Netflix star accused of lying about her age

Netflix actor Nikki Rodriguez, best known for her lead role in My Life with the Walter Boys, is at the centre of online speculation after conflicting reports about her real age.

While several outlets and databases list her as 22, public records confirm the Los Angeles-based performer is actually 33.

The curiosity began after Rodriguez’s breakout role as 15-year-old Jackie Howard in the hit Netflix series, which has drawn comparisons to The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Fans noticed older photos of Rodriguez circulating online, questioning whether her age had been misreported.

Public records

According to The US Sun, records list her full name as Nicole Marie Rodriguez, with a date of birth in July 1992 and a previous address in Minnesota.

Video also shows her graduating from high school in 2010, further supporting that timeline.

Despite many outlets continuing to describe her as 22, Rodriguez has not publicly corrected those reports. Her Instagram account features only posts from recent years, leaving little trace of her earlier career.

The publication reached out to her representatives for comment but did not receive a response.

Nikki Rodriguez

From teen dramas to YA star

Rodriguez’s career has included roles in Netflix’s On My Block in 2018 before she was cast as Jackie in Walter Boys. The series, based on Ali Novak’s 2014 novel, follows a New York teenager who moves to rural Colorado after a family tragedy.

Rodriguez stars alongside Ashby Gentry and Corey Fogelmanis, both 26, and Noah LaLonde, 27.

In December 2023, Vanity Fair described her as “Netflix’s Next Big YA Star,” noting she is “loath to reveal her exact age.”

The profile said she was raised in Minneapolis by her British-German mother, moved to LA to study acting after high school, and is close to her Mexican father.

Rodriguez also shared advice given to her by Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Jason Priestley, who directed episodes of Walter Boys: “[He] said just enjoy it as much as you can and stay in the moment.”

For many fans, the conversation is less about numbers and more about her ability to convincingly play younger roles.

“Nikki looks so young that she could easily play a teenager and get these young roles,” one Reddit user commented.

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