![The Netflix cast of 'Never Have I Ever' is currently getting some backlash. Get ready to retweet and dive into why the casting is causing controversy.](https://filmdaily.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/NHIE-casting-lede--1096x1536.jpg)
Netflix’s ‘Never Have I Ever’: Why are fans outraged over this cast?
The Netflix cast of Never Have I Ever is currently getting some backlash after it was revealed that Darren Barnet was pushing thirty while his co-star, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan was only nineteen at the time of filming both seasons of the show, a fact that the casting director claimed to have not known.
With season 2 already out, many are still debating the ethicacy behind the cast for Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, which centers on a love story between the two actors in question. While some claim it’s simply acting, others argue the show may be facilitating something that many have described as creepy by having such an age gap present in a love story.
Of course, Twitter is at the forefront of the debate with many arguing either side. We binged through the threads to find the best reactions to the debate on the age of the cast for Netflix’s Never Have I Ever. Get ready to retweet and dive into the latest news on the cast of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.
Not just a number
Netflix’s Never Have I Ever centers on awkward Indian-American teen Devi who is still processing the sudden death of her father and is desperate to find a boyfriend. Season 2 showcases Devi as caught in the middle of an emotional tug-of-war contest between Ben (Jaren Lewison) and Paxton (Darren Barnet), leaving many curious to see which boy she picks as she goes through her emotional journey.
Of course, no amount of romantic tension could hide that Paxton seems to be a bit older than the average highschooler. Many fans have raised objections after discovering that the two main characters have an eleven-year age gap between them, with Barnet being almost thirty-years-old while Ramakrishnan was nineteen at the time of filming season 2.
Lang Fisher addressed the issue back in 2020 after season 1 released in an interview with NewsWeek, stating how “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.” That assumption is now causing a lot of backlash for the show, especially on Twitter.
'Never Have I Ever' Casting Directors on Finding Actors for the Netflix Series | Daily Actor https://t.co/whOKinkdgR
— tr-actor (@tr_actor) July 21, 2021
Twitter is weirded out
Many fans of the show have taken to Twitter to debate if this age gap is either creepy or a trivial detail as good acting doesn’t have an age limit. These reactions to the discovery include:
I want the casting team of Never Have I Ever in jail, Paxton's actor is my age (30) and Devi's actress is….19?
— boycott eataly (@musafirani) July 20, 2021
Yeah, this is a bit questionable, we won’t lie . . . .
the casting directors of never have I ever are genuinely insane because what were they thinking getting a 30 year old to play a 16 year old…THIRTY… and the dude is actively making out with someone who was 18 for a majority of the first season and just turned 19. weird as hell pic.twitter.com/HokHOlwjtE
— ًsuhani (@bilIybvtcher) July 15, 2021
When you put it like that, it does seem kinda, well . . . . not great for Netflix.
I’m mad at Netflix for casting that guy as Paxton on Never Have I Ever because he actually looks like his real life age whereas everyone else pulls off looking like high schoolers
— blimey (@snmgalilee) July 20, 2021
If it’s that noticeable, then there’s an issue.
I don’t think the casting director of never have I ever has actually seen the inside of a high school
— jasmin (@j444smin) July 17, 2021
That probably would have helped them avoid this situation, but here we are.
i'm sorry but whoever was on the casting team for Never Have I Ever needs to be fired. expeditiously. Paxton went away for the summer and returned looking like he's regularly contributing to his 401k and is on new blood pressure meds
— poet priest of nothing (@ashiainbloom) July 20, 2021
Aka a lot of people’s reactions in a nutshell.
paxton in never have i ever IS cute but the age gap is real evident…. casting older actors to play high schoolers isn't gonna work forever
— halle 🐝 (@sincerehale) July 19, 2021
Let’s be honest, it stopped working a while ago.
can netflix start casting age appropriate actors/actresses for their shows. darren barnet is a 30 year old playing a 16 year old on never have i ever. this sets such unrealistic expectations for young/teenage boys on how they should look like
— madeleine (@riceeeenoodles) July 18, 2021
That’s what the kids call a bad look, Netflix . . . .
i appreciate how dedicated the NEVER HAVE I EVER casting directors are to casting ridiculously hot men
— Gay Wrath (@MercuryMN) July 21, 2021
That dedication is unfortunately coming back to bite them . . . .
this is the same energy as casting Darren Barnet in never have I ever https://t.co/1UwlxWr6Fc
— aliya🌊🎧✨ (@aliyaissunshine) July 19, 2021
That got a chuckle out of us, we won’t lie.
casting choices in never have i ever are peak
paxton is TOO MUCH
— maddi mcmanus (@MaddiMcManus) July 18, 2021
That’s definitely an understatement to say the least.
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What are your thoughts on the age gap in the cast of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever? Drop them below in the comments before season 3 drops!