How Old Each Actor Is Compared To Their Character
Jessica Cortez 13 Reasons Why continues a trend of older actors playing teenagers - here's a breakdown of both the real and fictional ages of the show's cast.
Netflix's 13 Reasons Why served as several coming of age tales - but exactly how old were the characters and actors that portray them? Based on Jay Asher's book of the same name, 13 Reasons Why debuted on the streaming service in 2017, generating huge buzz and even positive reviews. Described as powerful and hard-hitting, the show's first season explored the suicide of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) and the thirteen reasons that led her to that decision.
As the teenagers left in the wake of Hannah's suicide, the show starred Dylan Minnette as Clay Jensen, Brandon Flynn as Justin Foley, Alisha Boe as Jessica Davis, Ross Butler as Zach Dempsey, Devin Druid as Tyler Down, Christian Navarro as Tony Padilla, and Miles Heizer as Alex Standall. Despite telling a complete story in its first season, 13 Reasons Why was renewed for two less well-received follow-up seasons. It was announced, however, that season 4 would also be the show's last. Officially released in its entirety on June 5, 2020, 13 Reasons Why season 4 featured several new faces as the returning characters coped with the weight of covering up the murder of Bryce Walker (Justin Prentice) and prepared to finally graduate high school.
The characters formed a tight-knit group with similarly aged across multiple seasons of trauma and tragedy. Like most young-adult shows, however, 13 Reasons Why didn't conform to having the teenage characters played by actual teenagers. Instead, the show featured an array of actors with a wide age range. Here's a breakdown of just exactly how old each main cast member was and how it compared to their respective characters.
Katherine Langford/Hannah Baker
Born April 29, 1996, Langford is 24-years-old. That puts the Australian actress squarely at 20-years-old when filming 13 Reasons Why season 1 during the summer of 2016 and its release in March 2017. Filming on 13 Reasons Why season 2 took place between June and December 2017. As such, Langford was 21 throughout filming and turned 22 shortly before the sophomore season's release. Her character, Hannah Baker, meanwhile, was depicted as 16-years-old throughout the first season's flashbacks - by which her story was primarily told. Though it wasn't depicted on the show, Hannah's birthday would have taken place on August 28, putting it roughly two months before she took her own life at 17.
Dylan Minnette/Clay Jensen
Born December 29, 1996, Dylan Minnette is 23-years-old. That would have made him 19 when he filmed 13 Reasons Why season 1. Filming on season 2 would have concluded just short of his 21st birthday. Due to shooting delays caused by the wildfires in California, Minnette broke the trend of turning 22 before filming concluded on season 3 in February 2019. It was back on track for 13 Reasons Why season 4, however, with the show wrapping a few weeks before he turned 23. Alternately, with each run of the show documenting a few weeks from each year of school, Clay was 16-17 across seasons 1 and 2 and 17-18 in seasons 3 and 4. Like Hannah, however, none of his birthdays were ever depicted on screen.
Alisha Boe/Jessica Davis
Born March 6, 1997, Boe was 23 when 13 Reasons Why season 4 was released. Similar to Minnette, the Norwegian actress would have been 19 during filming on season 1. With her birthday occurring in the months before each season's filming schedule, she was subsequently 20 for season 2, 21 for season 3, and 22 for season 4. Meanwhile, her character, Jessica Davis, was 16 across the time depicted in 13 Reasons Why's first and second seasons. With her birth year revealed by Ani as being 2001, Jessica later turned 17 in the third season and 18 before graduation in the 13 Reasons Why series finale.
Brandon Flynn/Justin Foley
Born October 11, 1993, Flynn was aged 26 at the time of 13 Reasons Why season 4's release on Netflix. His birthday would have made Flynn 22 while shooting season 1. He would have turned 24 while production was briefly halted on 13 Reasons Why season 2. His 25th birthday would have occurred during filming on season 3 and his 26th while filming his final episodes. Justin Foley, meanwhile, was 16 when debuted as the first name on Hannah's tapes in 13 Reasons Why season 1. The fan-favorite turned 17 at some stage during season 2 or 3. After a stint in rehab for his heroin addiction, Justin turned 18 prior to graduation and his own tragic death from AIDS and related illnesses.
Grace Saif/Ani Achola
Born October 7 1995, Saif is 24-years-old. The British actress was a relative latecomer to the series, only joining the cast for 13 Reasons Why season 3. Filming on the third season would have coincided with her 23rd birthday. Similarly, Saif would have been filming 13 Reasons Why season 4 when her 24th birthday rolled around. Her character, Ani Achola, was 17 years old when she transferred to Liberty High. Subsequently, she would have been 18 (potentially on the very of 19) when she graduated in 13 Reasons Why's season 4 finale.
Miles Heizer/Alex Standall
Born May 16, 1994, Heizer also turned 26 before the release of 13 Reasons Why season 4. Like Flynn, the Kentucky-born actor was 22, 23, 24, and 25 during the filming of season 1, season 2, season, 3, and season 4, respectively. Coincidentally, his character, Alex Standall, was also one of the oldest among the Liberty High students. Alex was 17 during the events of 13 Reasons Why season 1. Unlike the other characters, Alex's birthday (March 15) was depicted on-screen during season 2, marking the character as turning 18. Alex remained 18 throughout the events of season 3. He later turned 19 at some point during 13 Reasons Why season 4. Alex still graduated at the same time as the other characters, however - mostly due to his brain injury from his own attempted suicide holding him back slightly.
Ross Butler/Zach Dempsey
Born May 17, 1990, Butler is 30-years-old and is the second-oldest of 13 Reasons Why's cast. The actor would have been 26 while filming 13 Reasons Why and aged through 27, 28, and 29 during subsequent seasons. Despite that, his character, Zach Dempsey, is no older than his on-screen peers. Already 17 by the events of 13 Reasons Why season 1, Zach had no birthday during the follow-up weeks depicted in season 2. He later turned 18 in 13 Reasons Why season 3. Zach remained as such right through to graduation in season 4 (despite his self-destructive behavior) and his decision to study music.
Devin Druid/Tyler Down
Born January 27, 1998, Druid was 21 at the time of filming 13 Reasons Why season 4 and 22 at the time of its release. That would put the Virginia-born actor at 18 years old when filming 13 Reasons Why season 1, 19 for season 2, and 20 for season 3. Closer in age to his counterpart than the rest of the cast, Druid's victimized character, Tyler, went from age 16 to 17 over the course of seasons 1 and 2. Subsequently, his 18th birthday occurred similarly off-screen at some stage during either season 3 or season 4.
Christian Navarro/Tony Padilla
Born August 21, 1991, Navarro turned 28 while filming 13 Reasons Why season 4 and remained as such when it dropped on Netflix. His birthday also meant that he was officially 25 when filming his first scenes, with his 26th and 27th birthday also subsequently coinciding with shooting seasons 2 and 3, respectively. Despite outward appearances (with Tony managing a full-time business and other career ventures alongside school), his character, Tony, was no older than his peers. 13 Reasons Why season 1 marked him as 17. His 18th birthday occurred off-screen at some point during 13 Reasons Why season 3. With his birthday falling in November, he would have been almost halfway to his 19th birthday by the time of graduation.
Justin Prentice/Bryce Walker
Born March 25, 1994, Prentice would have been 26 at the time of 13 Reasons Why season 4, but 25-years-old during filming. Similarly, he would have just turned 22, 23, and 24 in the months before filming on season 1, 2, and 3, respectively. As referenced by his position of (frequently abused) power and the way he was idolized by younger students, the villainous Bryce Walker was slightly older than the other main characters. In 13 Reasons Why season 1, Bryce was already closer to 18 years old. The character seemingly graduated from a different high school between seasons 2 and 3, with the latter marking him as turning 19. Thanks to the vengeful rage of Alex Standall, however, Bryce was doomed to get no older. As such, he remained 19 whenever he appeared as a manifestation of trauma for Clay and Jessica.
Timothy Granaderos/Monty de la Cruz
Born September 9, 1986, Granaderos was 33 at the time of 13 Reasons Why season 4's release and the oldest of the cast. With filming on season 1 taking place over the summer of 2016, the actor would have been 29. Subsequently, he would have celebrated his 31st birthday while filming season 2. Granaderos served as a recurring presence on the first two seasons but was promoted to a main character for season 3 and 4 - which would have seen him turn 32 and 33, respectively. His villainous character, Monty, however, was noted at being 18 at the time of his death in 13 Reasons Why season 3. As such, he was likely 17 throughout the periods depicted in season 1 and 2. Like Hannah and Bryce, his posthumous appearances in season 4 had him perpetually frozen at 18.
Tyler Barnhardt/Charlie St. George
Born January 13, 1993, Barnhardt was 27 at the time of season 4's release and marked one of the largest disparities on 13 Reasons Why. The North Carolina-born actor debuted in a recurring capacity during 13 Reasons Why season 3, coinciding with his 26th birthday. He later returned as a series regular for 13 Reasons Why season 4, wrapping a month before turning 27. The actor's age was a vast difference from his character, Charlie St. George, who was 15 (on the verge of 16) during season 3. Though no longer a sophomore in portions of season 4, Charlie was still only just approaching his 17th birthday when the show concluded. As such, he didn't graduate with the others and was set to remain at Liberty a while longer as his friends ventured to college - with boyfriend Alex planning to visit as much as possible.
Michele Selene Ang/Courtney Crimsen
Born February 18, 1994, Ang would have been 25 at the time of filming 13 Reasons Why season 4, though turned 26 before its official release. Ang served as a main cast member for 13 Reasons Why season 1 and returned in a similar capacity for season 2. The position of her birthday in the year meant that she was 22 while filming the first run of episodes and 23 for the second. Born in 1999, Ang's character, Courtney, was equally one of the older students. Somewhere between 17 and 18 during season 1, she ultimately moved closer to 19 during season 2 and graduated off-screen before season 3. By the time of her brief return in the 13 Reasons Why season 4 finale, Courtney would have likely been 20.
Tommy Dorfman/Ryan Shaver
Born May 13, 1992, Dorfman was 27 at the time of filming his brief return in 13 Reasons Why season 4 and 28 when the episode was released. The character served as one of the principal cast over the course of 13 Reasons Why season 1 and season 2. Dorfman would have been 24 and 2, respectively, when filming those episodes. Dorfman's character, Ryan Shaver, was similarly older than the other characters. Already a junior during the events of season 1, was nearing age 18. Officially turning 18 at some point in season 2, he graduated Liberty High before season 3. Returning for the graduation of Clay and the others - helping also to ceremoniously bury Hannah's tapes - he would have been 19, and on the verge of turning 20.
Steven Silver/Marcus Cole
Born February 1, 1989, Silver was among the older range of the show's cast - having been 27 when he first when he debuted in 13 Reasons Why season 1. He turned 28 ahead of returning for the sophomore season. As with other characters, his advanced age was reflected in his character. Though it turned out to be very much not the case, Marcus was initially presented as a more mature, respectable student. Somewhere between 17 and 18 throughout season 1, he officially became the latter during season 2 and was another character who graduated before season 3.
Ajiona Alexus/Sheri Holland
Born March 16, 1996, Alexus was 20 years old at the time of filming 13 Reasons Why season 1 and would have been 21 when filming her return. As such, the actress was only a few years older than her on-screen counterpart. Since much of seasons 1 and 2 depicted a close period of time to each other, Sheri was 17 throughout her appearances. Also having departed the show, it's likely she turned 18 shortly before the end of season 2 or the beginning of season 3. Like others, neither the character nor actress returned even for a cameo in 13 Reasons Why season 4. Regardless, she, too, is likely 19 and not too far away from 20 at the time of the final season's events.
Deaken Bluman/Winston Williams
Born January 2, 1996, Bluman turned 24 shortly before 13 Reasons Why season 4 was released. He would have been 23 during much of the season's filming. Having briefly appeared in season 3, however, he would have been 22 when he first debuted on the show. The age of his character, Winston, is never expressly mentioned. However, he is believed to have been born at some point in the year 2000. As such, Winston was likely 18 when he made his first appearance and turned 19 during the course of 13 Reasons Why season 4. Having been expelled from his previous school, that number tracks with the fact he probably had to make up some classes before being able to graduate alongside some younger peers.
Jan Luis Castellanos/Diego Torres
Born September 11, 1995, Castellanos turned 24 during the filming of 13 Reasons Why season 4. Though established as being a long time student of Liberty, his character, Diego, is a new addition to the cast. Often serving as another antagonistic force, Diego is newly 19 years old and so one of the oldest members of the show's graduating class.
The reception to season 4 proved just as divisive, with critics and fans lamenting many of the show's storytelling decisions. However, no matter the criticism and vitriol aimed over the years, the acting has occasionally been singled out for critical acclaim and even awards recognition. Equally, several characters have emerged as hugely popular - in no small part because of the performances behind them. As such, though there is a varied disparity in ages, many will agree that 13 Reasons Why at least managed to find the best actors for many of the roles.
