The Age Secrets Revealed: Unveiling the True Ages of Community's Beloved Characters

Summary

Jeff Winger is the among the older members of the Community group, lying about his age and turning 40 during the show's run.

Annie Edison joined Greendale immediately after graduating from high school and concluded her time at the institution at the age of 24. On the other hand, Pierce Hawthorne, portrayed by Chevy Chase, entered Greendale at the advanced age of 54 and eventually completed his studies at the age of 68, making him the oldest member of the group.

The Community character ages varied greatly due to the diverse and mismatched group of colorful individuals in the series. From Troy and Annie, who were fresh out of high school, to Pierce, who was significantly older than the rest, this group was truly unique. While the specific ages of most characters were never explicitly mentioned, their ages were inferred through certain storylines and minor details throughout the show, providing insight into the college friends' ages.

The main cast of Community included Jeff Winger (portrayed by Joel McHale), Annie Edison (played by Alison Brie), Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase), Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), and Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs). Each season of the show represented a new school year at Greendale, though the study group remained longer than the average student. As the show progressed, the characters' ages and birthdays were occasionally revealed, which sparked discussions about the age differences within the group.

Jeff Winger

Among the Community character ages, Jeff is the individual who is most reluctant to disclose his true age. Despite being clearly older than the average incoming freshman, when Jeff Winger enrolled at Greendale, he convinced his peers that he was in his early thirties. In the episode titled "G.I. Jeff" from season 5, it was unveiled that Jeff struggled with the idea of turning 40. His actual birth year is 1974, which means he was 34 when he commenced college in the fall semester of 2009. In contrast, the actor Joel McHale, who portrays Jeff, is older than his character, as he was 37 during the filming of Community season 1.

Annie Edison

Annie joined Greendale right after graduating from high school at the age of 18, making her the youngest among the characters in Community. Her youthful age became a source of controversy when Jeff developed romantic feelings for her. Furthermore, Annie's age added a touch of innocence to her character, which persisted throughout the series. By the time Community concluded and Annie was on her way to interning with the FBI, she had reached the age of 24. Interestingly, Brie, who portrayed Annie, was significantly older than her character, being 26 during the filming of Community season 1, making her nearly nine years older than the role she portrayed.

Shirley Bennett

Yvette Nicole Brown's character, Shirley, stood out as the "kind one" within the group. Similar to the other adult students, she pursued further education at the local community college. Despite taking pride in being a mother, her age was a touchy subject as she didn't want to be perceived as an older member of the group. While Shirley's exact age was never explicitly mentioned in the series, production details indicate that she celebrated her birthday in August 1971, signifying that she was 38 years old when she commenced her studies at Greendale. Interestingly, despite Jeff feigning youthfulness compared to Shirley, the age difference between them was merely four years. When Yvette Nicole Brown departed from Community, she was already 44 years old.

Pierce Hawthorne

Pierce stands out as the oldest character in the Community series. In season 2, Pierce mentioned that he was 66, and considering his November birthday, he would have been 64 when the show began. Interestingly, it was later revealed that Pierce joined Greendale in 1999 out of wealth and boredom. This means that he enrolled in the community college at the age of 54. When Pierce finally graduated in the spring of 2013, after nearly 13 years, he reached the age of 68. It's worth noting that Chase, the actor portraying Pierce, was around the same age as his character, being 65 during the first season of Community.

Troy Barnes

Abed Nadir

In the beginning of Community, there was a belief that Troy, along with Annie, had graduated from high school together at the age of 18. However, during his sophomore year in season 2, it was discovered that Troy was actually going to turn 21 years old, indicating that he was 19 when he entered college. A later revelation unveiled that Troy had the misconception that everyone went through two ten-year cycles in life. In Community season 5, when Troy embarked on a journey around the world on Pierce's yacht, he was 23 years old and approaching his 24th birthday in December. Interestingly, in real life, Glover, who portrayed Troy, was 25 years old during the first season of Community, making him six years older than his character.

Abed's age remained a mystery throughout the series, with only his birthday month mentioned in March. However, it was evident that he was at least 20 years old when the show began, as he was able to order alcoholic drinks before Troy's 21st birthday. Among the study group, Abed fell between the older Britta and younger Troy in terms of age. By the conclusion of Community season 6, Abed was estimated to be in his late 20s. Interestingly, actor Danny Pudi was 30 years old during the first season of Community, making him approximately five years older than the character he portrayed.

Britta Perry

How Old The Actors In Community Were Vs. Their Character Ages

The age disparity among the characters within Community's study group is quite noticeable, reflecting the diversity of their personalities and experiences. However, it is worth noting that the actual ages of the actors portraying these characters vary, as is often the case in the world of television and film. Let's take a glimpse at the true ages of each actor when the show first premiered and when it finally reached its conclusion.

Joel McHale: 37 years - 43 years

Alison Brie: 26 years - 32 years

Yvette Nicole Brown: 38 years - 44 years

Chevy Chase: 65 years - 71 years

Donald Glover: 25 years - 31 years

Danny Pudi: 30 years - 36 years

Gillian Jacobs, aged 26 to 32, aligns closely with the ages of her Community character. In fact, Brown, Chase, and Jacobs all have similar ages. The remaining four actors in the show portray characters who are slightly younger, which is a common practice. Interestingly, although Jeff Winger was initially believed to be much younger than Joel McHale, their ages turned out to be more similar after Jeff's deception was uncovered.

What Will Be The Community Character Ages In The Movie?

Fans can expect an update on the ages of the Community characters in the upcoming movie. The series has hinted at this and made vague promises since its end, but now a Community movie is in the works and most of the main cast will be returning. While not much is known about the movie, creator Dan Harmon has hinted that there will be a time jump, placing the characters in a world that has undergone significant changes. Additionally, the movie will focus on the characters reuniting after a prolonged period of separation.

Considering that it has been almost a decade since the end of Community, it is likely that the movie will take place 10 years later. This means that characters like Jeff and Shirley will be in their 50s, which is closer to Pierce's age in the first season. It can be expected that jokes will be made about Jeff's age, as he has always been self-conscious about it. Troy, Annie, and Abed will likely be in their mid-to-late 30s, while Britta will be in her mid-40s. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Chase will return for the movie, but if he does, Pierce's character would be in his 80s.