Aidan Gallagher
A teenage actor who became a global environmental voice while playing a time-traveling assassin on a hit Netflix series.
Born 2003 (age 23)·American actor, musician and activist·Birthday: September 18·Generation Z
Biography
Born in Los Angeles in 2003, Aidan Gallagher began his career as a child actor on Nickelodeon, but it was his casting as the sardonic, 58-year-old-in-a-teen-body Number Five on Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy' that catapulted him into a different league. His precise, world-weary performance defied his age and became the show's darkly comedic anchor. Off-screen, Gallagher leveraged his growing platform for urgent environmental advocacy. At just 15, he was named a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for North America, using social media to dissect climate policy and advocate for conservation. This dual identity—a sharp young actor in a fantastical world and a fiercely articulate activist grounded in science—defines his unique cultural footprint.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Aidan was born in 2003, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aidan Was Born
The biggest hits of 2003
#1 Movie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Picture
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
#1 TV Show
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Aidan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2003Born
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2008Started school
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2016Became a teenager
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Could drive
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2021Could vote
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2024Turned 21
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 23 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the pivotal role of Number Five in the globally successful Netflix series 'The Umbrella Academy'.
- Appointed a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for North America at age 15, one of the youngest ever.
- Served as a youth advocate for WildAid, focusing on marine protection and wildlife trafficking.
Did You Know?
He is a self-taught musician and released his first original song, 'Blue Neon', at age 12.
Gallagher is an avid chess player and has promoted the game online.
He was a contestant on the game show 'Figure It Out' as a young child.
“I think it's important for my generation to be aware of the issues that are going to affect us the most.”
