How Old Was the Actor Who Played Ponyboy
In the 1983 film The Outsiders, the role of Ponyboy Curtis was played by actor C. Thomas Howell. He was 20 years old when the movie was filmed and released, despite portraying a younger teenager in the story.
About C. Thomas Howell and the Role
Howell was already a working child actor when he was cast as Ponyboy. His casting emphasized the character's youth and vulnerability, even though he was older than the character's book age of 14.
Comparing Film and Book Ages
The character Ponyboy is described as a 14-year-old greaser in S.E. Hinton's novel. In the film adaptation, the older cast helped convey the intensity of the story. For more background on the film, you can visit the The Outsiders movie page on IMDb.
