What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHalf His Age
Jennette McCurdy · Book
If you loved Half His Age, start with Heated Rivalry (Jacob Tierney, 2025) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Half His Age across media.
What hooked you in Half His Age was the way it captures the unsettling, magnetic tension inherent in forbidden power imbalances.
Films on the same thread
Notes on a Scandal
Richard Eyre · Film · 2006
Explores: Obsession, Manipulation, Power Dynamics.
Like Half His Age, this film examines the dark manipulation within a teacher-student dynamic, focusing on how power shifts and obsessions distort the boundaries of professional relationships.
An Education
Lone Scherfig · Film · 2009
Explores: Loss of Innocence, Age Gap Romance, Social Class.
If the forbidden attraction in Half His Age kept you reading, you will recognize that same loss of innocence as this story explores the complexities of age-gap romances.
May December
Todd Haynes · Film · 2023
Explores: Age Gap Relationship, Tabloid Scandal, Coming of Age.
This film mirrors the uncomfortable scrutiny of the relationship in Half His Age, dissecting the long-term emotional fallout that occurs when a taboo age-gap romance becomes public.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller · Film · 2015
Explores: Sexual Awakening, Intergenerational Relationships, Female Sexuality.
Much like the protagonist in Half His Age, Minnie navigates the moral ambiguity of an intergenerational connection that forces a premature and complicated sexual awakening during her youth.
Series on the same thread
Heated Rivalry
Jacob Tierney · Series · 2025
Explores: Rivalry, Forbidden Love, Career Ambition.
While the setting shifts to sports, the magnetic pull and secret nature of the romance echo the forbidden intensity that defines the core struggle of Half His Age.
Off Campus
Gina Fattore · Series · 2026
Shares a thread with Half His Age: Coming-of-age.
If you enjoyed the way Half His Age blends academic environments with budding romance, you will find a similar focus on how personal connections evolve within a college setting.
The Summer I Turned Pretty
Jenny Han · Series · 2022
Explores: First Love, Summer Romance, Love Triangle.
This series captures the same transformative, coming-of-age intensity found in Half His Age, centering on the painful truths that emerge as adolescence gives way to a new reality.
Adolescence
Stephen Graham · Series · 2025
Explores: Childhood Trauma, False Accusation, Small Town Secrets.
Mirroring the psychological weight of Half His Age, this story leans into the tension of hidden secrets and the scrutiny of young lives caught in complex, adult-driven circumstances.
Podcasts on the same thread
everybody has a secret
Podcast
Explores: secrets, anonymity, listener stories.
If the confessional, secret-laden atmosphere of Half His Age resonated with you, this podcast provides a similar space for exploring the raw, untold realities of human experiences.
boomer and zoomer
Podcast
Explores: father-daughter relationship, intergenerational relationships, age gap.
This podcast explores the friction and connection of an intergenerational relationship, mirroring the focus on age-gap dynamics that drives the narrative tension within Half His Age.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Half His Age based on a true story?
The book Half His Age is a work of fiction by Jennette McCurdy. It follows the story of a 17-year-old character named Waldo who experiences an inexplicable attraction to her creative writing teacher.
What is the central conflict in Half His Age?
The central conflict in Half His Age revolves around the complex and inexplicable attraction between a 17-year-old student named Waldo and her creative writing teacher. The narrative explores the dynamics of this specific relationship.
Who is the main character in Half His Age?
The main character in Half His Age is a 17-year-old girl named Waldo. The story focuses on her experiences as a student and her internal struggle regarding her attraction to her creative writing teacher.
How old is the protagonist in Half His Age?
The protagonist of Half His Age is a 17-year-old student named Waldo. Her age is a significant element of the story as it frames her relationship with her creative writing teacher.