A Guide To The Impossibly Cool Teens (& Adults) Of HBO Max’s Generation

HBO Max's newest series, Generation, is the latest show to offer up a glimpse into the day-to-day life of Gen Z via an ensemble of very fashionable, very plugged-in teenage characters. But unlike its contemporaries, Generation's characters were actually written and created by a teenager: 19-year-old Zelda Barnz, who told the Hollywood Reporter that one of her casting priorities was making sure Generation's high school characters looked like real high schoolers. "Watching a lot of teen shows, it can make a lot of teenagers self-conscious because the casting does tend to be people in their late 20s playing teenagers," Barnz said. "We wanted to make sure that we were casting people who felt like authentic kids and not so much older adults."

As a result, Generation's cast is young — and many of these stars are still getting started in their careers, with the exception of The Get Down alum Justice Smith. Still, you might recognize an actor here or there, and if you don't, you will soon enough.