EastEnders: Inside the surprising real-life age difference of on-screen father and daughter duo Aaron Thiara and Aaliyah James
Fans were shocked!
In EastEnders, Avani and Ravi are father and daughter – but in real life there’s no way that would be possible due to the actors’ ages.
Actor Aaron Thiara and actress Aaliyah James are in fact very close in age.
Seven years, to be exact…
Not sure Ravi could have been a dad at 7.
EastEnders: Avani and Ravi
But that’s the beauty of Soap land. Aaliyah plays a school girl, but in real life she was born in June 2000, while Ravi star Aaron Thiara was born in May 1993.
Social media fans were shocked when they realised the age difference, thinking the stars look their respective ages on the silver screen.
“Modern day Kathy and Ian”, jested one X fan. Another added: “Actually can’t believe he’s younger than me,” while another said: “She’s supposed to be 15??!”
A fan noted: “Just found out that Ravi’s actor and Avani’s actor are only 7 years apart in age.” Underneath the original tweet, someone else said: “SHE’S TWENTY FOUR??”, a fifth simply exclaimed: “WHAT!!!”
The age gap seems particularly interesting, considering their current storyline which involves Avani being taken advantage of by an older man.
Avani is dating an older man
This week, Nugget caught Avani texting Mason, an older man she’s been dating since meeting him ahead of the club crush carnival party. She begged for him to keep quiet. Later, when Ravi confiscated her phone, he asked Priya for her help to unlock it.
However, she told him that there’s nothing to worry about – revealing that Avani told her in confidence that she’s going out with Barney. Ravi decided to leave her messages be, and gave Avani her phone back.
Avani met up with Mason and told him that she wasn’t going to sleep with him. She had been considering the idea, but did not feel ready and felt slightly pressured by the older man. He told her to leave and, pushing her away, gave her a busted lip.
As Ravi and Priya shared a charged moment, he spotted his daughter with her bloodied mouth.
Avani attempted to lie her way out of trouble, but Ravi was convinced that Barney is to blame for her injuries. Storming off, he decided to teach Barney a lesson…
This also did not go well, as he hung Barney over the train bridge by his ankles and threatened to drop him. Avani stepped in and told him the truth, so Barney was saved.
Teddy was not happy, however, and conspired with Harry to set fire to the call centre…