Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star in the romantic comedy Anyone But You, which creates questions about how old each of them is and what their age gap is. Sony’s 2023 movie from director Will Gluck pairs up two of Hollywood’s rising stars for what was promised to be a funny and sexy big-screen pairing. Sydney Sweeney’s new movie helps her tackle the rom-com after years of starring in Euphoria for HBO, while Glen Powell landed the project after a history with rom-coms and his breakout role in Top Gun: Maverick​​​​​​. Together, they headline Anyone But You‘s cast, which sees their characters fake that they are in a relationship together.

The pairing between Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell is one of the main reasons for excitement in Anyone But You. Their on-screen chemistry has also brought discussions about their ages. Hollywood has a history of massive age gaps when it comes to movie romances that can turn sweet relationships into arguably inappropriate depictions of romance once the age of the actors involved is realized. That could put Anyone But You in controversial territory depending on how old Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are compared to each other.

Sydney Sweeney Was 25 Years Old While Filming Anyone But You

The Euphoria Actress Was Born In 1997

Production on Anyone But You began in February 2023, which is when Sydney Sweeney first reported to set to play Bea for the first time. Sweeney was born in September 1997, so she was 25 years old during filming. Her age could come as a surprise to many considering her most notable role as Cassie in Euphoria sees her play a high school student. The reality is that Sweeney is a few years older than some might realize. She was 26 years old by the time Anyone But You was released.

Glen Powell Was 34 Years Old While Filming Anyone But You

The Top Gun: Maverick Actor Was Born In 1988

When filming began on Anyone But You, Glen Powell was 34 years old when he started playing Ben. He was born in October 1988, so the February 2023 start date means he was approximately 34 years and 4 months old when production started. He was 35 years old when Anyone But You premiered. Glen Powell’s age is likely to be more expected given his longer career and how he portrayed Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick. This does mean that a decent-sized age gap exists between him and Sweeney.

Sydney Sweeney & Glen Powell Have A 9-Year Age Gap In Anyone But You

The Age Gap Is Not Too Significant

Based on their birthdays, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell’s age gap in Anyone But You is roughly 9 years. They are separated by 8 years and 11 months. Anyone But You portrays Bea and Ben as contemporaries who do not have that large of a gap in life experience. It might seem as though Glen Powell is significantly older than Sydney Sweeney, and the 9-year age gap may be uncomfortable for some. However, it is much smaller than more notable examples in Hollywood, like Oppenheimer, Jurassic Park, and Lost in Translation.

How Old Are Ben & Bea In Anyone But You?

The Movie Jokes About Ben’s Age

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s age gap might be nine years in real life, but Anyone But You does what it can to shorten that gap based on how old Ben and Bea are. The movie has a running joke about Ben’s age even. Powell’s character repeatedly says he is 29 years old, but no one believes him. This would make Ben five years younger than Powell in real life. However, Anyone But You‘s jokes could indicate that Ben is lying about his age so he does not have to admit that he is over 30 years old.

Anyone But You never makes any direct mention of Bea’s age. Based on how old Sydney Sweeney is, it would make sense if her character was 25 years old or slightly younger. The only clue to her age is that Bea recently attended Boston University School of Law. This would indicate that she has already earned a bachelor’s degree after graduating high school. Since she would likely have been 21 or 22 years old by the time she got her bachelor’s degree, Bea could be between 22 and 24 years old depending on how long she attended Boston University.

Why Anyone But You’s Age Gap Isn’t A Problem

The Movie Makes Ben & Bea’s Romance Work

Any trepidation about Anyone But You‘s age gap proved to be unnecessary, as the film handles Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s romance well. The nine-year age gap between the stars is not a major point of the movie. Anyone But You keeps the focus squarely on Ben and Bea’s very real feelings that develop from their faked emotions. This approach works in the movie’s favor, as it allows viewers to root for Ben and Bea as they begin to fall in love. There is no hesitation from the characters or audiences to become invested in their relationship as a result.

It also helps that the nine years separating Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney is not that massive of a gap. As actors in their mid-20s and mid-30s, Sweeney and Powell have grown up to the point where that gap is not unbelievable. Ben and Bea are two fully consenting adults free to explore their natural romantic interests. It also removes any chance for creepy undertones to emerge based on a story of a man pursuing a woman who is several years younger than him.

Audiences certainly bought into the believability of Anyone But You‘s romance, too, as speculation about whether Powell and Sweeney were in love in real life even happened. The co-stars never fully confirmed or denied if an actual romantic relationship began between them during or after production. However, the public’s rooting interest in seeing the stars wind up together became further proof that Anyone But You‘s age gap is not a problem. After all, Bea and Ben are closer in age than Powell and Sweeney are.