7 Actors Who Stayed in High School Roles the Longest

An earlier version of this story misstated the program Bianca Lawson last played a teen was Teen Wolf. It was on the show Pretty Little Liars.

Most people graduate high school in four years. But for some actors, their time spent in high school—or at least playing high school age—is a lot longer.

The following are seven actors who matriculated to adult roles years far later than most.

Gabrielle Union - 7 years to graduation

Gabrielle Union's first acting credit is as "Mall Girl" on the ABC sitcom, Family Matters.

She was 20 years old.

She continued to play high school age until 2000, when at the age of 27, she played high school cheerleader Isis in Bring It On.

Image via Universal Studios

Michael J. Fox - 13 years to graduation

Michael J. Fox first played a teenager on an episode of The Magic Lie, in 1977, at the age of 16.

In 1990, at 29 years old, he played a teenaged Marty McFly for the third time in Back to the Future Part III. 

Image via Paramount pictures

Allison Lohman -  8 years to graduation

In 1998, a 19-year-old Allison Lohman guest-starred on an episode of 7th Heaven.

In 2006, at the age of 27, she played 16-year-old Katy in Flicka.

Image via 20th Century Fox

Amanda Bynes - 8 years to graduation

In 2002 16-year-old Amanda Bynes played 14-year-old Kaylee in Big Fat Liar.

Eight years later in 2010, at 24, she played high school student Marianne in Easy A.

Image via Screen Gems

Tobey Maguire - 11 years to graduation

Tobey Maguire started playing high school students when he actually was a teenager. (Crazy, I know!) He was 16 when he guest-starred on an episode of Eerie, Indiana (1991).

But he continued to play a teen until Spiderman (2002), when he played high school Peter Parker at the age of 27.

Image via Columbia Pictures

Lauren Ambrose - 7 years to graduation

Lauren Ambrose was 19 when she played teenager Vicky in 1997's In & Out.

She started playing teenager Claire Fisher on Six Feet Under in 2001, but her last teen role was as Evie Brighton in 2004's Admissions. She was 26 years old.

Bianca Lawson - 21 years to graduation

In 1993, a 14-year-old Bianca Lawson played Megan Jones on Saved by the Bell: The New Class

From 2010-2012, until the age of 33, Lawson played teen Maya St. Germain on Pretty Little Liars.

Image via MTV

Bianca Lawson has been playing a teenager for 19 years—meaning she's been playing a high school student since before today's high school students were born.

She wins.