The beloved NBC sitcom Community featured one of television's most memorable study groups, but how well did the actors' real ages match their characters? A closer look reveals some surprising age differences that didn't stop the cast from delivering authentic performances.
Significant Age Gaps Among Key Cast Members
When Community premiered on September 17, 2009, several cast members were significantly older than their characters. Alison Brie, born December 29, 1982, was 26 years old when she began playing Annie Edison, who was written as an 18-19 year old recent high school graduate. Despite the nearly decade-long gap, Brie convincingly portrayed the optimistic, ambitious youngest member of the study group.
Donald Glover faced a similar challenge, being 25 years old at the premiere while playing Troy Barnes, a character aged 18-19. As a former high school football star entering community college, Troy's youthful energy was perfectly captured by Glover despite the age difference.
The most substantial gap belonged to Danny Pudi, who was 30 years old when he began portraying Abed Nadir in his early twenties. Pudi's convincing performance as the socially awkward but pop-culture savvy student demonstrated his acting range.
Cast Members Closer to Their Character Ages
Some actors' ages aligned more closely with their characters. Joel McHale was 37 years old playing Jeff Winger at 35, creating only a two-year difference that worked perfectly for the disbarred lawyer seeking redemption at Greendale Community College.
Gillian Jacobs matched almost perfectly with her character Britta Perry, being 27 years old versus Britta's 28. This closeness in age helped Jacobs portray the rebellious activist with authenticity.
The closest match came from veteran actor Chevy Chase, who was 65 years old playing Pierce Hawthorne at 64-65. This near-perfect alignment lent credibility to Pierce's role as the wealthy, often insensitive older student seeking connection.
Supporting Cast Age Comparisons
Yvette Nicole Brown brought only a one-year difference to her role, being 38 years old while playing Shirley Bennett at 37. This minimal gap helped Brown authentically portray the sensitive adult student concerned about being perceived as young.
Jim Rash as Dean Craig Pelton had a three-year difference, being 38 years old versus his character's 35. This small gap worked well for the eccentric dean's humorous interactions with students.
The casting choices ultimately proved successful, with all actors bringing such natural energy to their roles that age differences became irrelevant to viewers. The Community cast demonstrated that talent and chemistry could overcome any chronological disparities, creating one of television's most beloved ensemble comedies that ran successfully from 2009 to 2015.
