Why is everyone suddenly so concerned about actors' ages?

It's Hollywood. It's theater. Older actors have always played younger characters. Hell, even in the MCU people didn't have a problem until recently. Many of the OG actors were older than their characters. And I notice they pick and choose which characters to complain about when it comes to an actor's age. It's bizarre.

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Crimkam2025-10-29 05:46

Because we have nothing better to do

One-Complex-92672025-10-29 05:47

I haven’t seen a single person concerned except Sir Patrick and Ian. Those concerns are pretty valid too.

EmeraldEmp2025-10-29 05:52

What? They're constantly talking about Kate Bishop's, Billy Kaplan's, Kamala Khan's, America Chavez's, etc. actors "getting too old". Despite the fact that historically, adult actors have played teens all the time in theater.

j--__2025-10-29 05:56

that's not about the actors. it's about the fact that the mcu has proceeded more or less in real time, meaning those CHARACTERS have gone thru most of their youths and we have little to show for it.

indeedy712025-10-29 06:45

No it’s definitely about the actors. I see ‘pushing 30’ (which barely applies to a couple of the actors) all the time, alongside comparisons to the actors’ ages vs some of the og Avengers actors when they started, and the obvious rebuttal to that is that the characters themselves aren’t actually that age.

It’s insane because some of those actors - especially Gomez, Locke and Vellani - are still seriously young for playing superheroes in a major franchise.

Doctor714002025-10-29 05:58

>Billy Kaplan's, Kamala Khan's, America Chavez

What the heck. Joe Locke and Iman Vellani are only in their early 20s (22 and 23) while Xochitl Gomez isn't even 20 yet

Smkingbowls2025-10-29 06:22

Who is this “they” you are talking about?

eagc72025-10-29 06:32

From what i've seen the "they are getting too old" talking point when it comes to them is because of the fact they are building to Young Avengers, but considering that there is no YA projects in sight or we don't know when they will assemble and thus are worried Young Avengers may not happen until they are far older

Sir__Will2025-10-29 17:06

Kate is one thing. She is a lot older than the others. Though they made her character older as well. The bigger gap is the new Cassie.

But Joe is close to Billy's age (Tommy's actor, on the other hand...)

GarySoneji2025-10-29 06:06

When they fantasize about the “reboot,” Reed and Bruce are suddenly too old to stick around for another decade or longer.

MarcSpector17012025-10-29 13:42

With those two I'm assuming some de-aging will be used. Although in Patrick Stewart's case he's lost the commanding voice he used to have and now he sounds like an old man.

BirdSargent2025-10-30 10:25

Grammer is getting old and has a history of substance abuse I guess

GarySoneji2025-10-29 05:56

I think it’s younger fans who don’t realize there is a long history in Hollywood where teens don’t portray teens.

Aglet_Green2025-10-29 06:09

I'm not concerned. I'm currently watching Season 2 of "Jessica Jones," and there are many flashback seasons where 40-somethings Rachael Taylor and Krysten Ritter play teenage sisters. (I mean they are obviously in wigs, and have different make-up and outfits, but we still buy them as 18 or 19 year-olds.)

urgasmic2025-10-29 10:32

Not to be annoying but neither of them were in their 40s lol.

matty_nice2025-10-29 06:16

It's always a factor. Especially when the actors are just starting out in a role. As fans, at minimum we want these actors around for like 10 years. Ideally 15. It's a lot easier to get 15 years out of a younger actor than an older actor.

Mahershala Ali is 50. Let's say he's 53 when Blade comes out. Is he going to play the character for another 10 years? Another 15? So when he's 63 to 68? It's a physical role.

Most actors don't want to do these types of roles in their '50s and 60s. Mackie said he wasn't going to play Sam Wilson once he turned 50, which would be 3 years.

Pedro Pascal is 50. He looks his age. He can play a grandfather. Is he doing this until he's 65?

EmeraldEmp2025-10-29 07:37

Interesting how people like you don't have a problem with Robert Downey Jr. And older actors have played younger and active characters in action films all the time.

BigAlReviews2025-10-29 08:19

RDJ when doing Iron Man (and probably Doom stuff) is basically VFX. It's like whomever is playing Hulk but armor

MarcSpector17012025-10-29 13:39

Right now, Pedro Pascal can believably play 40. I don't know how good he'll look in ten years, but I have no problem believing his Reed Richards is 40 right now. In fact I was surprised when I learned he was 50. He honestly looks in his early 40's to me.

matty_nice2025-10-29 13:43

Hard disagree there. He's not believably 40. And that's ok.

But just different opinions.

MSnap2025-10-29 06:57

Remember the college kid with the camera on Better Call Saul? Guy was like 40 years old. A good actor can play whatever age they want.

indeedy712025-10-29 07:01

There’s been a bit of pushback in recent years to older actors playing younger characters for authenticity reasons, and praise given to particularly TV shows casting actors closer in age to what they’re playing, particularly across some young adult Netflix shows e.g Stranger Things, Wednesday, Heartstopper.

This is now swinging the other way because given gaps between seasons it’s resulting in some bigger age leaps for some actors than had been the case for TV before, which is looking kinda ridiculous, and also exposing some younger actors to a level of fame and life they aren’t necessarily ready for. If you’d like a Marvel connection to explore this further, Joe Locke recently went on the ‘How to Fail’ podcast and talked about how he’d basically missed being a young person and was trying to get that back.

But, I think some of the reasons why people felt older actors shouldn’t play younger characters still resonate with some fans, who don’t want to see too big a gap between the age of the actor and the character they’re playing. Having said that, there’s nowhere in the MCU this is a serious issue really and people are being a bit weird about it at times.

Usual-Caregiver55892025-10-29 07:20

Honestly the only one where it really matters is the "young avengers" ages and how, if they wait much longer to make it, the young avengers will be the same ages the Original 6 were in 2012.

EmeraldEmp2025-10-29 07:29

This is the complaint I'm talking about, it doesn't make sense. I mean, Tom Holland has played teen Peter Parker well in his 20s and people don't have a problem. As others have mentioned, 40+ year olds have even played teens. I don't think the team up is that far away.

PikesPique2025-10-29 07:35

I always think it’s funny when the script says for no particular reason that a character is 35, for example, and you Google it and find out the actor is 43. That’s completely about trying to flatter the actor. The only time the age thing bothers me is when a teenage character is obviously played by someone pushing 30.

Ancient_Ad712025-10-29 08:21

I want to play Captain America.. I'm 70. Closer to his real age than most. LOL

Equivalent-Garlic1002025-10-29 09:21

I'm less concerned about actors specific ages but i do find it funny when you calculate what the character ages are in relation to each other.

For instance, Doomsday (in universe) is roughly taking place in 2029. This is based off the year CABNW takes place, then Thunderbolts then the 14 months to post credit scene.

Yelena was born either 1988 or 1989 based on Black Widow. That would make her character 40 at Doomsday BUT technically 35 because she was blipped. (Played by 29yo Florence Pugh)

Then you have Shang Chi being born in 1999 according to that movie. Makes him 30 during Doomsday. (Played by 36yo Simu.)

Does it matter per se? No. But it's funny.

Sir__Will2025-10-29 17:02

I think Doomsday would be 2028. CABNW is 2027. I don't see any reason Thunderbolts wouldn't also be 2027. So 14 months later would be 2028.

Equivalent-Garlic1002025-10-30 11:03

CABNW is April 2027 and Bucky is campaigning for congress. By Thunderbolts he is a congressman and it's said he only lasts half a term. So even if the whole campaign plus half term is 6-8 months, that takes us to the end of 2027. Then the 14 months is a whole year and a bit. So Doomsday would become the beginning of 2029.

SeekerVash2025-10-29 13:46

Does anyone really want to see a geriatric playing a 30 year old?

Wolverine, Blade (twice), Hulk, and several others are pushing that.

RihoSucks2025-10-29 16:21

The only one I complain about is people who want Wesley snipes back as blade in the mcu.

GrimMrGoodbar2025-10-29 16:32

Geriatric super heros is not fun. Pretty simple

BirdSargent2025-10-30 10:25

Only concern would be Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart as they are getting pretty old the next older 2 by the time Doomsday comes out will be a 71-year old Kelsey Grammer and a 65-year old Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beast and Val