What were the Community cast ages compared to their characters' approximate ages?
The Community cast ages varied compared to their character ages. The cast members were slightly older than their characters, bringing a youthful energy to the study group in the NBC sitcom. Some of the cast members were 37 (Joel McHale), 26 (Alison Brie), 65 (Chevy Chase), and 26 (Donald Glover).
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The Community cast members include Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs and Jim Rash.
- Danny Pudi (30) and Alison Brie (26) were older than their characters; Abed Nadir (early 20s) and Annie Edison (18-19).
- Annie Edison played by Alison Brie was around 18 years old when the sitcom started, making her the youngest character.
- The ages of Chevy Chase (65), Yvette Nicole Brown (38) and Gillian Jacobs (27) slightly matched their character ages; Pierce Hawthorne (64-65), Shirley Bennett (37) and Britta Perry (28).
The Community cast ages: how old were the cast members?
The Community sitcom premiered on 17 September 2009 and ended on 2 June 2015. The film featured actors like Chevy Chase, Joel McHale and Donald Glover. Below are the Community cast, their ages compared to their character ages.
Joel McHale as Jeff Winger
Source: UGC
- Full name: Joel Edward McHale
- Date of birth: 20 November 1971
- Age at premiere: 37 years old
- Age of character: 35 years old
Joel McHale is an American actor and comedian born on November 20, 1971, in Rome, Italy, making him 53 years old as of 2025. When Community premiered in September 2009, McHale was 37 years old, just slightly older than his character, Jeff Winger, who was written as a 35-year-old lawyer
Jeff Winger is a lawyer forced to attend Greendale Community College, where he forms a study group which becomes his surrogate family. He is manipulative, arrogant and lazy, however he develops a more caring personality with time, especially towards his friends.
Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir
Source: UGC
- Full name: Daniel Mark Pudi
- Date of Birth: 10 March 1979
- Age at premiere: 30 years old
- Character age: Early 20s
Danny Pudi is an American actor and director known for Going Dutch, The Tiger Hunter, and Somebody I Used to Know. He was born on March 10, 1979, making him 30 years old when Community premiered in 2009 and 46 years old as of 2025.
Despite being nearly, a decade older than his character, Pudi convincingly captured Abed’s youthful energy and social awkwardness. Throughout the series, Abed Nadir slowly grows from a naïve college student to a more self-aware adult.
Alison Brie as Annie Edison
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Alison Brie Schermerhorn
- Date of Birth: 29 December 1982
- Age at premiere: 26 years old
- Character age: 18–19 years old
Alison Brie was born on December 29, 1982, making her 26 years old when Community premiered in 2009 and the youngest actress in the series. Her character, Annie Edison, was one of the youngest members of the study group. She is around 18 or 19 years old, having just graduated from high school before joining Greendale.
Despite the age gap, Alison convincingly portrayed Annie Edison making it hard for viewers to notice the age gap. Annie Edison is an optimistic, ambitious and intelligent member of the study group led by Jeff Winger. She takes charge of study sessions and is the one who makes things done.
Gillian Jacobs as Britta Perry
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Gillian MacLaren Jacobs
- Date of Birth:19 October 1982
- Age at premiere: 27 years old
- Character age: 28 years old
Gillian Jacobs is an American actress who is also among the Community series cast. She is known for other films such as Invincible, Life of the Party and Walk of Shame. The actress who was born on 19 October 1982 took the role of the Community’s 28-year-old character Britta Perry.
She was 27 at the sitcom’s premiere, while her character was written as 28. Britta Perry is a high school dropout who joins Greendale Community College. She is portrayed as a rebellious activist and smart student.
Donald Glover as Troy Barnes
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Donald McKinley Glove Jr
- Date of Birth: 25 September 1983
- Age at premiere: 25 years old
- Character age: 19–20 years old
Donald Glover is an American rapper and actor. He was born on September 25, 1983, in Edwards Air Force Base, California, United States of America. He is also one of the cast of the Community sitcom. Aside from that, his other films include The Martian, The Lazarus Effect and Childish.
The American rapper was 25 years old when the Community sitcom premiered in September 2009. He played the character of Troy Barnes whose age was approximately 18–19 years old, being a former high school football star and recent graduate entering community college.
Jim Rash as Dean Craig Pelton
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: James Rash
- Date of Birth: 15 July 1971
- Age at premiere: 38 years old
- Character age: 35 years old
Jim Rash is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and filmmaker known for movies and TV shows such as The Descendants, Sky High and Beyond Stranger Things. He played the role of Dean Craig Pelton in Community. Jim Rash was born on July 15, 1971, making him 38 years old when Community premiered.
His character, Dean Craig Pelton, was approximately 35 years old, making a slightly small age difference of three years. The actor was three years older than his character.
The small age difference worked well for his character, as it made it easy for him to bring humour to the role perfectly. His role in the Community made him nominated for a Critics Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2012.
Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Cornelius Crane Chase
- Date of Birth: 8 October 1943
- Age at premiere: 65 years old
- Character age: 64–65 years old
Chevy Chase, an American comedian, actor and writer, is also one of the Community cast. He was born on 8 October 1943. At the beginning of the NBC series, he was 65 years old. His character, Pierce Hawthorne, was around that age, making him and Gillian Jacobs the Community casts whose real ages closely matched their characters.
Pierce is a wealthy but lonely older student at Greendale Community College. He joins the college to find meaning and connection. He is portrayed as arrogant and makes offensive comments. The cast’s age difference from his character lends authenticity to Pierce’s insensitivity and humour.
Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley Bennett
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Yvette Nicole Brown
- Date of Birth:12 August 1971
- Age at premiere: 38 years old
- Character age: 37 years old
Yvette Nicole Brown is an American actress playing the role of Shirley Bennett in the NBC sitcom Community. She was born on 12 August 1971 making her 38 years old at the premiere of the series. Shirley is depicted as an adult student who is sensitive about her age and wants to be viewed as a young woman.
Her age is approximated to be around 37 years old, making a difference of one year. She is also among the cast members whose ages were slightly close to those of their characters. The closeness of her real age and her character’s made her performance more natural.
How old was Danny Pudi in Community?
Danny Pudi was 30 years old when Community sitcom premiered and 36 years old when it ended in 2015. He was born on 10 March 1979 and the sitcom premiered on 17 September 2009.
How old was Annie supposed to be in Community?
Annie Edison, a character played by Alison Brie, was supposed to be around the age of 18–19 years old.
What was Jeff’s age in Community?
Jeff Winger from Community is 35 years old at the beginning of Community sitcom series and 41 when it ends in 2015.
The Community sitcom featured talented actors and actresses, and each performer brought a natural feel and energy to the sitcom. Their ages compared to their character ages show flexibility, which worked perfectly for the NBC series.
Legit .ng recently published an article about The Little Rascals cast and where they are. The family-comedy film premiered in 1994 and had young actors who were at the beginning of their acting careers.
Some of the cast members transitioned to other careers such as marketing, while others remained in the entertainment industry. Read this piece to find out more about where The Little Rascals cast and what they are up to today.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
