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Article created by: Ilona Baliūnaitė

While it's certainly naive to think that everything we see in the movies is real, some of the lies they pull off are really impressive. Like the actual age gaps between some of the actors who play parent and child. Take Heath Ledger and Kate Mara in Brokeback Mountain, for example. At the time of producing the movie, Ledger was 25 and Mara was 21. Yet their portrayal of Ennis and Alma Jr. was totally believable!

And this isn't a one-time thing; it happens more than you're probably aware of. But don't worry, Bored Panda is here to open your eyes. We have compiled a list of on-screen relatives with ridiculous real-life age differences, so sit back, continue scrolling, and you'll have a better understanding of Hollywood in no time.

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#1

Estelle Getty Was Actually Younger Than Bea Arthur When She Played Her Mom In Golden Girls

Two older women sitting on a couch with 30 age gaps between actors who played parent and child highlighted.

NBC Report

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    #2

    Angelina Jolie Was Colin Farrell's Mom In Alexander, But In Reality They’re Only A Year Apart

    Angelina Jolie and Colin Farrell in ancient costumes with age gap numbers, illustrating actor parent and child age gaps.

    Warner Bros Pictures Report

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    #3

    Sally Field Was Tom Hanks's Mom In Forrest Gump. However, She's Just 10 Years Older Than Him, And Even Played His Love Interest In Punchline A Few Years Earlier

    Two images showing actors with notable age gaps playing parent and child, highlighting actor age differences in roles.

    paramount Report

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    #4

    When She Starred In This Is Us, Mandy Moore (36) Was Younger Than All Of The Actors Who Played Her Children

    Two scenes showing age gaps between actors who played parent and child that make no sense in real life.

    ABC Report

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    #5

    In Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Cher Played Meryl Streep's Mom Even Though She Was Only Three Years Older Than Her Co-Star

    Two actresses with a 3-year age gap playing parent and child, highlighting unusual age gaps between actors.

    Universal Pictures Report

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    #6

    In Mean Girls, Amy Poehler Is Only Seven Years Older Than Her Daughter, Rachel Mcadams

    Actress wearing pink dress and flower crown with age 26 next to actress in blue dress marked age 33 showcasing actor age gaps.

    Paramount Pictures Report

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    #7

    The Actors Who Played Father And Son In "Blue Bloods", Tom Selleck And Len Cariou, Have An Age Difference Of Just Six Years

    Two older male actors aged 75 and 81 walking outdoors illustrating age gaps between actors playing parent and child.

    CBS Report

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    #8

    Johnny Depp Is Five Years Older Than His Movie Mom In "Blow", Rachel Griffiths

    Two actors aged 38 and 33 portraying a parent and child with an unrealistic age gap in movies or TV.

    New Line Cinema Report

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    #9

    Father And Son In Supernatural, Jeffrey Dean Morgan And Jensen Ackles, Were Born Just 12 Years Apart

    Two actors with a 12-year age gap, illustrating age gaps between actors who played parent and child in real life.

    warnerbros Report

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    #10

    In Jane The Virgin, Andrea Navedo Is Only Seven Years Older Than Her Daughter, Gina Rodriguez

    Two women on a bus highlighting age gaps between actors who played parent and child that make no sense.

    The CW Report

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    #11

    "Flicka's" Main Character, Katy, Is Supposed To Be A Teenager. But The Actress, Alison Lohman, Was 27 At The Time, Making Her Just 13 Years Younger Than Her Movie Dad, Played By Tim Mcgraw

    Male and female actors on horseback showing a 13-year age gap between parent and child roles in film or TV.

    Twentieth Century Fox Report

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    #12

    In Brokeback Mountain, The Age Difference Between Heath Ledger And Kate Mara Playing Father And Daughter Was Just Four Years

    Two actors with a 4-year age gap in scenes, highlighting unusual age gaps between actors who played parent and child.

    Focus Features Report

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    #13

    Elizabeth Rodriguez And Dascha Polanco Played Mother And Daughter In Orange Is The New Black, But In Real Life There's Less Than A Two-Year Age Gap Between Them

    Two actors aged 33 and 31 wearing prison uniforms, highlighting unusual age gaps between parent and child roles.

    Netflix Report

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    #14

    In Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, The Age Difference Between Sean Connery And Harrison Ford Is 12 Years

    Actors with a 12-year age gap playing parent and child, highlighting unusual age gaps between actors in films.

    paramount Report

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    #15

    Bryce Dallas Howard Played Taron Egerton's Mom In Rocketman, But There's Only An Eight-Year Difference Between Them

    Actor aged 30 and actor aged 38 on phones illustrating age gaps between actors who played parent and child.

    Paramount Pictures Report

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    #16

    Daughter And Mother: Janet Hubert And Karyn Parsons In The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

    Two actresses with a 10 year age gap playing parent and child highlighting age gaps between actors in roles.

    warnerbros Report

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    #17

    Winona Ryder Is Only Six Years Older Than Zachary Quinto, And She Played His Mother In The 2009 Star Trek

    Two actors in a desert scene with age gaps highlighted, illustrating surprising parent and child age differences between actors.

    Paramount Pictures Report

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    #18

    Constance Marie Is Only Four Years Older Than Jennifer Lopez But She Played Her Mother In Selena

    Actresses with a 4-year age gap playing parent and child, illustrating unusual age gaps between actors in parent-child roles.

    Warner Bros Pictures Report

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    #19

    In The 2019 Film "Glass," Charlayne Woodard Plays The Mother Of Samuel L. Jackson's Character, Elijah (Aka Mr. Glass). The Only Problem Is That, At 66, She's Five Years Younger Than 71-Year-Old Jackson

    Two actors aged 71 and 66 playing parent and child, highlighting unusual age gaps in casting.

    Universal Pictures Report

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    #20

    Mother And Son: Julia Roberts & Ryan Reynolds In Fireflies In The Garden

    Actors with a 31 and 40 year age gap portraying parent and child roles in film or television.

    Senator Entertainment Inc. Report

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    #21

    Father And Son: John Noble And Sean Bean In The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

    Three medieval actors in costume with age gaps highlighted, illustrating unrealistic parent and child age differences in casting.

    warnerbros Report

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    #22

    Cuba Gooding Jr. And Laurence Fishburne In 'Boyz N The Hood'

    Two actors with a 7-year age gap playing parent and child, highlighting age gaps between actors in roles.

    Summit Entertainment Report

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    #23

    In Six Feet Under, Frances Conroy And Peter Krause Play Mother And Son, But They’re Only Separated By 12 Years

    Middle-aged actors with a 12-year age gap playing parent and child, highlighting unrealistic age gaps between actors.

    HBO Report

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    #24

    Mother And Son: Mary Steenburgen & Will Ferrell In Step Brothers

    Two actors with a 14-year age gap sitting in a car, illustrating age gaps between actors who played parent and child.

    Columbia-Pictures Report

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    #25

    In "Footloose," The Stodgy Town Reverend, Played By John Lithgow, Is Only 12 Years Older Than His Fictional Daughter, Played By Lori Singer

    Actress aged 27 and actor aged 39 playing parent and child illustrating age gaps between actors in roles.

    Paramount Pictures Report

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    #26

    In Prodigal Son, Bellamy Young (50) And Michael Sheen (51) Are Only 12 And 13 Years Older Than Tom Payne (38), Who Plays Their Son

    Close-up of two actor age gaps 51 and 38 versus 50, highlighting unusual parent and child age differences between actors.

    FOX Report

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    #27

    Wesley Was Already 27 When He Was Cast As Stefan In "The Vampire Diaries." Stefan's Mother, Also A Vampire, Is Played By Annie Wersching, Who Is Only Six Years Older Than Wesley

    Actor age gap of six years between parent and child roles in a scene highlighting unusual actor age gaps

    The CW Report

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    #28

    Michael J. Fox And Lea Thompson Are The Same Age — Even Though Fox's Character In "Back To The Future" Is Thompson's Son. Her Older Look Was Achieved With Facial Prosthetics

    Actors with a 24-year age gap playing parent and child roles highlighting unrealistic age gaps between actors.

    Universal Pictures Report

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    #29

    Lorne Greene Was Only Seven Years Older Than Ava Gardner, Who Played His Daughter In This 1974 Disaster Film

    Two actors aged 52 and 59 playing parent and child highlighting unusual age gaps between actors.

    Universal Pictures Report

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    #30

    In Blue Bloods, Len Cariou Plays Tom Selleck’s Father, Even Though There Is Only A Six-Year Difference In Age, With Cariou Being 81 And Selleck Being 75

    Two older male actors wearing glasses with age numbers 75 and 81 highlighting age gaps between actors who played parent and child.


    CBS Report

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