Actress Gabrielle Carteris lied about her age to land a role in hit teen soap Beverly Hills, 90210 - she was 29 when she auditioned to play 16-year-old Andrea Zuckerman on the show.

The TV icon even took legal advice to make sure she could sign contracts for the show without revealing her real age.

She says, "I actually talked to a lawyer about how could I sign these contracts and lie about my age and still be able to do the show: 'Is it OK?' 'Yes it is, as long as you just say you're over 21.'"

But Carteris explains her real age was uncovered "illegally" by a snooping reporter.

She tells news show Access Hollywood Live, "A magazine that I won't say did an interview on the show and they asked my age and I said, 'I don't talk about my age...' and they found it in the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) - illegally.

"I thought, 'This is it, I'm gonna lose the job...' By that time the show had been on long enough (and) I was OK."

Gabrielle turned 50 on January 2nd.

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2011/03/21/gabrielle_carteris_lied_about_her_age_

http://intensities.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/andrea1.jpg

....in 1965, Melody Patterson, several months short of being 16 years old, told producers she was 17, in order to appear as "Wrangler Jane" on "F TROOP". Her "advanced" age meant she wouldn't have to have a school teacher in a trailer off the set in order to attend classes inbetween filming- something Warner Bros. was not willing to pay for, as Melody was the only "juvenile" in the cast.

:tv:

She fit in very well, though. Doesn't seem that any harm was done and at least she talked to a lawyer first. She was one of my favorite characters and she pronounces her name (Andrea that is!) just like mine!!!

Wait! I thought that Melody was 17! I even thought she was too young at 17 but 15 3/4? Wow!

several actresses lie about their age for a part they want. Mila Kunis was a minor when she got the part of Jackie on That 70's Show.