WASHINGTON POST
“This makes Gallagher’s kid performance as an old man, who is consistently grumpy and always needing coffee or booze, one of the show’s main delights.” —David Betancourt, 2/1/19
THE MARY SUE
“... embodies the complexities of Number 5 with incredible charisma. As the series barrels toward its explosive finale, Gallagher shines as he reconciles being a 58-year-old man in a 13-year-old’s body...” —Samantha Puc, 2/1/19
THE NEW YORK TIMES
“And there are performances that keep you interested... especially the 15-year-old Gallagher (of Nickelodeon’s “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn,”), who’s remarkably assured as a hard-bitten 58-year-old in a middle-schooler’s body. He carries the show as far as he can.” —Mike Hale, 2/14/19
NPR
“The performances, in particular: young Aidan Gallagher, as the Academy member known only as Number 5, plays a 58-year-old man in a young boy's body (long story), bringing a world-weariness that supplies a regular dose of wry humor.” —Glen Weldon, 2/14/19
EW.COM
“Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) stands out.” ... “according to showrunner Steve Blackman… he also could bring the complexity of being a 58-year-old man in a 13-year-old’s body. Aidan was such a professional on set. You don’t often see younger actors who can be around five 30-year-olds and not flinch, but Aidan could. He’d come to set every day, sit in the room with these other actors, hit his mark, hit his lines, and never screw up. He just brought that brooding anger and gruffness that had to be Five. I felt very blessed that we found Aidan because at one point we worried, ‘Oh my God, we’re not gonna find this kid.’” —Christian Holub, 2/15/19
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY PRINT MAGAZINE
The Must List Doom Patrol + The Umbrella Academy Superhero Showdown, “Coolest Team Member: Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), who can time travel” —Editor, Page 14, The Must List, EW Issue 2/15-2/22/19
AIN’T IT COOL
“The real find is Aidan Gallagher...” —Hercules, 2/14/19
COMICSBEAT
“I was delighted every time the camera turned towards Gallagher...finds himself trapped back inside his teenage body, so his sense of disenchantment and unbridled cynicism constantly and violently contrasts against his seemingly innocent figure. “ —Alexander Lu, 2/1/19
DEN OF GEEK
"Number Five, played by Aidan Gallagher, who's spent most of his career on Nickelodeon kids shows, is also a highlight. Gallagher is well-cast and is able to convey the wisdom beyond his years necessary for the role of a 60-year-old hitman trapped inside the body of a 10-year-old (although he's slightly older than that on the show). He rarely cracks a smile as the self-serious Number Five, or partake in his family's childish shenanigans, but when he does let loose, it's entertaining and very funny." —John Saavedra, 2/4/19
USA TODAY
“…shows up in spectacular fashion…” —Brian Truitt, 2/13/19
VULTURE
“Number Five (Aidan Gallagher)... is the standout, thanks to the petulant wisdom that radiates from Gallagher’s performance.” —Matt Zoller Seitz, 2/13/19
VULTURE
“There are plenty of fascinating characters in Umbrella Academy, but there’s a part of me that wishes this show would just spend a whole episode on Five.” —Vulture, 2/16/19, Scott Meslow
VULTURE
“Part of it is that 15-year-old Aidan Gallagher has the chops to play both the humor and the pathos of a 58-year-old, possibly insane man trapped in a kid’s body.” —Scott Meslow, 2/15/19
WHAT CULTURE
"...it's no exaggeration to say that Aidan Gallagher is an absolute revelation and the stand-out performer in The Umbrella Academy. Sure, Robert Sheehan is great fun to watch, but Gallagher's performance has more depth and is even more rewarding. ...If this isn't his star-making role in the same way that Stranger Things catapulted Finn Wolfhard then there's something seriously wrong with the world.” —Editor, 2/17/19
WHAT CULTURE
“... a stunning performance by relative newcomer Aidan Gallagher, Number 5 is the best character in The Umbrella Academy. He's effortlessly cool, hugely complex and layered like an onion. Or a cake. Or an ogre.The conceit that he is a fifty-odd-year-old man trapped in a young teenager means Gallagher is forced to play an adult role, which is taxing for any young actor, but he is wholly convincing. He's basically as immediately brilliant as Finn Wolfhard was in Stranger Things and the future is absolutely bright for him..” —Editor, 2/20/19
IOL
“Gallagher also shows off his acting chops since as Number 5, he is an old man trapped in a teenage boy’s body. As a viewer, you really get the sense that Number 5 is an old soul.” —Jamal Grootboom, 2/14/19
CNN
“The linchpin to preventing Armageddon is Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), who is as old as his 30-ish siblings, but thanks to his ability to leap back and forth in time, has the appearance of a pubescent kid, making his more bloodthirsty exploits particularly jarring.” —Brian Lowry, 2/14/19
SUPERBROMOVIES
“Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, who will quickly become a fan-favorite when the series makes it highly anticipated debut.” —Jackson Hayes, 2/1/19
POPAXIOM
“Not to mention Aidan Gallagher, who shines as the time-displaced Number Five.” —Jon Barr, 2/1/19
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
“Aidan Gallagher shines as Number 5. The actor has the ability to convey wisdom beyond his years, with the perfect mixture of seriousness and comedy.” —Charlene Badasie, 2/14/19
VOX
“Page’s Eeyore-ish Vanya and Gallagher’s precocious Number Five are standouts,” —Alex Abad-Santos, 2/1/19
LCI CULTURE (FRENCH)
“But in the siblings, it is the young Aidan Gallagher, 15, who crushes the competition in the skin of Number Five, a sexagenarian stuck in the body of a teenager.”
— Delphine De Frieitas, 2/14/19
AV CLUB
“Instead, the primary character is really Number Five, and Gallagher plays the old-man-in-a-teenage-body concept brilliantly.” —Sam Barsanti, 2/1/19
NERD REACTOR
“Aidan Gallagher, conveys the attitude of an older man who is tired of people treating him as a kid. It’s a treat to see these scenes play out...” —John “Spartan” Nguyen, 2/2/19
NME
“Ellen Page as the only unpowered child and Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, a middle-aged man stuck in a teen body, are standouts..”—NME, 2/12/19, Olly Richards,
UPROXX
“Make no mistake, The Umbrella Academy is number five’s story. He fuels the action, he gets the best comebacks, and Gallagher is given the big task of portraying a 50-something-year-old man trapped in a preteen’s body. He does it with a thick New York accent and a charisma that actors triple his age would kill for.”
—Jessica Toomer, 2/11/19
THE VERGE
“…the best casting might be Number Five (Aidan Gallagher), an old man caught in a pubescent boy’s body through a time-travel mishap. He manages to believably rant at his 30-year-old siblings about their idiocy, ineptitude, and youth, impatient with the way everyone from diner servers to shady business owners treat him because of his youthful appearance. His idiosyncratic dry wit, which occasionally gives way into hyper-competent displays of violence, is reminiscent of the best parts of Kick-Ass.” —Samantha Nelson, 2/7/19
THE STRANGER
“Two other standouts are Tom Hopper as the massive, lonely Luther, and Aidan Gallagher…” —Erik Henriksen, 2/13/19
CNBC
“…out of the blue electrical disturbance drops out a really cool dude. He’s Number Five. Annoyingly thirteen but wise beyond his years. And he likes coffee. I was smiling through this because which superhero movie have you seen where the superhero is single-minded about getting that coffee? And then there’s action in the doughnut shop because where there is a superhero, there will be murder and mayhem and blood.” —Manisha Lahke,CNBCTV18.com, 2/7/19
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“... Aidan Gallagher gets special mention as Number Five, the boy from the future whose confidence goes a long way to counter his adolescent appearance.” —Peter Hartlaub, Datebook, 2/13/19
SCI FI NOW
“Aidan Gallagher, as the somehow de-aged teleporter and time-traveller Number Five, is an early stand-out.”
—Abigail Chandler, 2/14/19
AFTONBLADET
“Nummer fem (Aidan Gallagher, som fullkomligt stjäl den här showen) är en tidsresenär som försvann som barn, har tillbringat flera decennier i framtiden, och nu är tillbaka i samtiden som en blasé farbror i en 13-årings kropp. Nummer sex…” TRANSLATION: Number Five (Aidan Gallagher, who totally steals this show) is a time traveler who disappeared as a child, has spent several decades in the future, and is now back in time as a blasé uncle in a 13-year-old body.”
—Karolina Fjellborg, 2/14/19
BERLINER ZEITGUNG
“Der heimliche Star der Show ist der erst 15-Jährige Aidan Gallagher, der als Nummer fünf einen Erwachsenen im Körper eines Teenagers darstellt. Gallagher spielt die Rolle mit einer Abgeklärtheit und Coolness, dass es eine echte Freude ist, ihm dabei zuzusehen.” Translation: The secret star of the show is the only 15-year-old Aidan Gallagher, who is number five, an adult in the body of a teenager. Gallagher plays the role with a serenity and coolness that watching him is a real pleasure.”—Editor, 2/14/19
BUSTLE
“…time travel also comes in scenes featuring breakout star Aidan Gallagher…” , “... Gallagher, who perfectly brings to life his character's sardonic wit and narcissistic exasperation ....” —Sydney Buckbaum, 2/14/19
MEAWW
“Gallagher nailed the role of the 58-year-old Number 5 so effortlessly, we couldn't believe he's only 15-years old…” and “For an actor so young, to speak so wise, makes us believe Aidan Gallagher may be hiding the fact that he's actually a time-traveler.” —Elston Menezes, 2/14/19
THE IRISH TIMES
“Vortex-hopping Number Five impressively played by 15-year-old Aidan Gallagher, from Nickelodeon’s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) is the most-listened-to, even if he’s stuck in the body of his teenage self.” —Shilpa Ganatra, 2/13/19
MASHABLE
“Even among a cast of this caliber there is one standout: Aidan Gallagher, the 15-year-old Nickelodeon star whose turn as Number Five is a highlight of Umbrella Academy. ...and it’s astonishing funny to see Gallagher nail the role ... It’s a miracle of casting that Umbrella Academy found the perfect teen to carry such a heavy plot burden with humor and hyper-competence.” —Alexis Nedd, 2/15/19
DECIDER
“We definitely want to see more, especially because of Page and Gallagher...” —Joel Keller, 2/15/19
IGN
“But the true revelation of the show is Aidan Gallagher as Number Five, ... and Gallagher strikes the perfect balance of worldly and world-weary without ever seeming precocious. After a couple of episodes, you'll be convinced that the 15-year-old really is a grumpy old man in a kid's body, and his snark - especially in combination with Sheehan's gleeful lunacy - is the highlight of the series.” —Laura Prudom 2/15/19
PLEASE PRESS PLAY
“I had to save the absolute best for last. One performer left such an impression on me during this show that I feel obligated to give him his own paragraph (and even that doesn’t feel like enough). Aidan Gallagher playing Number Five, a teenager with the mind of a fifty-eight year old man, is one of the biggest breakout stars I’ve ever seen. This actor is fifteen and he plays this character so masterfully, I feel like he really must have a mind beyond his years. He comes across as effortlessly charismatic, witty, and mature in a tour de force performance for the ages. If I take away anything from The Umbrella Academy, it’s that Gallagher had better be cast in everything after this role.” —Bryce Ratcliff, 2/15/19
HYPABLE
“...the standout character and actor: Number Five, as played by Aidan Gallagher. Number Five, as a character, could have so easily have fallen flat. It’s an incredibly difficult line to toe, having to portray the soul of someone far, far older, in the body of a child, but Gallagher pulls off the performance with ease. He was wonderfully, perfectly Number Five, in all the ways I never could have imagined, and then some more. Gallagher was a scene stealer..." —Donya the Superfan, 2/15/19
POPBUZZ
“People couldn't get enough of Number 5." —Nicky Idika, 2/16/19
SHOWSNOB
“The Umbrella Academy shines with Aidan Gallagher at the center, his scenes injecting both humor and darkness into the series.” —Kelly Shanaphy, 2/16/19
FINANCIAL TIMES
“Despite Sheehan’s best showboating, Aidan Gallagher upstages everyone as Number Five (no name), a spatial-temporal athlete who leaps back from an apocalyptic future still fitting into his school uniform but actually aged 58. The laconic observations that spout from someone still in short pants are a joy.” —Suzy Feay, 2/15/19
THE GEEKIARY
“Aidan Gallagher did middle-aged man stuck in a child’s body very well.” —Jamie Sugah, 2/16/19
CHANNEL24
“A 58-year-old man living in a teenager’s body who can travel through time – acted out masterfully by Aidan Gallagher.” —Bronwyn McKay, 2/16/19
ENTERAINMENT IE
“... break-out star Aidan Gallagher, the talent on the series is remarkable. Gallagher’s Number 5 is easily one of the highlights of the series - a teen playing a time-travelling senior citizen who’s seen the apocalypse happen is no easy task - but the young actor does it with such a natural comedic style and brazenness that’s it’s welcomingly fresh.” —Eoghan Cannon, 2/16/19
POLTRONANERD
“Do elenco principal, o jovem Aidan Gallagher se destaca como Número 5. O ator de 15 anos captou a maturidade necessária para o personagem, já que o Número 5 viaja pelo espaço e tempo e, conseguiu manter a aparência infantil.” TRANSLATION: Of the main cast, young Aidan Gallagher stands out as Number 5. The 15-year-old actor captured the necessary maturity for the character, as Number 5 travels through space and time and has managed to maintain a childlike appearance." —Renan Lelis, 2/16/19
COMMON SENSE MEDIA
“Aidan Gallagher, tasked with playing a character with the consciousness of a 58-year-old and the body of a 13-year-old. Grousing his way believably and magnetically through scenes in which he can't believe the stupidity of everyone around him, Gallagher is a kick -- and incidentally has a really cool super power.” —Joyce Slaton, 2/14/19
EXPRESS
“The Umbrella Academy on Netflix has left fans gripped to the action surrounding Vanya (played by Ellen Page), Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) and Klaus (Robert Sheehan), with many fans binging every episode at once.” —Alex Davies, 2/17/19
NEWS MONKEY
“Maar alle leden van de Umbrella Academy zijn uitstekend gecast en acteren met een uitgesproken fysicaliteit. Robert Sheehan is daar een uitblinker in, maar ook Number Five (een uitstekende Aidan Gallagher die zeer jong en zeer oud moet weten te combineren) staat stevig in de schoenen. Geen evidentie, maar door die beweeglijkheid komt het bovennatuurlijke van de personages in de verf te staan.” TRANSLATION: But all members of the Umbrella Academy are excellently cast and acting with a pronounced physicality. Robert Sheehan is a star in that, but also Number Five (an excellent Aidan Gallagher who has to combine very young and very old) is firmly in the shoes. No evidence, but through that mobility the supernatural of the characters is highlighted." —Sofie Van Waeyenberghe, 2/17/19
COSMIC BOOK NEWS
“15-year-old Aidan Gallagher from various Nickelodeon series was a riot as Number Five..” —Matt McGloin, 2/17/19
POLYGON
“Aidan Gallagher holds his own among the adult cast.”—Petrana Radulovic, 2/15/19
HEUTE
“Ein weiteres Glanzstück liefert der junge Aidan Gallagher ab. Er spielt einen knapp Sechzigjährigen im Körper eines Teenagers, der durch Raum und Zeit springen kann, sich für die Krone der Schöpfung hält und in eine Schaufensterpuppe verliebt ist.” TRANSLATION: Another highlight comes from the young Aidan Gallagher. He plays a barely sixty-year-old in the body of a teenager, who can jump through space and time, considers himself the crown of creation and is in love with a mannequin.' —Editor, 2/18/19
SCREENRANT
“The Umbrella Academy certainly gives Aidan Gallagher plenty of time to shine, including a wealth of action scenes in which he takes on various Commission thugs and attempts to outwit The Handler.” “Five's action sequences are thrilling and perfectly synced with the show's soundtrack, with music including "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" and "Don't Stop Me Now." —Thomas bacon, 2/18/19
THAT HASHTAG SHOW
“Aidan Gallagher is the breakout star, however. His character, “Number Five”, is intently missed whenever he is not on the screen. When he is, he’s a delight to watch.” —PickedLast4kickball, 2/18/19
TV SPOILER.COM
“I understand that in the comics he is aged around ten, but I think they were right to make the change and go with a slightly more mature actor. Gallagher really does a fantastic job as the old man stuck in a young body shtick; I particularly enjoyed his screen time spent with Dolores.” —Sandiwich 11, 2/13/19
OBSERVER
“Among the main cast, Aidan Gallagher’s Number Five, a 70-year-old time-traveling teleporter stuck in the body of a 14-year-old, and David Castañeda’s Diego, a knife-throwing rebel, are immediate standouts.” —Brandon Katz, 2/1/19
GEEK CULTURE
“…and let’s not forget the arrogant Five, played by teenager Aidan Gallagher (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Modern Family) in a breakout performance....” —Marion, 2/1/19
GAMER HEADQUARTERS
“Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) was an absolute stand out delivering someone with experience, but playing the youth angle well and you'll see what I mean as you watch it.” —Editor, 2/2/19,