10 Iconic Movie Couples With The Creepiest Age Gaps

From Golden Age classics like Casablanca to modern blockbusters like Jurassic Park, creepy age gaps have not escaped the most iconic of movie couples.

•  Hollywood has a long history of depicting couples with significant age gaps, from classics like Casablanca to modern films like Lost in Translation.
•  Many beloved movie couples have age gaps that are now seen as inappropriate, with older male actors paired with much younger actresses.
•  While some of these couples are still fondly remembered for their romantic chemistry, their age gaps raise concerns and wouldn't be seen as acceptable in real life.

Some of the most iconic of Hollywood’s couples have shared concerning age gaps in their films, despite how loved or hated they may be. This isn’t just a recent phenomenon noticed among screen couples in Jurassic Park, Lost in Translation, or even the Marvel Cinematic Universe but has been a rather ordinary norm since the times of classics like Casablanca and Singin’ In The Rain. In cases like the coming-of-age comedy The Graduate or even the controversial psychological drama Lolita, the illicit relationship between an adult and a teenager contributes to the central focus of the narrative, and it’s doubtful to regard these unsuitable pairings as iconic movie couples.

But when it comes to couples that are fondly remembered for their romantic chemistry, some of them haven’t aged well in retrospect for some creepy age gaps between the characters and the actors playing them. More than often, the older individual is a male who is paired with an actress considerably younger than him (even more than half the actor’s age in some cases). With movies like Lost in Translation and As Good As It Gets, the age difference in itself becomes a major plot point. But then again, if the couples from these movies hitched in real life, their bond would evoke some level of concern.

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10. Bob Harris & Charlotte - Lost In Translation

Sofia Coppola earned herself a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her moving human drama on the unexpected relationship between a fading movie star and a recent college graduate. Despite the differences in their age, both individuals bond over their loneliness and explore the vibrant streets of Tokyo. While their relationship is platonic, the couple share a passionate kiss toward the ambiguous third act with Bill Murray whispering in Scarlett Johansson’s ear. The true nature of Lost in Translation’s ominous end continues to be debated along with the 34-year age gap the two actors shared. Johansson was only 17 at the time of filming while Murray was in his early 50s.

9. Rick Blaine & Ilsa Lund - Casablanca

Humphrey Bogart’s gentlemanly Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman’s passionate Ilsa Lunda will “always have Paris” and a 16-year gap. Yes, one of Hollywood’s most iconic screen couples also shared a noteworthy age gap. Despite their intense chemistry and the quotable romantic dialogues they share, Rick and Isla never end up together concluding Casablanca on a tragic note. The movie pitted the two Golden Age stars as former lovers whose paths crossed again during World War II, it doesn’t specify the ages of its characters (even as Bogart clearly appears to be much older than his heroine). During the time of Casablanca’s release, Bogart was 43 while Bergman was 27.

8. Elio & Oliver - Call Me By Your Name

Call Me By Your Name has established its supremacy in the pantheon of the best aesthetically pleasing romance movies. But much like the novel it is based on, the tragic love story between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old graduate student Oliver is mired with undertones of grooming. The coming-of-age drama finds the two engaging in some passionate lovemaking, but they can creep out some audiences, considering Timothée Chalamet’s character is underage. So, even though the protagonists share an age gap of only 7 years, Elio’s age does raise some concerns. Obviously, the now-disgraced actor Armie Hammer was much older than Chalamet surpassing him by 10 years.

7. Ellie Sattler & Alan Grant - Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park alumna Laura Dern has been vocal about how indeed her paleobotanist character Ellie Sattler was considerably younger than Sam Neill’s paleontologist Alan Grant. Ellie and Alan’s romance was cut short when they went through a divorce in Jurassic Park III, but they reconnected years later in Jurassic Park: Dominion. Despite them being the most iconic pairing in the series, Dern does note that the age gap between their characters was indeed inappropriate. The original novel and the first movie don’t explicitly state the characters’ ages but the Oscar-winning actress was just 23 years old at the time while Neill is 20 years her senior.

6. Don Lockwood & Kathy Selden - Singin' In The Rain

Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds sing and dance their way through the classic songs of Singin’ In The Rain. As legendary as this 1952 musical romantic comedy is, observers tend to forget that Kelly and Reynolds interestingly shared a 21-year age gap. While Kelly had already established himself as Hollywood royalty by the time he turned 40, the relative newcomer Reynolds was only 19. And yet while portraying 1920s-era actors transitioning from the silent era to talkies, Kelly and Reynolds didn’t just perform musical numbers together but also shared a lingering liplock. Their kiss in front of a billboard is still one of the most talked-about scenes from the movie.

5. Melvin Udall & Carol Connelly - As Good As It Gets

As Good As It Gets starred Jack Nicholson with Helen Hunt as an unlikely pair who end up falling in love as they embark on a road trip with an injured writer and his dog. While 60-year-old Nicholson’s compulsive and bigoted writer Melvin Udall is introduced as a cynical hero, his perspective on life changes after he befriends Carol Connelly, the friendly waitress played by 34-year-old Hunt. The 26-year-old age gap between the actors doesn’t deter Melvin from making his advances toward Carol even though she shows some initial resistance. However, by the time this James L. Brooks movie wraps up with the new couple indulging in a romantic walk.

4. Jeff & Lisa - Rear Window

An epitome of Alfred Hitchcock’s genius tension-building, Rear Window is a beloved crime classic that has stood the test of time. For his leading performers, the auteur relied on frequent collaborator James Stewart to play the wheelchair-using photographer L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies. Spending his time gazing at his neighbors through binocular lenses, he notices some strange happenings. Equally strange is the 21-age gap Stewart shares with his actress Grace Kelly who plays his socialite girlfriend Lisa Carol Fremont. While 46-year-old Stewart was nearing his 50s, Kelly was much younger as she was only 25 at the time when Rear Window was filming.

3. The Joker & Harley Quinn - Suicide Squad

From their origins in Batman: The Animated Series to David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, the career criminals Joker and Harley Quinn always made for a toxic couple. The movie detailed their toxicity further by showing how Joker manipulated and abused his psychologist Dr. Harleen Quinzel, changing her identity forever. If Harley Quinn and Joker’s abusive “mad love” wasn’t enough, actors Jared Leto and Margot Robbie shared an 18-year age gap while filming Suicide Squad. Robbie was 26 while Leto was 44 when they both donned heavy makeup to play their respective characters. The age gap was eventually done away with in later DC movies when Harley broke up with Joker.

2. Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanoff - Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Superhero couples rarely have age gaps but the Marvel Cinematic Universe offers an exception with the case of scientist Bruce Banner (The Incredible Hulk) and superspy Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow). While sparks seemed to be flying between the two in the very first Avengers movie, it is Age of Ultron that established them as a couple. Despite a few adorable moments, the couple wasn’t meant to be considering Banner’s instability with his Hulk persona. Even without keeping that factor in mind, the actors involved had a 17-year age gap. During the release of Age of Ultron, Mark Ruffalo was 47 while Scarlett Johansson had just turned 30.

1. Robert MacDougall & Virginia Baker - Entrapment

The caper Entrapment featured Sean Connery as art thief Robert MacDougall and Catherine Zeta-Jones as insurance agent Virginia Baker. When the two end up falling in love, they plan a major heist with the advent of Y2K. The 1999 movie drew polarizing reviews but managed to create conversations around its central couple. The actors shared a 39-year age gap with Connery and Zeta-Jones being 68 and 29 years old respectively at the time of filming. Matters get creepier with Entrapment featuring scenes that find a nude Virginia repeatedly attempting to woo the aging thief. A laser breach scene also finds Robert sensually eyeing Virginia’s rear end.