Anyone But You Cast: Full List, Ages, and Background (2023)

It’s rare for a romantic comedy to generate as much buzz about its cast as about its plot. With Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell leading the way, Anyone But You turned the classic “will they, won’t they” into a real-world conversation about chemistry and age gaps.

Release date: December 22, 2023 ·
Lead actors: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell ·
Director: Will Gluck

Below is a quick summary of key facts about the film.

Who stars in Anyone But You?

Main cast and characters

• Sydney Sweeney as Beatrice “Bea” Messina – a law student (Vague Visages)
• Glen Powell as Ben – a Goldman Sachs employee (Vague Visages)
• Alexandra Shipp as Claudia – Pete’s sister (Wikipedia)
• GaTa as Pete – Ben’s best friend (Wikipedia)
• Hadley Robinson as Halle Spence – Bea’s sister (Wikipedia)

Supporting cast

• Michelle Hurd as Carol
• Dermot Mulroney as Leo
• Darren Barnet as Jonathan
• Bryan Brown as Roger
• Rachel Griffiths as Maggie

Source: Sony Pictures (official cast list)

Ages of lead actors

• Sydney Sweeney born September 12, 1997 – age 26 at release, 25 during filming (IMDb, ScreenRant)
• Glen Powell born October 21, 1988 – age 35 at release, 34 during filming (IMDb, ScreenRant)
• Real-life age gap between the leads: about 9 years (Calculated from IMDb)

The pattern: The casting leans into the age difference rather than hiding it – Ben’s character is written as trying to seem younger, adding a layer of self-awareness to the comedy.

Is Anyone But You worth watching?

Audience and critical response

The film sparked conversation because of its lead pairing. ScreenRant noted that the age gap of about 9 years became a talking point in marketing and reviews. A cultural commentary from Girl Culture Substack observed that the movie “acknowledges a significant age difference between Bea and Ben rather than pretending they are the same age.” This honesty about the characters’ ages helped the film feel grounded.

Box office success

Anyone But You earned roughly $219 million worldwide against a $25 million production budget (Wikipedia). That return—about 8.8× the budget—pushed it well into hit territory for a romantic comedy.

Why is Anyone But You rated R?

The Motion Picture Association gave Anyone But You an R rating, meaning viewers under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. According to Wikipedia, the rating is for “sexual content, language throughout, and brief drug use.” The R classification places it alongside other modern romantic comedies that don’t shy away from adult material.

The implication: The R rating underscores the film’s willingness to treat its adult themes seriously, reinforcing the honest portrayal of the leads’ relationship.

How old are Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell in Anyone But You?

The age difference between the leads was widely discussed. Below is a quick comparison using their verified birth dates and ages at key points.

Sources: IMDb (Sweeney), IMDb (Powell), ScreenRant (filming ages)

The trade-off: The 9-year gap makes the “secret couple” premise more believable—older Ben trying to impress a younger Bea feels plausible rather than forced.

Is Anyone But You based on Much Ado About Nothing?

Yes. Director Will Gluck and co-writer Ilana Wolpert adapted Anyone But You from William Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing (Sony Pictures). The characters Bea and Ben clearly echo Beatrice and Benedick—two sharp-witted people who trade insults before falling in love. The setting moves from Renaissance Italy to modern-day Australia, but the core “enemies-to-lovers” structure remains intact. The film also incorporates plot elements like a wedding scheme and feigned love interests, all lifted from the play.

• Bea = Beatrice (independent, clever, avoids marriage)
• Ben = Benedick (bachelor, competitive, eventually vulnerable)
• Claudia and Halle mirror Hero and Margaret from the play

“Anyone But You modernizes the battle of wits between Beatrice and Benedick for a new generation.”

— Will Gluck, director (via Sony Pictures)

Why this matters: By grounding the film in a classic, the filmmakers gave audiences a recognizable skeleton—then dressed it in contemporary Australia and a genuinely funny cast. The adaptation is loose enough to feel new, but the soul is Shakespeare’s.

Nine main cast members, one pattern: the casting pairs experienced character actors with rising stars to create comedic contrast.

The pattern: The cast spans ages 23–76, creating believable intergenerational dynamics. The younger actors (Sweeney, Powell, Shipp, GaTa, Robinson) carry the romance, while the veterans (Mulroney, Griffiths, Brown) ground the family wedding setting.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Full cast list matches IMDb and Sony Pictures records (IMDb, Sony)
• R rating from MPAA (sexual content, language, drug use) (Wikipedia)
• Box office ~$219 million worldwide (Wikipedia)
• Modern adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing confirmed by director (Sony Pictures)

What’s unclear

• Exact age of Dermot Mulroney’s character Leo – not specified in official materials
• Whether a sequel is in active development (no official announcement)
• Precise filming schedule beyond the start date of February 2023
• Box office figures may vary by source (Wikipedia reports $219M, other sources may differ)

The implication: The film’s final box office number, while widely reported, has minor discrepancies across tracking services, and many supporting character details remain unpublished.

“The chemistry between Sweeney and Powell is the engine that drives the film.”

— ScreenRant

“The movie acknowledges a significant age difference between Bea and Ben rather than pretending they are the same age.”

— Girl Culture Substack

The success of Anyone But You hinges on its casting gamble: putting a 9-year age gap front and center rather than hiding it. For audiences tired of sanitized rom-coms, the payoff was clear – a $219 million box office return and a streaming hit. Sweeney and Powell’s willingness to lean into the age difference made the romance feel fresh rather than forced.

For a complete breakdown of every actor and their role, check out the full cast list for Anyone But You on MediaScope Daily.

Frequently asked questions