X-Men cast ages: How old were the actors then and now?

Long before the Avengers and the MCU were the dominant superhero franchises, Marvel was focused on bringing its most popular comic characters to the big screen. The idea of an X-Men movie was floated around as early as the mid-80s, but it took a while to find the right combination of writers, directors, and actors.

The movie that eventually emerged was released in 2000, following Wolverine and Rogue as they become entangled with both Charles Xavier and Magneto's respective teams of mutants. When Congress considers passing the Mutant Registration Act, Magneto launches a plan that could drastically change the political balance of the United States.

Since the first X-Men movie was released, there have been two direct sequels, a trilogy focused on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, and four prequels. In addition, the Deadpool and New Mutants films have been set in the same world, expanding the franchise to even greater heights.

Looking back, it's hard to believe how young so many of the actors were in the first film. Hugh Jackman was a relatively unknown actor at the time, and Anna Paquin hadn't even turned 18. Nearly 25 years later, it's worth looking back to see how old the actors were when they introduced these characters, how recently they have played the same roles, and what age they are now.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Born: October 12, 1968
Age when X-Men debuted: 31
Age today: 55

Most of Hugh Jackman's early career was spent on stage in professional theatre, which made him a perfect new face to lead the X-Men movie. In the first film, Wolverine was an amnesiac who stumbled into being Rogue's guardian after she ran away from home. While trying to protect her (and learn more about his own past), Logan was flung into the battle between Charles Xavier and Magneto's ideologies.

Since that first appearance, Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine in nine more X-Men movies, including the recent Deadpool and Wolverine movie. This makes him the single most prominent actor in the franchise, as all of the other main characters were either absent or recast in other installments.

Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier

Born: July 13, 1940
Age when X-Men debuted: 60
Age today: 84

Patrick Stewart was already an established actor by the time X-Men came out, having most notably played Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1987 to 1994. His 60th birthday actually took place on the day between X-Men's Ellis Island premiere and its nationwide release. In X-Men, Stewart played Professor X, the headmaster of Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters and leader of the X-Men.

Charles Xavier had complex relationships with each of the franchise's main characters, with his history with Magneto being a particular highlight of the franchise. Patrick Stewart reprised the role seven more times, appearing in each film of the original trilogy and the Wolverine trilogy, as well as X-Men: Days of Future Past. He also appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022's Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Ian McKellen as Magneto

Born: May 25, 1939
Age when X-Men debuted: 61
Age today: 85

Ian McKellen masterfully took on the role of Magneto in the first three movies of the X-Men franchise, showing off the character's sympathetic origins as well as his ruthlessness. The 2000 movie begins with Brett Morris's version of the character discovering his control over metal while being separated from his family in the Holocaust. McKellen takes that brief origin story and shows precisely why his character would be so suspicious of legislation like the Mutant Registration Act.

Unfortunately, McKellen only got the opportunity to return to the role twice after the original trilogy, as Michael Fassbender took over for the prequel films. While his significantly lessened role in the franchise disappoints some of his fans, the English actor has continued to perform on stage and on-screen through the present day.

Famke Janssen as Jean Grey

Born: November 5, 1964
Age when X-Men debuted: 35
Age today: 59

When Famke Janssen originally moved to the United States, it was to work as a model. However, her acting career quickly took off, with Janssen taking on nearly twenty roles between 1992 and 1999. In 1999, she was cast as Jean Grey, a telepath teaching at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Despite being one of the less powerful characters, she had a major role in the first film as Wolverine's romantic interest, who was frustratingly (for him) committed to Scott Summers.

Janssen played Jean Grey through the entire first trilogy, returning for The Wolverine in 2013 and Days of Future Past in 2014. The role was then taken over by Sophie Turner for prequel movies X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix. Since her time in the X-Men franchise, Janssen is best known for her roles as Olivia Godfrey in Hemlock Grove and Susan Hargrave in The Blacklist and its spin-off.

James Marsden as Cyclops

Born: September 18, 1973
Age when X-Men debuted: 26
Age today: 50

James Marsden was almost ten years younger than his on-screen love interest when he began working in the X-Men franchise, which was one of his first major film roles. His character, Scott Summers (Cyclops), was a devout follower of Charles Xavier who had been in a relationship with Jean Grey since they were students at Xavier's school.

Marsden only appeared in a few of the X-Men movies, partially because his career was taking off in the mid-2000s. After the original trilogy, his only appearance was in Days of Future Past. However, the character of Cyclops appeared four more times across the franchise, played by Tim Pocock in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Tye Sheridan in X-Men: Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix, and Deadpool 2.

Halle Berry as Storm

Born: August 14, 1966
Age when X-Men debuted: 33
Age today: 58

Halle Berry began her acting career in the 1980s, gaining popular attention through the mid-to-late '90s. By the time X-Men debuted in 2000, she was a fairly well-known actress, whose fame was on the rise. She played Ororo Munroe (Storm) in the X-Men franchise, where her character was shown to be fiercely proud of being a mutant, to the extent that she occasionally expressed beliefs closer to Magneto's, despite being on Charles Xavier's team.

Like most of the other actors from the original film, Berry continued to play the role through the first three movies and Days of Future Past. Alexandra Shipp played the younger version of the character in X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool 2, and Dark Phoenix. In addition to her acting roles, Berry is known for her advocacy and her role as an executive producer.

Anna Paquin as Rogue

Born: July 24, 1982
Age when X-Men debuted: 17
Age today: 42

Anna Paquin was the youngest member of the cast of X-Men, turning 18 a few weeks after the premiere. She had begun acting at a young age, earning her first Oscar when she was only 11. In X-Men, she played a young girl whose mutant abilities didn't allow her to touch others without absorbing their essence and powers. Taking on the name Rogue, she ran away from home, met Wolverine, and eventually became a powerful pawn in the war between Charles and Magneto.

Rogue continued to be the most important of the students through the rest of the original trilogy, struggling with how to be a normal teenager despite abilities that could kill those around her. Paquin returned to the role for Days of Future Past, but was not in any other X-Men movies because the later films were all prequels. Beyond the franchise, she is probably best known as Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood.

Rebecca Romijn as Mystique

Born: November 6, 1972
Age when X-Men debuted: 27
Age today: 51

Rebecca Romijn began her career as a model, transitioning into acting with the increased visibility that came from her role in X-Men. She played Mystique, Magneto's shape-shifting lieutenant. Unlike his other minions, Mystique was full of personality, taunting those around her and reveling in her abilities.

Romjin returned to the franchise for the next two X-Men movies, as well as for small portions of X-Men: First Class. Jennifer Lawrence took over the role for the prequel films, appearing alongside Romjin for First Class and on her own in Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. Beyond her X-Men role, Romjin has had several other 'nerd property' roles, including voicing Lois Lane in various DC animated universe movies, playing Eve Baird in The Librarians, and taking over the role of Number One in numerous Star Trek series.

Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake

Born: October 7, 1979
Age when X-Men debuted: 20
Age today: 44

Before joining the cast of X-Men, Shawn Ashmore had several minor roles in television and TV films, with his role as Jake in the Animorphs series being one of his biggest credits. However, his minor role in the first X-Men movie would help propel him further. Bobby Drake didn't do much in X-Men, just serving as a love interest and companion for Rogue. However, his character was expanded in the later films.

Ashmore continued with the role of Bobby Drake in the second and third X-Men films, as well as appearing in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Some of his more recent roles include playing Mike Weston in The Following and Wesley Evers in The Rookie.

Bruce Davison as Senator Kelly

Born: June 28, 1946
Age when X-Men debuted: 54
Age today: 78

While many people think of the conflict between Magneto and Charles Xavier when thinking about the X-Men, Senator Kelly was originally one of the main antagonists in the first film. As a vocally anti-mutant senator advocating for the Mutant Registration Act, Senator Kelly was a target for Magneto, learning a major lesson about what it meant to be a mutant in X-Men.

Although the character was only present in the first film, Bruce Davison actually got to continue into X2, playing Mystique's version of the character. Since then, he has had multiple film and television roles, primarily in authoritarian positions such as doctors, judges, and politicians.

Tyler Mane as Sabretooth

Born: December 8, 1966
Age when X-Men debuted: 33
Age today: 57

Prior to playing Sabretooth in X-Men, Tyler Mane was best known for his wrestling career in the 1980s and 90s. After resigning in 1996, however, he turned to acting. His character in X-Men was one of Magneto's minions, who was the major physical threat to Wolverine. Beyond his strength and feline features, little was shown of his personality and character.

Because he was such a minor character in the X-Men movie series, Sabretooth only appeared in one other X-Men movie: Wolverine's origin story. In that film, it was an alternate version of the character who was played by Liev Schreiber. However, Tyler Mane returned to the role in the recent Deadpool and Wolverine film.

Ray Park as Toad

Born: August 23, 1974
Age when X-Men debuted: 25
Age today: 50

Ray Park began his career in the entertainment field as a stunt double, thanks to his extensive background in martial arts. This was useful experience for his role as Toad in X-Men, as the mutant was known for his agility. Toad worked alongside Sabretooth to support Magneto in his quest to turn human politicians into mutants.

While Park was only in the first film, the character Toad was also briefly featured in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Days of Future Past. Since his time in X-Men, he has acted in other major franchises, including playing Snake Eyes in the G. I. Joe franchise and Darth Maul in the Star Wars franchise.