Most of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast were older than the characters they played, but some were much, much younger.
Summary
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired from 1997 to 2003, becoming one of the best-known fantasy television shows of all time.
- The cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer had age differences compared to their characters, with some spanning centuries.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was only 19 at the time, played the iconic role of Buffy Summers for all seven seasons, launching her career into superstardom.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer followed teenager Buffy Summers as she trained to become the Vampire Slayer, battling against supernatural threats during the show's seven-season run. Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired from 1997 to 2003 and stands proudly as one of the best-known fantasy television shows of all time. The show focused on Buffy and her friends during their high school years and also featured an array of supernatural allies and foes.
In the show's initial season, Buffy starts her sophomore year at Sunnydale High, having just left Los Angeles following an incident with a group of Vampires. Shows with teenage characters tend to cast actors who are older than the characters, as filming with underage actors requires them to be tutored, which can slow down the production process. The cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer varied in age compared to their characters, with some age differences spanning centuries.
8 Seth Green (23) As Oz (17)
Seth Green was introduced as Oz in the season two episode "Inca Mummy Girl", and eventually became the boyfriend of Willow, despite him being a werewolf. Green was 23 when he was cast as the high school junior, only five years younger than Oz. Oz stood as one of the show's main characters until season four, ending things with Willow on friendly terms, and returning to Tibet to focus on controlling his werewolf form. Oz appeared briefly on the spin-off Angel, which saw him deliver a gem that made vampires invincible to Los Angeles, but wasn't seen again.
7 Anthony Stewart Head (43) As Rupert Giles (43)
Buffy's voice of reason, librarian Rupert Giles was played by Anthony Stewart Head, the only actor on the show to be cast at the same age as their character. Giles was often a father figure to Buffy, guiding her through her responsibilities as the Slayer, and also helped rehabilitate Willow after she nearly destroyed the world. Giles stayed a part of Buffy's life even after her training was complete, and after the show ended there were rumors of a spin-off focusing on the character, but was never made.
6 Charisma Carpenter (27) As Cordelia Chase (16)
Popular girl Cordelia Chase was played by Charisma Carpenter, who was eleven years older than the character when she joined the show. Cordelia was initially hated by Willow for her standoffish attitude, but over her time on the show, grew closer to her and Buffy. At 27, Carpenter had the largest age gap from her human character, being 11 years older than Cordelia Chase when the show started. The character then left Buffy the Vampire Slayer, taking a main titular role in Angel, before being killed off in the one-hundredth episode, entitled "You're Welcome," which aired in 2004.
5 David Boreanaz (28) As Angel (270)
Angel, Buffy's vampire friend-turned-lover, was played by David Boreanaz, who was a whole two hundred and forty-two years younger than the character. Angel had the largest age difference between actor and character, both human and supernatural, and appeared in the show until its third season, leaving Buffy behind after realizing their relationship had reached its limitations. Following his departure, Boreanaz then starred in the Angel spin-off, which ran for five seasons from 1999 to 2004, and saw several of the original cast from Buffy the Vampire Slayer reprise their roles for guest appearances.
4 James Marsters (35) As Spike (117)
Spike, the widely-feared vampire responsible for the deaths of two previous Slayers, was played by actor James Marsters, and was introduced in the season two episode "School Hard". Marsters was thirty-five years old when he was cast as Spike, making him eighty-two years younger than the supernatural threat. Despite Spike being a complex anti-hero, he eventually became an ally to Buffy, and over time began to fall in love with the Slayer. Spike was killed off in the final season, before being revived off-screen and joined the cast of Angel, which saw the character revert to his old ways.
3 Nicholas Brendon (26) As Xander Harris (16)
The character of Xander was introduced as one of Buffy's best friends in the first season and appeared in all but one episode of the show. Xander was portrayed by Nicholas Brendan, who was a whole decade older than his character when the show initially aired, and remained as a main character across all seven seasons. When the show ended in 2003, Brendon was playing a 23-year-old, at the age of 33 himself.
2 Alyson Hannigan (23) As Willow Rosenberg (15)
Alyson Hannigan, who went on to play the character of Michelle in American Pie, was cast as Willow at the age of 23, eight years older than the character. During her time on the show, Hannigan's character started as a shy nerd, and ended as a strong and confident witch, even seeing a brief stint in season 6 as Willow as a villain, which was foreshadowed four years previously. Willow was also a part of one of the first lesbian relationships ever shown on U.S. television and is the only other star to appear in every single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hannigan also guest-starred in three episodes of Angel during its five-season run.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer's 10 Strongest Villains, Ranked By Power
From Spike and Angel to Mayor Wilkins and Drusilla, Buffy faced some intense foes. But who was Buffy The Vampire Slayer's most powerful villain?1 Sarah Michelle Gellar (19) As Buffy Summers (16)
Buffy Summers was played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was only 19 when the show first aired in 1997. Gellar played the vampire slayer for all seven seasons before the show came to an end in 2003. The breakthrough role for Gellar helped launch her career into superstardom, making her one of the most notable and well-loved female leads in TV history. Gellar is also one of only two actresses to appear in all one hundred and forty-four episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also appeared briefly in the Angel spin-off.
