Have you ever noticed that teenagers in movies and TV are almost always played by adult actors? It's not at all unusual, and it's been happening for decades. It's such a common practice that the "actual teen vs adult teen" Tumblr tracks it. There are several reasons why this is done, and while a chosen actor's talent plays a large role in why they land a part, it's not the only one.

There are laws to protect working children, which can slow production. The many child actor labor laws allow for young children to work, but with conditions. These include limiting working hours based on age, additional permits in some states, on-set tutors and educators to ensure they don't fall behind in school, and a lot more. For teen characters, it's especially desirable to cast adults for various reasons

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