Netflix viewers have taken to social media to call out the age difference between the stars of “Never Have I Ever,” and co-creator Lang Fisher has responded to the criticism.
If you haven’t yet watched the highly praised comedy-drama “Never Have I Ever,” which debuted on Netflix in 2020, you’re in for a delightful experience.
However, the show has also encountered some online backlash, primarily concerning two of its actors.
In this coming-of-age story, the plot revolves around a modern-day, first-generation Indian American teenager named Devi (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) who becomes romantically involved with another teen, Paxton (portrayed by Darron Barnet).
Although the characters are teenagers, there’s an 11-year age difference between the actors in real life.
When the series began filming in 2019, Ramakrishnan was 17, while Barnet was 28 years old.
This age gap has made some viewers uneasy.
Fans have expressed their discomfort, with one commenting on Twitter in 2021: “It’s v creepy that everyone in Never Have I Ever thought it was okay to put 19 year old Maitreyi with a 30 year old dude Darren??? Does no one else see how thats just not a right age gap?”
On the release of season three, another viewer remarked: “Time to watch the new season of Never Have I Ever and complain ab how creepy the age gap between Paxton and Devis actors are.”
Another added: “Am I the only one a little weirded out by the age gap between Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Darren Barnet in Never Have I Ever?”
Given that this concern arises with each new season, Newsweek took the opportunity to address the age gap with co-creator Fisher in a Q&A about the series.
Fisher elaborated: “From the get-go we wanted these kids to feel like authentic teens. In Riverdale, sometimes they wear what you would wear if you were a lawyer going to work, or they’re dressed like PR executives.
“They all seem so mature. We wanted [our cast] to feel like real teens. Our one outlier is Darren, who is in his late 20s.
“You can’t ask someone how old they are when they audition. You just have to assume that they’re a reasonable age.
“I don’t think we found out what his age was until we were deep in the season and then we were like, ‘Oh, OK.’ I assumed he was, like, 20.
“And the other thing I will say, when you see an actual 15-year-old boy, they’re just not going to be a heartthrob. They look like a tiny baby.”