18 or 19 by the end of the series’ run. Garcia somehow manages to make that believable, despite being born eleven years earlier than her fictional counterpart. She was born on March 23, 1987, making her 26 years old when the series debuted. When the show wrapped on March 24, 2017, Jessica Marie had literally just celebrated her 30th birthday! Now that’s a bit of an age discrepancy…
#2: Monique Coleman
Turns out, Ashley Tisdale wasn’t the only “High School Musical” cast member not actually in high school. Lucas Grabeel, who played Ryan Evans for example, had just turned 21 when the first “High School Musical” movie was released. But the oldest member of the main cast is Monique Coleman. You may be surprised to hear that Coleman turned 39 on November 13, 2019! This means that in the first “High School Musical,” while Monique was playing the 16 or 17-year-old Taylor McKessie, she was already in her mid 20s. When “Senior Year” aired in October 2008, Monique was just a few weeks away from turning 28! Was she on the faculty or something?!
#1: Jason Earles
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It’s certainly nothing new seeing grown adults in their late 20s playing teenagers, but Jason Earles is REALLY pushing that idea! Earles played Miley’s brother Jackson in “Hannah Montana.” Jackson was born on May 19, 1990, making him between 15 and 16 in the show’s first season. However, Jason Earles was born in April 1977, which means he was just shy of 29 when the show premiered in March 2006! During the show’s fourth and final season, which began airing in July 2010, Jackson was 19 and Jason Earles was 33! It’s amazing to think that Jason was in his 30s for a large majority of “Hannah Montana’s” run. That man has some amazing genes.
