Mustard Cambur: Why is a 23 year old playing a teenager?

I think this was long overdue.... so here is the research for coming of age films

Genre Research: Coming of Age

Coming of age: focuses on the psychological and moral growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood. They tend to focus on the dialogue or internal monologue over action, frequently set on the past. Usually the subjects are teenagers. Change is an important characteristic of this genre.
Genre conventions - content :

teen entertainment but also social problems
personal, autobiographical works from directors
dramatize situations that encompass the child's initiation into new realms of psychosocial experience and the adolescent's and postadolescent's encounters with the delights and problems of modern life
leitmotif of identity formation
promotes the cultural fantasies of a commercialistic society
capacity for social criticism, irony, and self-reflexivity
usually features a young character, typically a teenager, who gets confronted by a mature conflict
goes on a quest of self-discovery
feels alone and rejected by adults in life
young protagonists who feel lost and confused
through the guidance of an older mentor, or on their own
they face countless hurdles to the stage of adulthood

3. Genre Conventions- production:

represent the character's inner thoughts and feelings and their conflicts with an issue

4. Institutional Conventions- marketing:

marketed by focusing on the teenager/young adult in the movie key art
use of bright colors to catch the audience's attention
advertisements on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Tik Tok
ads consist of the main character of the film speaking directly to the audience, informing them that the movie is out in theaters and they should go watch it.
trailers usually use montages
ads are usually short to catch the viewer's attention

Film example #1:

Eighth Grade directed by Bo Burnham

This film makes you feel like you're 13 years old all over again
mid-close ups as the camera follows her and she speaks on the phone makes you feel disoriented and confused much like she's feeling
disconnect between her and father
disconnect between her and her school life
deals with problems by poising herself as the expert in "Kayla's Korner"
The birthday party scene, makes it feel like a horror movie, using slow motion, electronic music, and closeups, which is perfect.
every social scenario has emotional peril
full of subliminal commentray
so grounded in reality
about what it feels to be 13

Film example #2

Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde

Two girls that worked hard through high school, want to prove they're fun and party the day before graduation, realizing they might've missed out.
representation tropes are relatable and not divisive
characters evolve past the stereotypes
they learn they refused to know their classmate because they wanted to feel superior
characters are accepting and multidimensional
long takes that allow for the characters to be immersive
pacing is amazing
comedy
color grading is light hearted
editing is pretty standard
follows known storylines in a unique way
very updated to teenagers today