The Netflix series Sex Education is a thoughtful, funny, and touching show featuring a terrific young cast. The show's honest exploration of the struggles of teenage life benefits from the young talent who help bring these interesting characters to life.
It's hard to imagine a show that tackles so many issues in a meaningful way ever airing in earlier decades. However, if the show had been made In the 1990s, it is fun to think about what young actors of that era could have also told the worthwhile stories shown in Sex Education.
Mr. Groff: Alan Rickman
Michael Groff is introduced as the headmaster of Moordale in the first season of the show. He is a stern and serious man who has no patience for his students acting out. But after plenty of mistakes that cost him, Mr. Groff shows a softer and funnier side in season 3.
Alan Rickman was one of the go-to thespians of the 1990s and he excelled at playing very imposing characters. But in movies like Dogma and Galaxy Quest, Rickman also used his dry wit to amazing effect that would have fit Mr. Groff very well.
Lily: Mila Jovovich
Lily is one of the most unique and complex characters on the show. She is a young woman who is obsessed with her own fantasy worlds of far-off planets and alien beings. Season 3 of the series deals with Lily feeling more like an outcast, but in the end, she is always proud to embrace her own uniqueness.
Mila Jovovich got her start playing a spacy high schooler in Dazed and Confused. She became a star thanks to her wild and imaginative performance in the sci-fi adventure The Fifth Element. These two roles showed her playing the kind of characters who are unbothered by others thinking they are bizarre.
Ola: Thandiwe Newton
Ola has had an interesting journey so far in Sex Education, beginning as the girl in school who starts dating Otis before falling in love with Lily. Ola is someone who has a lot of inner strength and refuses to conform to what others think is right for her.
Though she is now a star in big projects like Westworld, Thandiwe Newton was already starring in movies in the 1990s. At that young age, she still showed the kind of power and boldness that she would show off in her later adult roles.
Jackson: Usher Raymond
Jackson starts the show as the head boy and one of the school's star athletes. As the show goes on, his character becomes more complex, dealing with his anxiety as well as branching out with his areas of interest. But he remains a charismatic and popular student.
Usher Raymond is best known as a hugely successful music artist, but his acting career also began in the 90s. Though his roles were limited, Usher was known for playing the popular and fun-loving high school student in movies like She's All That.
Aimee: Alicia Silverstone
Aimee is one of the most likable and hilarious characters on Sex Education. She comes from a rich family and dresses fashionably, but she is still a sweet person who likes to help people however she can. She has a bubbly personality yet isn't afraid to stand up for herself.
Alicia Silverstone became a star in the 90s thanks to her terrific role in the teen comedy Clueless. Her performance as Cher was very similar to Aimee as she was the kind of rich and popular character who would usually be the high school bully character, but was in fact a caring and considerate friend.
Adam: Johnny Lee Miller
Few character transformations on Sex Education have been as satisfying as Adam's evolution. He begins as an underachieving and cruel bully until it is revealed that he is hiding his own feelings. His romance with Eric allows him to grow into a sweeter and more ambitious young man.
Johnny Lee Miller had a number of standout roles in the 90s, including movies like Trainspotting and Hackers. He was great at playing those seemingly aimless characters who eventually show that they have a lot more going on under the surface.
Jean: Emma Thompson
Though Sex Education's deeper storylines mainly focus on the teen characters and their struggles with sex, the issue is explored at all age levels through the character of Jean Milburn. She is a sex therapist who is professional and sophisticated while also showing that she genuinely cares about the people she talks to.
Emma Thompson is an actor who has always effortlessly exhibited grace in any role. Her performances in the 90s were the perfect blend of the compassionate, serious characters as well as those who dealt with their own struggles, as Jean does in Sex Education.
Eric: Jaleel White
Eric has quickly become a fan-favorite character on Sex Education with his colorful personality and touching journey. Though he is often mocked or disrespected by those around him, Eric maintains a positive attitude and continues to be himself.
Jaleel White was one of the most famous actors on television in the 90s as Steve Urkel in Family Matters. Though his character was not as grounded as Eric, he was similarly seen as an outsider who was unphased by people's small-minded opinions.
Maeve: Winona Ryder
Maeve is another Sex Education character who fans quickly formed great affection for. She is a very independent person who doesn't often fit into the popular crowd, but she also seems to relish being an outsider. She is a hard-working and passionate person underneath her gruff exterior.
Winona Ryder was a big star of the 90s who was best when playing rebellious and free-spirited characters, such as in Reality Bites. She often showed a darker side to her characters yet was lovable at the same time.
Otis: Joseph Gordon Levitt
Though the ensemble is one of the best aspects of Sex Education, Otis Milburn is the closest thing to a main character. He is a bit overlooked in his school at first and often picked on. Despite this, he is always willing to help out his classmates with his mature attitude.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt became a bigger star as an adult, but he had a number of standout roles in the 90s as well. In movies like 10 Things I Hate About You and shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun, he played characters who were wise beyond their years and very sweet.