25 Age Gaps Between Actors Who Played Parent And Child That Are So Small, It’s Blowing My Mind
In Back to the Future, Michael J. Fox was three years older than Crispin Glover, the actor who played his father.
We asked the members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what age gap between actors who played parent and child surprised them. Here are some of their eye-opening answers:
Emmy Rossum was 35 when she starred in the show.
AppleTV+
In the series, she played his mother, despite only being 10 years older.
AppleTV+
Angela Lansbury was 35 when she filmed the movie.
Paramount Pictures
Angela played his mother in the film, despite only being nine years older.
Paramount Pictures
3. Michael J. Fox was 23 when he starred in Back to the Future.
Universal Pictures
Crispin Glover was 20 years old in the film.
Universal Pictures
In the film, Cripsin plays the father of Michael’s character in both the past and present, despite being three years YOUNGER than Michael.
Universal Pictures
4. Kate Mara was 25 during the filming of Brokeback Mountain.
Focus Features
Heath Ledger was 25 during filming.
Focus Features
In the movie, they played father and daughter, despite Heath only being four years older.
Focus Features
5. Adam Garcia was 28 when Riding in Cars with Boys came out.
Sony Pictures Releasing
Drew Barrymore was 26 when the film came out.
Sony Pictures Releasing
So Adam Garcia was two years older than Drew Barrymore when he played her son in the film.
Sony Pictures Releasing
6. Elizabeth Rodriguez was born in 1980.
Netflix
Dascha Polanco was born in 1982.
Netflix
In Orange Is the New Black, Elizabeth Rodriguez played Dascha Polanco’s mother even though they have a two-year age gap.
Netflix
Elizabeth is older than Dascha by exactly one year, 11 months, and six days.
7. Gina Rodriguez was 29 when Jane the Virgin started filming.
The CW
Andrea Navedo was 36 when it started filming.
The CW
In Jane the Virgin, Andrea Navedo and Gina Rodriguez played mother and daughter, despite having only a seven-year age gap.
The CW
“Granted, Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) was a teen mom, so I think they’re only supposed to be 16–17 years apart, but still.”
8. Taron Egerton was 28 when Rocketman, started filming.
Paramount Picturees
Bryce Dallas Howard was 37 during filming.
Paramount Pictures
They played mother and son in the film, despite only having a nine-year age gap.
Paramount Pictures
9. Rachel McAdams was 26 years old during the filming of Mean Girls.
Paramount Pictures
Amy Poehler was 33 during the filming of the movie.
Paramount Picturese
In the movie, Rachel McAdams plays Regina and Amy Poehler plays Regina’s mom, despite them only having a seven-year age gap.
Paramount Pictures
10. Tom Selleck is currently 77 years old.
CBS
Len Cariou is currently 82 years old.
CBS
In Blue Bloods, Len Cariou plays Tom Selleck’s father, despite them only having a five-year age gap.
CBS
11. Colin Farrell was 28 in Alexander.
Warner Brothers
Angelina Jolie was 29 in the film.
Warner Brothers
She played his mother in the movie, despite her only being one year older than him.
Warner Brothers / courtesy Everett Collection
12. Orlando Bloom was 35 during filming of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Lee Pace was 33 years old during the filming of the movie.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Even though Lee Pace is two years younger than Orlando Bloom, Lee played Orlando’s father in the movie. But I guess we can let this slide since Orlando was playing a nearly 3,000-year-old elf.
Warner Bros. Pictures
13. Zachary Quinto was 30 when the 2009 Star Trek movie started filming.
Paramount Pictures
Winona Ryder was 36 when the movie started filming.
Paramount Pictures
In the movie, she played his mother, despite only being six years older than him.
Paramount Pictures
14. George Lopez was 41 at the start of The George Lopez Show.
ABC
Belita Moreno was 52 at the start of the series.
ABC
Belita played George’s mother on the show, despite only being 11 years older than him.
ABC
15. Monique was born in 1967.
UPN
Countess Vaughn was born in 1978.
UPN
For five years, Countess Vaughn played Monique’s daughter on The Parkers, despite them only having a 5-year age gap.
UPN
16. Meryl Streep was 69 in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Universal Pictures
Cher was 72 during filming.
Universal Pictures
In the movie, Cher played Meryl Streep’s mom, despite them only having a three-year age gap.
Universal Pictures
17. Janet Hubert was born in 1956.
NBC
Karyn Parsons was born in 1966.
NBC
In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Janet Hubert and Karyn Parsons played mother and daughter, despite having a 10-year age gap.
NBC
18. Tom Hanks was 37 during the filming of Forrest Gump.
Paramount Pictures
Sally Field was 47 during filming of the movie.
Paramount Pictures
Sally Field played Tom Hanks’s mom in the movie, despite her only being 10 years older than him.
Paramount Pictures
19. Essence Atkins was 25 when the first season of Smart Guy aired.
The WB
John Marshall was 35 during the first season.
The WB
They played father and daughter on the show, despite only having a 10-year age gap.
The WB
“Essence was born Feb. 7, 1972, while John was born July 5, 1962.”
20. Harrison Ford was 46 during the filming of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Paramount Pictures
Sean Connery was 58 during filming of the movie.
Paramount Pictures
Sean played Harrison’s father despite only being 12 years older than him.
Paramount Pictures
21. Jennifer Lopez was 27 years old when she starred in Selena.
Warner Bros.
Constance Marie was 31 years old when she was in the movie.
Warner Bros.
They played mother and daughter in the movie with only a four-year age difference.
Warner Bros.
22. Mandy Moore is currently 40 years old.
NBC
Sterling K. Brown is currently 48 years old.
NBC
Justin Hartley is also currently 47 years old.
NBC
Chrissy Metz is 41 years old.
NBC
In This Is Us, Mandy Moore plays Sterling, Justin, and Christina’s mother despite being younger than all of them
ABC
23. Bellamy Young was 50 in the first season of Prodigal Son.
Fox
Michael Sheen was 51 during the first season.
Fox
Tom Payne was 38 during the first season.
Fox
In the show, Bellamy Young and Michael Sheen play Tom Payne’s parents, despite their small age gaps.
Fox
24. Peter Krause was born in 1965.
HBO
Frances Conroy was born in 1953.
HBO
In Six Feet Under, Frances Conroy and Peter Krause play mother and son, even though they’re only separated by 12 years.
HBO
25. And lastly, Estelle Getty was 62 when Golden Girls started.
NBC
Bea Arthur was 63 when the show started.
NBC
Despite Estelle Getty being one year younger than Bea Arthur, Estelle played Bea’s mother on the show.
NBC
