Drew Barrymore was just 7 when she stole the spotlight as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, becoming famous almost overnight. Childhood didn’t last long, though; by her early teens, she was already taking on darker, more adult roles in films like Poison Ivy. Growing up in front of the camera pushed her into parts well beyond her years, for better and worse. | © Universal Pictures
Tatum O’Neal was only 10 when she starred in Paper Moon, trading sharp one-liners with her real-life father, Ryan O’Neal. Addie Loggins wasn’t written like a typical child character either: she was savvy, stubborn, and emotionally complex. The performance earned her an Academy Award, making her the youngest competitive Oscar winner in history. | © Paramount Pictures
Winona Ryder was only 22 when she appeared in The House of the Spirits, playing a character whose life unfolded across decades. At one point, she even becomes the mother of a character portrayed by an actress older than she was in real life. The film demanded that she age on screen and carry heavy emotional beats, and she managed it with a confidence that made the timeline shifts feel believable. | © Avsar Film
Saoirse Ronan was only 12 when she played Briony in Atonement, a character whose single decision reshapes multiple lives. The role demanded emotional weight and moral complexity far beyond her years, yet she handled it with striking control. An Oscar nomination followed almost immediately, setting the tone for the serious, challenging parts she kept choosing throughout her teens. | © Universal Pictures
Emmy Rossum was just 16 when she took on Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, a role usually handled by much older stage veterans. The part demanded serious operatic vocals and the confidence to anchor a massive musical production. She pulled it off so convincingly that she earned a Golden Globe nomination and proved she was far more seasoned than her age suggested. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Elle Fanning was in her early twenties when she stepped into the role of Catherine in The Great, portraying a ruler who would grow into one of history’s most powerful monarchs. The series follows her through years of political maneuvering, marriage, and ambition, a lot to carry for someone so young. Even so, she balanced sharp comedy and royal authority in a way that made the rise feel believable. | © Hulu
Chloë Grace Moretz was only 12 when she played Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass, a pint-sized vigilante with a mouth like a seasoned action star and a body count to match. The role was packed with graphic violence and explicit language, which immediately sparked debate about whether someone her age should be playing it at all. Still, she dove in without hesitation and delivered one of the film’s most unforgettable performances. | © Paramount Pictures
Hailee Steinfeld was just 13 when she took on the role of Mattie Ross in True Grit, a character written with a sharp mind and an old-soul seriousness. She beat out thousands of other girls for the part, then stepped into scenes opposite Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon without blinking. Watching her command the screen like that, it was easy to forget she was barely a teenager. | © Paramount Pictures
Margot Robbie was only 22 when she played Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street, a character based on a woman who was older during the real-life events. On screen, she moved through years of marriage, wealth, and motherhood without ever feeling out of her depth. Holding her own opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, she came across as far more seasoned than her age suggested, and Hollywood took notice fast. | © Paramount Pictures
Natalie Portman was just 12 when she made her debut in Leon: The Professional, playing Mathilda, a girl who forms a bond with a hitman after her family is killed. The story tackled heavy, adult themes, which made her age at the time even more striking. Still, she handled the role with an intensity and confidence that hinted at the career she would go on to build. | © Columbia Pictures
Scarlett Johansson was only 17 when she filmed Lost in Translation, playing Charlotte, a recent college grad already navigating marriage and adult uncertainty. That’s a lot of life experience for someone who hadn’t even turned 18. Her quiet, introspective performance opposite Bill Murray felt so mature that many viewers were shocked to learn how young she actually was at the time. | © Focus Features
Keira Knightley was just 17 when she stepped into the role of Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Elizabeth wasn’t written as a teenager, either. She was caught in a dangerous adventure and a full-blown romantic triangle. The movie turned into a global phenomenon, and suddenly Knightley was carrying a massive blockbuster while still technically in her school years. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Angelina Jolie was only 29 when she played Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, in Alexander. Colin Farrell, who played her son, was just a year younger than she was in real life, which makes the casting choice hard to ignore. Heavy makeup and a fierce, authoritative performance helped sell it, but the tiny age gap between them is still one of those Hollywood decisions people love to point out. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Mila Kunis was just 14 when she landed the role of Jackie Burkhart on That ’70s Show, even though the character was meant to be 18. She famously stretched the truth about her age at the audition, and by the time producers found out, she’d already proven she was perfect for the part. Audiences watched her grow up on screen, slowly catching up to the character she’d been playing all along. | © Fox Network
When Olivia Wilde joined House, she was just 23, playing Dr. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley, a character who had already survived med school, residency, and years of hospital experience. That’s a long résumé for someone barely out of college herself. Still, she carried the role with enough confidence and composure that you almost forgot how young she actually was. | © NBCUniversal
Hollywood loves a bold casting choice. Sometimes that means handing massive, grown-up roles to actresses who were barely out of childhood themselves. These 15 stars stepped into parts far beyond their years, and somehow made it work.
