Ages That Might Surprise You
Some celebrities give off the energy of people who’ve already lived a few lifetimes. Big roles, polished style, and confident interviews can easily trick fans, so let’s set the record straight as of September 2025.
Millie Bobby Brown (21)
Millie is Eleven on Stranger Things (ST), but she’s no longer 11! Her life has moved at a pace that catches people off guard. The actress is already married, has launched her own beauty brand, and recently adopted a daughter—milestones rarely associated with someone just stepping into their twenties.
Netflix, Stranger Things (2016–present)
Sadie Sink (23)
Sadie’s breakout in The Whale showed a depth that surprised audiences, cementing her as more than a teen star. That maturity extends to fashion, where she favors classic runway looks. Even on ST, her performances carried the kind of weight that felt unusually grounded.
Sydney Sweeney (27)
She could easily be mistaken for a golden-era movie star with the way she channels Marilyn Monroe vibes on red carpets. Euphoria proved that Sydney can tackle deeply adult storylines, and off-screen, she’s producing projects like Anyone But You with the poise of someone who has been in the game forever.
Tavi Gevinson (29)
Tavi gained attention as a preteen running her own fashion blog, which gave her a platform long before most kids had social media accounts. By her twenties, she was publishing essays and speaking at major events, leaving many to assume she was far older.
Henry S. Dziekan III, Getty Images
Tate McRae (22)
Years of dance training gave Tate the kind of stage confidence most pop stars spend a career chasing. Instead of leaning into playful trends, she favors sharp, mature styling. And that combination makes her performances feel like you’re watching a seasoned headliner rather than a newcomer.
Justin Higuchi, Wikimedia Commons
Sabrina Carpenter (26)
Her stage presence mirrors seasoned pop divas rather than former Disney stars. Sabrina’s bold fashion choices lean sultry and polished, while her performances radiate confidence beyond her age. Even in casual interviews, she speaks with sharp timing and poise that suggest long-standing industry experience.
Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Olivia Rodrigo (22)
Olivia’s Disney roots are hard to forget, yet she shed that image almost overnight. Her debut album, SOUR, won Grammys and drew praise for tackling heartbreak with startling honesty, even though it came with its fair share of controversy.
Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR Album Trailer by Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo (Cont.)
The follow-up GUTS leaned darker and sharper, showing she wasn’t interested in playing it safe. Her fashion choices echo that shift by moving toward edgier, high-fashion looks that feel older. The contrast between her age and the maturity of her lyricism continues to surprise new listeners.
Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS (Official Live Performances) | Vevo by Olivia Rodrigo
Sophie Turner (29)
Sophie became a household name as Sansa Stark, a role that aged her up in the public eye. Off-screen, marriage to Joe Jonas and raising two children added to that perception, which makes it easy to forget she’s still under 30.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
Adele (37)
Powerhouse ballads and soulful presence have always made Adele seem older than her years. Plus, winning Grammys in her early twenties placed her alongside legends. Her introspective lyrics and classic stage style often leave audiences convinced she’s lived far more than her age suggests.
Elle Fanning (27)
Viewers have been watching her on screen since childhood, which explains why many assume Elle’s in her thirties. Her sharp, witty take on Catherine in The Great amplified that perception. More recently, her interest in directing hints at how she’s reshaping her career path.
Billie Eilish (23)
Billie’s rise came with milestones that most artists only dream of decades into their careers. At 18, she swept the four major Grammy categories in a single night, then recorded the James Bond theme not long after.
Billie Eilish (Cont.)
Her lyrics often lean into themes of mortality, regret, and fractured relationships in a way that it feels she is someone who has lived far more than two decades. That mix of haunting songwriting and high-fashion reinvention has secured her place as a cultural icon.
Florence Pugh (29)
It’s wild to think Florence is only 29 when you recall her performances. Midsommar showed her unraveling grief with startling realism, while Little Women earned her an Oscar nomination. Off-screen, her blunt honesty about sexism and industry challenges gives her the voice of a seasoned veteran.
Rachel Zegler (24)
Landing the lead in West Side Story at just 20 gave Rachel a career-defining role most actors chase for years. She carried the part with striking maturity, then used her platform to speak on representation in Hollywood. You don’t see a lot of 24-year-olds doing that these days.
20th Century Studios, West Side Story (2021)
Yara Shahidi (25)
Few can claim a United Nations podium at 25, but Yara did exactly that. Her voice carries the polish of a seasoned activist. Additionally, opening her own production company, 7th Sun, at such a young age adds to the perception that she’s operating well beyond her years.
Chloe Grace Moretz (28)
Hollywood audiences met her when she was barely out of grade school, and she’s been working steadily ever since. With nearly twenty years of experience, she feels older than 28, where films like Greta showed she could handle heavy, adult storylines with surprising ease.
Sam Smith (33)
Sam’s soulful ballads and haunting stage presence have long carried the weight of an older generation. They were winning Grammys and writing heart-wrenching lyrics in their early twenties, like an established veteran, while still in the first decade of their career.
© pitpony.photography, Wikimedia Commons
Nara Smith (23)
Married at 18, a mother of three by 23, and still running a calm, picture-perfect household—Nara’s life looks more like a 1950s homemaker than a Gen Z influencer. Her TikToks of from-scratch meals leave people shocked at just how young she is.
Kiernan Shipka (25)
It’s not every child actor who can trade lines with Jon Hamm on Mad Men and feel convincing, but Kiernan did exactly that. By her teens, she was already dressed in couture. Later, she transformed into Sabrina, playing a darker, more self-assured character with ease.
Lionsgate Television, Mad Men (2007–2015)
Zendaya (28)
As the youngest person to ever win an Emmy for Lead Actress, Zendaya has long carried herself like an industry elder. In Malcolm & Marie, she convincingly played a partner in a turbulent relationship at just 24. She radiates charisma beyond her age, which even makes fashion houses chase her.
Netflix, Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Storm Reid (22)
Audiences first noticed her in A Wrinkle in Time, but it’s her work in Euphoria and The Last of Us that shows her maturity. She speaks confidently about representation in Hollywood, with the calm authority of someone who knows all the ropes.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Kylie Jenner (28)
Business mogul, reality star, and mother—Kylie’s resume makes her feel closer to her thirties than her twenties. She built a billion-dollar brand before most people finish college, so the pace of her career keeps her constantly compared to older industry players.
Anya Taylor-Joy (29)
Her debut in the movie The Witch marked her as a serious talent, and she’s stayed on that path ever since. Roles in Split, Emma., and Last Night in Soho showcased her range, while The Queen’s Gambit gave her the presence of a seasoned star.
Greta Thunberg (22)
Greta launched the “Fridays for Future” movement at 15, skipping school to demand climate action. Within a year, she was speaking at the United Nations and sparking global protests. Her role as a leading voice on climate change often makes her seem decades older than 22.
