- It’s easy to get engrossed in the storyline of a movie, which can lead to ignoring vast, and sometimes shocking, age gaps between actors.
- Juliet and Sam from “Love Actually” are played by Keira Knightley and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who are only five years apart in real life.
- Lee Pace played Orlando Bloom’s father in “The Hobbit” series, even though he’s only two years older than him.
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Sometimes we get so into movies that we aren’t able to separate the actors from characters they’re playing.
From actors who are nowhere near old enough to have given birth to their on-screen children to movie pairings that are downright startling, these age differences aren’t always apparent.
Here are some of the most shocking age gaps in popular movies.
Will Ferrell and Pierce Brosnan are only 14 years apart, but they played father and son in “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.”
In the Netflix-original musical comedy “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” Will Ferrell starred as Icelandic singer-songwriter Lars Erickssong.
Pierce Brosnan played Lars' father, Erick, in the film, but in real-life Brosnan isn't that much older than Ferrell.
When the film was released in June 2020, Brosnan was 67 and Ferrell was 52 (soon to be turning 53).
Drew Seeley and Selena Gomez are 10 years apart, but they both played high schoolers in "Another Cinderella Story."
In "Another Cinderella Story," a modern take on the story of Cinderella, Selena Gomez starred as high-school senior Mary Santiago.
Mary falls in love with a pop sensation, played by Drew Seeley, who returns to her high school for his senior year.
Gomez and Seeley were 16 and 26, respectively, when the film debuted in September 2008 - so it's a bit surprising that they both played high-school students.
In "Love Actually," Juliet and Sam were played by actors who are only five years apart in age.
Although actress Keira Knightley played an adult and Thomas Brodie-Sangster played a child in "Love Actually," the actors are only five years apart.
When the film premiered in November 2003, Knightley was 18 and Brodie-Sangster was 13.
Colin Firth and Emma Stone, who played love interests in "Magic in the Moonlight," are 28 years apart.
Colin Firth played Emma Stone's love interest in "Magic in the Moonlight" - in real life, he's nearly 30 years older than her.
The Firth and Stone were 53 and 25, respectively, when the movie was released in August 2014.
Rachel McAdams is only seven years younger than Amy Poehler, who played her mom in "Mean Girls."
In the cult-classic "Mean Girls," Rachel McAdams played Regina George, a popular teen and the leader of "The Plastics."
When the film was released in April 2004, McAdams was 25 years old, only seven years younger than her on-screen mom Amy Poehler, who was 32.
McAdams is also seven years older than on-screen frenemy Lindsay Lohan, who was 17 when the film was released.
Angelina Jolie played Colin Farrell's mom in "Alexander" even though she's only a year older than him.
In "Alexander," Angelina Jolie played Olympias, mother to Colin Farrell's character Alexander the Great.
Even though the two actors played mother and son, in reality, they are only one year apart in age. When the film debuted in November 2004, Jolie was 29 and Farrell was 28.
Sean Connery played Harrison Ford's father in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," though he is only 12 years older than him in real life.
In "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," Sean Connery played Harrison Ford's father.
When the film was released in May 1986, Connery was 58 and Ford was 46, leaving a mere 12-year gap between the on-screen father and son.
Sally Field is only 10 years older than Tom Hanks, but she played his mother in "Forrest Gump."
In the classic film "Forrest Gump," Sally Field played Tom Hanks' mother. However, she is only 10 years older than her co-star.
Field was 47 and Hanks was 37 when the film was released in July 1994, just days before Hanks' 38th birthday.
Orlando Bloom played Lee Pace's son in "The Hobbit" series, even though the actors are only two years apart.
Throughout "The Hobbit" series, Lee Pace played Orlando Bloom's father - even though Pace is two years younger than Bloom in real life.
Sure, elves are thousands of years old, but it's worth noting that Bloom was born in 1977 and Pace was born in 1979.
Cher is only three years older than Meryl Streep, but she played her mom in "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again"
Cher played Meryl Streep's mother in the movie musical "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again."
The actresses are only three years apart, but it's easy to miss the too-small age gap because they only share screen time during the film's performance of "Super Trouper."
Cher was 72 and Streep was 69 when the film debuted in July 2018.
Sissy Spacek played Betty Buckley's student in "Carrie," even though they're only two years apart.
Sissy Spacek starred as a 16-year-old in the high-school thriller, and Betty Buckley played her gym teacher.
When the movie was released in November 1976, Spacek was 26 and Buckley was 29, leaving only a little over two years between the on-screen student and teacher.
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