In real life, people can be with whomever they want – young-young, young-old, it doesn’t matter. In Hollywood, though, age gaps get a little more political.
And while Hollywood is notorious for pairing older actors with younger actresses as love interests, some of these movie age gaps – not all of which are even romantic – are really pretty mind-blowing.
And not really in a good way, so be warned.
14. In The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman was 30 years old, playing 21, and being seduced by the seemingly much older Anne Bancroft, who was only 36 irl.
Image Credit: Embassy Pictures
Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, played by Katharine Ross, was 27 – only 9 years younger than Bancroft.
13. In Singin’ in the Rain, Debbie Reynolds was cast when she was 19 years old, while love interest Gene Kelly was 40.
Image Credit: MGM
And yeah, she had to act like she wanted to make out with him.
12. In The Manchurian Candidate, Angela Lansbury played the onscreen mom of Laurence Harvey, who was only three years younger.
Image Credit: United Artists
If that’s not a comment on women’s employability in Hollywood, I don’t know what is.
11. In Carrie, Sissy Spacek was 26 when she played a 16-year-old.
Image Credit: United Artists
The woman who played the gym teacher, Betty Buckley, was only 28.
10. In Magic in the Moonlight, there was a 28-year age gap between onscreen lovers Emma Stone and Colin Firth.
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Ho-hum, just another sexist day in Hollywood.
9. In Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Keira Knightley were only five years apart.
Image Credit: Universal Pictures
He played a 10-year-old, and she played a married woman.
Though this isn’t entirely unrealistic, it’s still crazy to think about.
8. In Forrest Gump, Sally Field and Tom Hanks played mother and son.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures/Columbia Pictures
Six years earlier they played love interests in Punchline.
FYI, she’s 10 years older than him in real life.
7. In Alexander, Angelina Jolie played Colin Farrell’s mother.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
He was 28, she was 29.
So… yeah.
6. In The Hobbit series, Orlando Bloom was actually older than the actor who played his father.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Lee Pace is two years his junior.
Though they were playing elves, who, admittedly, age strangely.
5. In Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dick Van Dyke was six months older than Lionel Jeffries, who played his father.
Image Credit: United Artists
I mean, to be fair, Dick Van Dyke was an alien who never really aged.
4. In the Harry Potter series, Shirley Henderson was 35 years old when she started playing Moaning Myrtle.
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Myrtle was a 14-year-old ghost.
3. In Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Cher played Meryl Streep’s mom.
Image Credit: Universal Pictures
Meryl is younger, but only by 3 years.
2. In White Christmas, Rosemary Clooney was 26 by the time the movie premiered, while Bing Crosby was 51 – nearly twice her age.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
No wonder she wasn’t really into it, blue eyes or not.
1. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sean Connery played Harrison Ford’s father.
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
There is only a 12-year age gap between the actors.
I really had no idea how old some of these actors are, so there’s that. And wow do I need some better anti-aging products.
Did these surprise you? Are you more savvy than me?
Tell us in the comments!
