Hollywood has the common theme of casting twenty-somethings and sometimes even thirty-something-year-olds to take on the role of high school students. It is hard for actual high schoolers to relate to characters that look much older. One example of this is Alan Ruck playing Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Ruck was 30 years old at the time of playing a high school senior.

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When an actor plays a child character that is an unrealistic age, there may be quite a small age gap between them and the actors cast to play their parents. Some actors have even commented on the subject and have studied how to appear older on screen.

10 Maybe Regina George Does Have A Cool Mom?

Regina George and her mom in Mean Girls

Rachel McAdams played one of Hollywood's most notable mean girls, Regina George. McAdams was 26 years old at the time of filming this 2004 film alongside her 20-year-old co-stars, Amanda Seyfried and Lindsay Lohan.

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Amy Poehler played the high school student's mom, at 33 years old. This is just a mere 7-year age gap between the two of them. Maybe Regina George's mother is actually a cool mom?

9 Cher's Cameo In Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

Cher's cameo in Mamma Mia

In Mamma Mia's sequel, viewers met Donna Sheridan's mother, Ruby Sheridan. Ruby was played by the singing superstar Cher. Streep (Donna Sheridan) was 69 years old at the time of filming, and Cher was 72 years old. Cher even commented on the small age gap on the Graham Norton Show.

"I am older than her by four years, when they asked, I said, that's absolutely fine, that's cool," stated Cher to Norton. Streep is notorious in the film industry for not doing movie sequels except for her brief cameo in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. 

8 Forrest Gump: Once Love Interests, Now Mother & Son

Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks played the role of Forrest Gump in the hit 1994 film Forrest Gump, alongside Gump's mother, who was played by Sally Field. Field portrayed Mrs. Gump from the time Forrest is a child and as he becomes an adult. Hanks was 37 years old during filming, and Field was 10 years older than him, at 47 years old.

The production team worked to make Field appear older with makeup, as Forrest ages throughout the film. The pair even played love interests a couple of years prior in the film Punchline.

7 Son Is Older Than Father In The Hobbit

Legolas & Thranduil in The Hobbit

Orlando Bloom and Lee Pace played the father/son elven duo of Legolas and Thranduil in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Pace played the Elvenking named Thranduil and Bloom played his son, the prince, Legolas. However, what will shock fans is that Bloom is two years older than Pace despite portraying his son.

Bloom was 36 years old at the time of filming, and Pace was 34 years old. The age difference doesn't seem to be that big of a deal since they are elves.

6 The Father/Son Duo In Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade

Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in Indiana Jones

Harrison Ford reprised his role as Indiana Jones in the 1989 hit film Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Sean Connery made an appearance as Henry Jones, Indiana's father. Connery and Ford had only a 12-year age gap between the two of them. Ford was 46 years old and Connery was 58 years old at the time of filming.

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This is not the first time an age gap has appeared in the franchise. Ford was 10 years older than his love interest, Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

5 Bryce Dallas Howard Took Inspiration From Her Mom In Rocketman

Bryce Dallas Howard playing Sheila Eileen in Rocketman

Bryce Dallas Howard took on the role of Sheila Eileen, Elton John's mother, in the 2019 musical film centered around the singer's life. Taron Egerton, who played Elton John, was 28 years old at the time of filming, and Howard was merely nine years older than him despite playing his mother.

Howard played John's mother from her early 20s and into her 70s. The film's production team utilized prosthetics to make Howard appear older. She even took inspiration from her own mother to aid her in the portrayal of Elton's mother.

4 Boyz N The Hood: Both Parents Aren't Much Older Than The Son

Tre & Jason Styles in Boyz N The Hood

Cuba Gooding Jr. portrayed Tre Styles in the 1991 crime film Boyz N The Hood. Both of Tre's parents were played by actors that weren't that much older than Cuba. Laurence Fishburne took on the role of Furious Styles, who is Tre's dad. Fishburne was only 29 years old at the time of filming and Gooding was only six years younger, at 23 years old.

Tre's mother was played by Angela Bassett. Bassett is only 10 years older than Gooding. After portraying his mom in Boyz N The Hood, Bassett plays Gooding's sister in American Horror Story. 

3 Alexander Has One Of The Most Shocking Age Gaps

Angelina Jolie and Colin Farrell in Alexander

Angelina Jolie and Colin Farrell win the award for the most ridiculous age gap. They play mother and son in Alexander, a historical drama film released in 2004. The film is centered around the life of the ancient Macedonian king Alexander the Great. Jolie was only 29 years old when she played Olympias, Alexander's mom. Farrell was only a year younger than her, at 28 years old.

Despite the shocking age difference, the film performed quite well with a star-studded cast featuring Jolie, Farrell, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Hopkins, Jared Leto, and Val Kilmer.

2 Sean Bean & John Noble In Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Boromir & Denethor in The Lord of the Rings

Sean Bean reprised his role of Boromir in The Lord of the Rings' final installment. Boromir's father, Denethor, who is played by John Noble, is only 11 years older than his son. Bean was 44 years old at the time of filming and Noble was 55 years old.

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The age difference doesn't seem too much of an issue for this hit 2003 film. This is the second time a father/son duo has had a shocking age gap for the Lord of the Rings franchise.

1 Will Ferrell & Mary Steenburgen In Step brothers

Will Ferrell in Step Brother

Will Ferrell portrayed the 40-year-old Brennan Huff in the 2008 comedy film Step Brothers alongside John C. Reilly. Mary Steenburgen portrayed Ferrell's mom in the film despite being only 14 years older than him. Ferrell was 41 years old at the time of filming and Mary Steenburgen was 55 years old.

This is one of the more believable age differences on this list but still out there. In 2003, Steenburgen previously played Ferrell's stepmother in one of the most iconic holiday films, Elf. 

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