As TV fans, we’re no strangers to suspending our disbelief when it comes to embracing fantastical or implausible storylines from our favorite shows. But sometimes, it can be an equally enjoyable exercise to fall down a rabbit hole of reason. And that’s what we’re doing here today, embarking on a journey to answer the age-old question: Could this actor really be their co-star’s parent in real life? The list below rounds up the 20 weirdest, wackiest, most bizarre parent-child castings due to unbelievable age gaps. So if you, too, just watched the Season 2 premiere of Apple TV+’s The Buccaneers and thought, “Leighton Meester is playing mom to a 19-year-old woman?!,” you’re in the right place.
Our list has it all, from a Family Ties father who had only 14 years on his on-screen son, to a Golden Girl who defied all logic by actually being younger than her daughter. We’ve also got age-defying pairings from Six Feet Under, Supernatural, The Good Place, Blue Bloods, Orange Is the New Black, Schitt’s Creek, The Cosby Show, George Lopez and more. But before you get scrolling, some housekeeping: Our round-up is sorted from widest to smallest age gap, and we’re sharing how old the actors were at the time they first appeared alongside each other — not how old they are today. Also, we’ve steered clear of soap operas and timey-wimey time travel shows. (We are in a rabbit hole of reason, remember?!)
Without further ado, it’s time for you, dear reader, to fly the coop and review our sampling of TV’s most bizarre parent-child castings — and as always, feel free to nominate others that come to mind! As TV fans, we’re no strangers to suspending our disbelief when it comes to embracing fantastical or implausible storylines from our favorite shows. But sometimes, it can be an equally enjoyable exercise to fall down a rabbit hole of reason. And that’s what we’re doing here today, embarking on a journey to answer the age-old question: Could this actor really be their co-star’s parent in real life?
The list below rounds up the 20 weirdest, wackiest, most bizarre parent-child castings due to unbelievable age gaps. So if you, too, just watched the Season 2 premiere of Apple TV+’s The Buccaneers and thought, “Leighton Meester is playing mom to a 19-year-old woman?!,” you’re in the right place. Our list has it all, from a Family Ties father who had only 14 years on his on-screen son, to a Golden Girl who defied all logic by actually being younger than her daughter. We’ve also got age-defying pairings from Six Feet Under, Supernatural, The Good Place, Blue Bloods, Orange Is the New Black, Schitt’s Creek, The Cosby Show, George Lopez and more. But before you get scrolling, some housekeeping: Our round-up is sorted from widest to smallest age gap, and we’re sharing how old the actors were at the time they first appeared alongside each other — not how old they are today. Also, we’ve steered clear of soap operas and timey-wimey time travel shows. (We are in a rabbit hole of reason, remember?!)
Without further ado, it’s time for you, dear reader, to fly the coop and review our sampling of TV’s most bizarre parent-child castings — and as always, feel free to nominate others that come to mind!
FAMILY TIES
Meredith Baxter (35) and Michael Gross (35) played parents to Michael J. Fox (21)
Age Gap: 14 years
PRODIGAL SON
Michael Sheen (50) and Bellamy Young (49) played parents to Tom Payne (36)
Age Gap: 14 and 13 years
SIX FEET UNDER
Frances Conroy (48) played mother to Peter Krause (35)
Age Gap: 13 years
GEORGE LOPEZ
Belita Moreno (52) played mother to George Lopez (40)
Age Gap: 12 years
SUPERNATURAL
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (39) played father to Jensen Ackles (27)
Age Gap: 12 years
THE COSBY SHOW
Earle Hyman (58) played father to Bill Cosby (47)
Age Gap: 11 years
THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
Janet Hubert (34) played mother to Karyn Parsons (23)
Age Gap: 11 years
SUCCESSION
Brian Cox (72) played father to Alan Ruck (61)
Age Gap: 11 years
THE BUCCANEERS
Leighton Meester (39) plays mother to Kristine Frøseth (29)
Age Gap: 10 years
THE PARKERS
Mo’Nique (31) played mother to Countess Vaughn (21)
Age Gap: 10 years
THE GOOD PLACE
Leslie Grossman (45) played mother to Kristen Bell (36)
Age Gap: 9 years
SMART GUY
John Marshall Jones (34) played father to Essence Atkins (25)
Age Gap: 9 years
As TV fans, we’re no strangers to suspending our disbelief when it comes to embracing fantastical or implausible storylines from our favorite shows. But sometimes, it can be an equally enjoyable exercise to fall down a rabbit hole of reason. And that’s what we’re doing here today, embarking on a journey to answer the age-old question: Could this actor really be their co-star’s parent in real life?
