Turn Back Time: How to Look Younger for a Role

1. Determine your desired age.

The first step to erasing the years is figuring out just how many you want to take off. If you’re trying to appear younger for a role, think about your character’s backstory and motivations to help decide the range and specificity you’re going for. For instance, if you’re playing a high school student, even though your teen years are long behind you, you’ll want to take an aggressive approach to making yourself neotenous; the same goes for parts that include flashbacks and time changes.

However, let’s say you’re portraying a character around your age and the character craves the vibrancy of youth—think of the perpetually insecure Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” whose vain attempts to appear younger include “that skin therapy where you put on a helmet full of bees.” In that case, you’ll likely only use makeup (and perhaps some well-placed Botox or a bee helmet) to look slightly younger.

Of course, if you simply want to look ambiguously more youthful to be able to compete with the whippersnappers at open casting calls, a gentler, holistic approach may be the way to go.

2. Be energetic yet unsure. 

Younger people are still discovering their place in the world, so youth isn’t just about how you look; it’s about your overall vibe. Let your eye contact be a bit fleeting and allow your voice to have more variation in pitch and speed. You don’t need to sound like a child (unless you’re auditioning for the Broadway musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”), but a slight lift in your pitch can also add a youthful touch to your presence. And younger people often haven’t yet learned to claim their territory in a room, so try to take up less space by summoning your most awkward, do-I-really-fit-in younger self. 

3. Dress for a younger feel.

Keep it casual and relaxed by avoiding stiff, formal outfits. Instead, go for something more laid-back—think jackets, hoodies, and sneakers instead of blazers, dress shoes, or anything too tailored. Trying one or two youthful trends (TikTok can be your friend) can keep you looking stylish without trying too hard. But be careful not to go overboard, since you don’t want to look like you raided a teenager’s closet.

4. Try these hair hacks.

The right hairstyle can take years off in an instant. Have longer locks? Embrace looser, messier, more carefree styles, like beachy waves, a relaxed ponytail, braids, or even pigtails, depending on the character. These styles keep things casual and playful. Stiff, polished updos can look too formal. 

5. Go light on the makeup.

Makeup should enhance your natural glow, not mask it—especially if you’re trying to look younger. If you’re going to wear any at all, choose a light foundation that lets your natural skin show through, and go for a glowy shimmer over anything matte. Dab a little concealer under your eyes, add a touch of highlighter or white eyeshadow to the inner corners to make them pop, and brush up your brows for a soft effect. Don’t go for the overly sculpted look (unless your character loves the Kardashian contour, that is).

6. Take good care of your skin.

Drink plenty of water and moisturize regularly to keep your skin healthy; proper hydration is like a natural facelift. And even if it’s cloudy or cold out, SPF is a non-negotiable.

7. Loosen up your body language.

A bit of bounce in your step or a little extra energy in your movements can instantly make you seem younger. Relax your posture, keep your shoulders loose, and strive to appear lively but not overly hyper. Lean forward slightly when you’re talking to someone and use open, expressive gestures to seem more approachable and youthful.

Many actors have taken on roles where they played characters much younger than their actual age—looking at you, “Glee” and nearly every CW show! Here are five television and film actors who pulled it off convincingly. 

1. Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher on “Shameless” (2011–2021)

Rossum started playing the 21-year-old Fiona, the eldest of the Gallagher siblings, when she was already in her mid-20s. To maintain Fiona’s rough-around-the-edges, girlish look, Rossum went super natural, with minimal makeup and casual clothing. Watch this scene to see what we mean: 

2. Gabrielle Union as Isis in “Bring It On” (2000, dir. Peyton Reed)

Union played a teenage cheerleader while she was already in her late 20s.
She kept a youthful demeanor by wearing athletic outfits, using minimal makeup to keep her skin looking fresh and glowing—and, of course, bringing it on with a fierceness and hipness rivaling even her adolescent costars:

3. Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker in “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012, dir. Marc Webb)

Despite being in his late 20s, Garfield deftly portrayed a high school student and part-time superhero by keeping a fresh-faced appearance with a casual hairstyle and minimal facial hair. His wardrobe featured boyish everyday styles of the 2010s, such as hoodies and T-shirts. Though Garfield said he felt like he was “too old” for the part, his performance had us convinced otherwise:

4. Rachel McAdams as Regina George in “Mean Girls” (2004, dir. Mark Waters)

McAdams played the infamous high school queen bee while she was in her mid-20s. With pin-straight blond hair (that was actually a $10,000 wig!) and light makeup, she convincingly pulled off the teenage look, alongside actual teenage costar Lindsay Lohan, who portrayed fish-out-of-water Cady Heron. Regina’s outfits were trendy and age-appropriate for the mid-aughts, helping McAdams embody the ultimate popular-girl persona. You wouldn’t dare question this Plastic’s age: 

5. Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore on “The Vampire Diaries” (2009–2017)

Wesley played a teenage vampire who never ages (literally), despite being in his late 20s at the start of the show. He kept up the ruse by being clean-shaven, donning trendy hairstyles, and wearing clothes that matched the style of a high school student. Eternal youth may be preternatural, but Wesley made it look natural: