Never Have I Ever’s Darren Barnet Doesn’t Mind Playing a Teenager at 30: ‘It’s Not a New Formula’

usmagazine.com:

Age is just a number! Never Have I Ever’s Darren Barnet has no issues playing a teenager on TV — especially because he knows he’s in the company of Hollywood royalty.“It’s really not a new formula,” Barnet, 30, recently told Us Weekly exclusively about the Mindy Kaling-created Netflix comedy while discussing his role as Victoria Secret’s PINK first-ever male celebrity brand ambassador. “Look at 90210 and Grease — Kenickie was about to cash in his 401k.

This guy was [old]! It’s fun!”The actor, who stars as high school student Paxton Hall-Yoshida on the coming-of-age hit, revealed that playing a younger character can be stressful, which is why he thinks it’s important not to take it too seriously.“I try not to get too self-critical of myself when I’m watching it.

Like, ‘Oh, God, I look so much older than this person,’” he explained to Us. “That’s [a] point of mental health that I’ve really had to digest.

I’ve [had to] become OK with watching myself and accepting of the fact that I’m not 18. I’m not really this guy.”Barnet revealed that “the pressure” he feels while playing an 18-year-old comes from the physical demands of needing to be shirtless often, but he’s thankful for the excuse to keep in shape.Darren Barnet.“I’m constantly trying to make sure my body looks nice, but the focus has been more so on just feeling healthy,” the Berry College alum continued.“So it’s kind of been good.