The Surprising Age of Neve Campbell in Party of Five

Summary

Neve Campbell was older than her character in "Party of Five," but her performance as a teenage Julia Salinger was still believable and praised by critics.

Campbell was 20 years old at the time of the show's premiere, and her character's age spanned from 15 to 20 years old throughout the series.

Despite her teenage success on the show, Campbell had worries about being typecast and has subsequently portrayed adult roles in a variety of projects.

Neve Campbell emerged as a breakout star in the popular family drama Party of Five. However, despite portraying a relatable teenage character, Campbell was actually older than her character during the show's production. Taking place in San Francisco, Party of Five centers around the Salinger siblings, a group of five individuals who become each other's support system after losing their parents in a tragic accident caused by a drunk driver. The responsibility of caring for his younger siblings falls on the shoulders of the eldest sibling, Charlie, portrayed by Matthew Fox. At the start of the series, Charlie is 24 years old and struggles to adjust to his new role as the family's leader.

Together with Scott Wolf as Bailey and Lacey Chabert as Claudia, Campbell and Fox delivered remarkable performances that garnered acclaim from critics. However, Campbell stood out in particular for successfully embodying the angst-ridden and sensitive nature of a teenager. Prior to her iconic role as Sidney Prescott in the Scream franchise, Campbell's portrayal of Julia Salinger defined her career and propelled her into stardom. The fact that Campbell portrayed a character younger than herself, with her own teen years being a distant memory, further amplifies the impressive nature of her authentic portrayal as a teenager.

Neve Campbell Was 20 Years Old When Party Of Five Started

Campbell was 20 years old when Party of Five premiered in September 1994. She wasn't the only cast member who portrayed a character older than their actual age. Fox, who played a character supposed to be 24, was actually 28 at the time. Similarly, Wolf was 26 when his character, who was supposed to be 16, was on screen. Chabert, however, was the exception, as she was 11 years old when her 11-year-old character debuted, turning 12 shortly after the show premiered.

By the time the series concluded in May 2000, Campbell had reached the age of 26. Although her portrayal of Julia garnered fame and recognition, the now-26-year-old actress worried about being stereotypecast as a teenager. In an interview with Interview Magazine, when asked about being referred to as "television's most believable teenager," Campbell graciously acknowledged the compliment but expressed her hope of not being forever associated with teenage roles. Fortunately, she successfully avoided such typecasting and went on to portray adult characters in House of Cards, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Twisted Metal.

How Old Was Neve Campbell's Julia Supposed To Be In Party Of Five

Julia, the middle child of the Salinger family, was younger than Charlie and Bailey but older than Claudia and Owen. Throughout the show's six seasons, each covering one year of her life, Julia's age ranged from 15 in the first season to 20 in the final season. The writers of Party of Five utilized Julia's character to delve into significant topics, such as a teenage pregnancy storyline in season 2 and a domestic violence storyline in season 5. Julia's portrayal in Party of Five opened doors for other teen dramas to tackle weighty subjects.