While there are many short actresses in Hollywood (like A-lister Reese Witherspoon who is only 5ft1in), there are plenty of tall ones, too.
Often they are not the people you would immediately think of.
Some are household names that seem as if they would be average in height when in reality they are over 6ft tall.
When they star in movies, these women are usually paired with very tall male actors to balance the height out.
Think of when Geena Davis (6ft) costarred with Jeff Goldblum in The Fly in 1986; she looked petite next to him as he is an impressive 6ft4in. That four inches really made a difference.
They went on to costar in two more films: 1985’s Transylvania 6-5000 and 1988’s Earth Girls Are Easy.
Of course, sometimes it is good if the actress is tall for a visual affect like when Nicole Kidman (5ft11in) bosses around her lover, played by Joaquin Phoenix (5ft8in), in the 1995 thriller To Die For.
Here is a looked at the taller ladies who are all 6ft or higher (scroll down for a list of the shortest actresses in Hollywood).
While there are many short actresses in Hollywood (like A-lister Reese Witherspoon who is only 5ft1in), there are plenty of tall ones too. Nicole Kidman, seen at this year’s Met Gala, is not on the list
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LINDSAY KAY HAYWARD
HEIGHT: 6FT8IN
Lindsay Kay Hayward is an American actress and retired professional wrestler.
The blonde is better known by her ring names, Isis the Amazon and Aloisia.
In 2015 she was in Internship Games, about six college students from different universities around the country are selected to participate in Econo Air’s annual, company program to compete for an internship.
That same year she played Jade Bell on Grey’s Anatomy and she was on the reality TV show My Tall Life.
Lindsay says she has been 6ft8in since she was 13-years-old and sometimes it makes dating ‘difficult.’
Lindsay Kay Hayward is an American actress and retired professional wrestler better known by her ring names, Isis the Amazon and Aloisia. Seen right with Jacee Jule (5ft4in) left in 2014
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE
HEIGHT: 6FT3IN
Gwendoline Christie is an English actress who has found great success in show business even though she is head and shoulders above her contemporaries.
The versatile actress is known for portraying Brienne Of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones.
And she was the First Order stormtrooper Captain Phasma in the films Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Her 6ft3in frame made her appear intimidating while in her shiny steel costume as she went up against Finn, aka FN-2187.
When she attended the Met Gala this year, her height helped her make a radiant impression in a maroon velvet gown and black sheer cape.
Gwendoline Christie is an English actress. She is known for portraying Brienne of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones. Seen at this year’s Met Gala
ELIZABETH DELBECKI
HEIGHT: 6FT3IN
Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress who has legs for days.
She is known for starring in the BBC limited series The Night Manager.
And she gained wider recognition for her portrayal of the late Diana, Princess of Wales in the Netflix drama series The Crown.
Princess Diana was on the taller side too at 5ft10in.
She has said that her height has come up during casting sessions for acting roles.
In a 2016 BBC America interview, Debicki revealed she ‘used to slump a lot’ when she was a teen. At the time, she felt too tall, but now she has learned to embrace her height, she shared.
Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress. She is known for starring in the BBC limited series The Night Manager
She has played the late Diana, Princess of Wales in the Netflix drama series The Crown. Princess Diana was on the taller side too at 5ft10in
Seen with Khalid Abdalla in 2023
JANET MCTEER
HEIGHT: 6FT1IN
Janet McTeer began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
She then landed several stage roles that cemented her reputation as a true talent.
She has also starred in many films like Albert Nobbs in 2011, The Woman In Black in 2012, Me Before You in 2016, The Exception in 2016 and The Menu in 2022.
One of her more recent hits is Ozark where she starred as a Mexican drug cartel’s lawyer opposite a doomed accountant played by Jason Bateman.
In 2016 she told The New Yorker that her height was something that worried her when she was a teen: ‘I was incredibly self-conscious about the way I looked.’
Janet McTeer began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. She has starred in many films like Albert Nobbs in 2011, The Woman In Black in 2012, Me Before You in 2016, The Exception in 2016 and The Menu in 2022. Seen in 2023
One of her more recent hits is Ozark where she starred as a Mexican drug cartel’s lawyer opposite a doomed accountant played by Jason Bateman. From left: McTeer, Peter Mullan, Lisa Emery, Bateman
IRELAND BALDWIN
HEIGHT: 6FT1IN
Her height got her many modeling jobs as she worked for Guess and BCBG Max Azria.
But it was only a matter of time before Ireland Baldwin – the daughter of actors Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin – went into acting.
She costarred with Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone in Grudge Match in 2013.
And she also played Madeleine in the 2020 movie A Dark Foe.
Her cousin Hailey Baldwin, who is married to and expecting a baby with Justin Bieber, is much shorter.
Though Ireland has not talked much about being tall, Hailey has brought up her relative’s height: She said on her twitter page, ‘Ireland is 6’2 and I’m 5’8 – she’s like my basketball boyfriend and I’m her shawty.’
Her height got her many modeling jobs as she worked for Guess and BCBG Max Azria. But it was only a matter of time before Ireland Baldwin – the daughter of actors Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin – went into acting. Seen with dad in 2013
With stepmom Hilaria in 2015 in NYC
Her cousin Hailey Baldwin, who is married to and expecting a baby with Justin Bieber, is much shorter at 5ft8in
BRIGITTE NIELSEN
HEIGHT: 6FT1IN
Brigitte Nielsen is pretty much known for her height.
The Danish actress was a towering force in her 1985 film Red Sonja where she looked larger than life while wielding her sword.
Her height also was interesting when she costarred with Sylvester Stallone in Rocky IV.
She and Sly married then starred in the 1986 film Cobra. They divorced in 1987.
The import said in 2023: ‘Photographer Helmut Newton always said you can never be tall enough.’
Brigitte Nielsen is pretty much known for her height. The Danish actress was a towering force in her 1985 film Red Sonja where she looked larger than life while wielding her sword. Seen in 2023
Her height also was interesting when she costarred with Sylvester Stallone in Rocky IV. She and Sly married then starred in the 1986 film Cobra. They divorced in 1987. Seen in 1987
ALLISON JANNEY
HEIGHT: 6FT
Allison Janney seems to have consistently used her height to play powerful people.
She is best known for her smarty-pants part as White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg in the long-running TV series The West Wing.
And her height allowed her to tower over Anna Faris to comedic effect on the sitcom Mom.
Janney has said she thought her height would stand in the way of her success but it never has: She has won an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for two Tony Awards.
‘When I first started out in this business, with my size and whatever, I couldn’t even get arrested in this business. I was ecstatically surprised when it turned out there was a place for me in this industry,’ she said.
Allison Janney seems to have consistently used her height to play powerful people. She is best known for her smarty-pants part as White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg in the long-running TV series The West Wing. Seen left with McKenna Grace in 2020
JANE LYNCH
HEIGHT: 6FT
Jane Lynch’s height worked to her benefit when she played coach Sue Sylvester on the smash hit TV series Glee, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
She was on the show from 2009 until 2015.
And she has had many other successes.
In November 2021, Lynch voiced Ole Golley in the Apple TV+ animated series Harriet the Spy.
Lynch also plays a recurring character in the comedy mystery television series, Only Murders in the Building.
Jane has also said she landed a role in the Nora Ephron movie Julie And Julia because of her height.
Jane Lynch’s height when she played coach Sue Sylvester on the smash hit TV series Glee, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Seen in May
She was on the show from 2009 until 2015
Seen center with costume designers from the television series Glee Jennifer Eve (L) and Lou Eyrich (R) in 2012
GEENA DAVIS
HEIGHT: 6FT
Geena Davis was a tall fashion model who looked great in gowns during runway shows.
So she was a perfect fit as the leggy soap opera star in one of her first hits, 1982’s Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman.
When she worked with Jeff Goldblum in three movies, starting with The Fly, she seemed petite as he is 6ft4in.
Davis is considered one of the best actresses in Hollywood: she has earned an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
But being tall used to bother her. She told The New Yorker: ‘I was tall from a baby. I was always the tallest kid in class, male or female, right up until senior year. And I found it very stressful to stand out so much, because the last thing I wanted to do was stand out.
‘It’s not like kids teased me—I just felt it. I didn’t fit in. But everybody has their thing in high school, their personal torture.’
Geena Davis was a tall fashion model who looked great in gowns. So she was a perfect fit as the leggy soap opera star in one of her first hits, Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman. Seen in April
Seen right with Madeline Di Nonno in 2023 in Los Angeles
AISHA TYLER
HEIGHT: 6FT
Aisha Tyler is a star who has crossed into many paths: she has been a model, an actress and a talk show host.
She is known for playing Andrea Marino in the first season of Ghost Whisperer, Dr. Tara Lewis in Criminal Minds, Mother Nature in the final two The Santa Clause films, and voicing Lana Kane in Archer.
Tyler has not said that her height held her back in Hollywood.
But she did acknowledge that when she dated actor Sam Rockwell in high school, she used to lean down during photos with him. She called it her ‘A pose.’
Tyler previously told Paste magazine that she ‘fell in love’ with Rockwell when the two attended the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.
Aisha Tyler is an actress and talk show host. She is known for playing Andrea Marino in the first season of Ghost Whisperer; seen in mid April in LA
Tyler, far right, with Reese Witherspoon (5ft1in) and Jennifer Garner (5ft8in) in 2023
KRISTEN JOHNSTON
HEIGHT: 6FT
Kristen Johnston is the leggy blonde with a pretty face and excellent comedic timing.
She is best known for her work on television sitcoms.
Her longest role was as Sally Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun. She twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her part.
And she has also appeared in many films like Love Sick, Vamps and Life Happens.
Johnston has addressed her towering 6ft tall stature publicly.
‘When you’re that tall, people talk about it all the time,’ she has said.
She told the Huffington Post in 2021 she suffered when she was a child: ‘I really was a loser; I’m not exaggerating. It wasn’t just that my height (6ft) was wrong. I was very loud. I always said the wrong thing at the exact worst moment. They called me “learning disabled” even though I wasn’t. I had to wear corrective shoes, and everything I wore was totally ill-fitting only because my mother could not keep up with my height.’
Kristen Johnston was Sally Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun. And she has also appeared in many films like Love Sick, Vamps and Life Happens
‘When you’re that tall, people talk about it all the time,’ she has said. Seen right as Tammy on Mom with Jaime Pressly
BROOKE SHIELDS
HEIGHT: 6FT
Brooke Shields cashed in on her height as a teen when she started modeling for brands like Calvin Klein.
Later her height forced her to work with tall male costars like Christopher Atkins (5ft10in) in 1980’s The Blue Lagoon and Lambert Wilson (6ft3in) in 1983’s Sahara.
She still makes sure her male counterparts are tall: for her next film, Mother Of The Bride, her love interest is played by the very tall Benjamin Bratt who stands at 6ft2in.
Shields has been very aware of her height.
In 2017 she told Health magazine that she hated when stylists brought her sample sizes that didn’t fit: ‘I was always considered the athletic one, and that translated into big. I was the big one. Thankfully, so many more body types are accepted these days.’
In 2023, Brooke said it was ‘really unconscionable’ that Barbara Walters asked about her body measurements on television when she was just 15.
Brooke Shields cashed in on her height as a teen when she started modeling for brands like Calvin Klein. Later it forced her to work with tall male costars like Christopher Atkins in 1980’s The Blue Lagoon and 1983’s Sahara. Seen in April
She still makes sure her male counterparts are tall: for her next film, Mother Of The Bride, her love interest is played by the very tall Benjamin Bratt who stands at 6ft2in
SIGOURNEY WEAVER
HEIGHT: 6FT
Sigourney Weaver came to fame as the very fierce Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s science fiction film Alien (1979).
She reprised her role in James Cameron’s Aliens (1986), for which she received her first Academy Award nomination, and again in Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997).
She reunited with Cameron in Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), two of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Her height has never seemed to be an issue.
And she has had a stunning career in Hollywood with the films The Ice Storm (1997). Her other notable films include Copycat (1995), Galaxy Quest (1999), The Village (2004), Vantage Point (2008), Chappie (2015), and A Monster Calls (2016).
In 2009 she admitted being 6ft has been a problem, however.
‘I’ve lost a lot of roles because of my height, I’m 6ft3in in heels,’ said the star. ‘Producers are short and I was never their sexual fantasy. As for actors, if I enter a room and an actor stands up then immediately sits back down, I hear myself saying, “This job isn’t for me.”‘
FAMKE JANSSEN
HEIGHT: 6FT
Famke Janssen was a top Vogue model before becoming an actress.
The first role the Dutch native made a splash with was GoldenEye for which she played Xenia Onatopp.
She stood eye to eye with her costar Pierce Brosnan who is 6ft1in.
Then she starred as Jean Grey / Phoenix in the X-Men film series, and Lenore Mills in the Taken film trilogy.
She made her directorial debut with Bringing Up Bobby in 2011.
She told The Independent in 2022 she feels she has been typecast and that may be in part because of her height: ‘I feel incredibly misunderstood at times. It’s the dichotomy between the way I look and what is happening inside. But that comes with being in a Bond movie and playing this crazy assassin.
‘All of my friends and family know that I’m goofy, and sensitive, and that I play these characters who are so different from that; other people probably think I’m just playing myself.’
Famke Janssen was a top Vogue model before becoming an actress; seen on April 23 in NYC
The first role the Dutch native made a splash with was GoldenEye for which she played Xenia Onatopp. She seemed to tower over her costar Pierce Brosnan
WHO ARE THE SHORTEST ACTRESSES IN HOLLYWOOD?
Plenty of Hollywood stars are quite short — under 5ft5in, that is — but it’s hard to tell in front of the camera because they are styled to look statuesque.
Platform heels, finely tailored clothing and slender frames help deceive the eye into thinking they have height when they hit the spotlight at events.
On screen they may look larger than life as well, as the camera shoots them in certain ways.
It doesn’t hurt that many of their male costars are low on height too — some actors like Tom Cruise are well under 6ft tall.
And it is not just the Kardashians — Kim and Kourtney Kardashian are both around 5ft1in tall — as many other luminaries like Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria and Lady Gaga all measure at just 5ft1in.
One big-name actress is even a surprising 4ft11in.
Here is a look at the pretty but petite ladies ruling the red carpets.
JADA PINKETT SMITH
HEIGHT: 4ft11in
Jada Pinkett is a mighty star, but she is on the shorter side. She is under five feet tall at 4ft11in; seen with Will Smith in 2022
Jackie Chan (L) Jaden Smith (L) Jada (R) Will Smith (R) attends Norwegian premiere of The Karate Kid in 2010 in Fredrikstad
Jada Pinkett is a mighty star, but she is on the shorter side when compared to leggy ladies like Brooke Shields (6ft tall) and Uma Thurman (5ft11in tall).
Pinkett is under five feet tall.
In an Instagram post from 2021 she asked, ‘Why am I always the shortest one in any pic???’ when posing with husband Will Smith and son Jaden Smith.
There is a stark contrast.
Will is 6ft2in while her son Jaden is 6ft tall. Pinkett is a cute 4ft11in.
On red carpets she makes sure to wear platform heels for an extra eight inches of height, and it seems to work well.
Jada always looks like a show stopper when stepping out.
REESE WITHERSPOON
HEIGHT: 5ft1in
She is a huge force in Hollywood thanks to movies like Legally Blonde, Wild and Four Christmases. This star has also appeared on series like Friends and Big Little Lies. And she has produced several top streamer series like The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston. But Reese Witherspoon is smaller than one would expect. Seen with her daughter Ava in January
When she stood next to Selena Gomez at the SAG awards this year, she looked petite
She is a huge force in Hollywood thanks to movies like Legally Blonde, Wild and Four Christmases.
This blonde star has also appeared on series like Friends and Big Little Lies.
And she has produced several top streamer series like The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston.
But Reese Witherspoon is smaller than one would expect.
Selena Gomez towered over her at the recent SAG awards, if that is any indication.
Witherspoon has battled her way to the A-list just fine despite producers calling her out for being on the smaller side.
‘When I first came here [to LA], all I heard was, “No, not right – not tall enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough,”‘ she once told DailyMail.com.
‘But I didn’t really care about their opinions. I’m stubborn.’
MADONNA
HEIGHT: 5ft3in
Good things come in small packages. That can be said for Madonna who is 5ft3in but is considered one of the biggest stars in the world for the past 40 years
When she poses with others, like her kids, it is noticeable how petite this Material Girl is
Good things come in small packages.
That can be said for Madonna who is 5ft3in but is considered one of the biggest stars in the world for the past 40 years thanks to hits such as Borderline, Like A Virgin, Music and Frozen.
This 65-year-old Rebel Heart pop icon does not seem short when she is on stage probably because she is in great shape and wears platform heels.
Also her first husband Sean Penn is 5ft8in so she didn’t look diminutive next to him.
But when she poses with others, like her six kids, it is noticeable how petite this Material Girl is.
KIM KARDASHIAN
HEIGHT: 5ft2in
Kim Kardashian seen with her daughter North West in Paris in 2022
Kim Kardashian has made a living off modeling fashion for companies like Balenciaga and Calvin Klein.
But she is much shorter that her supermodel half-sister Kendall Jenner.
Kim does not seem bothered that she is on the shorter side and works with it very successfully.
In 2016 she said, ‘I’ve learned that there are a few really good styling tricks for short girls like me. They’re simple and make all the difference.
‘Not everyone is Kendall, LOL!’ she laughed. Jenner – who models for Vogue and Valentino – is an impressive 5ft11in.
Kardashian listed her tricks.
One was to wear high heels all the time.
‘It’s not a secret that I wear heels 99 percent of the time. If I do wear flats, it’s a momentous occasion, lol. I live in heels because they’re the best way to look taller,’ noted the Keeping Up With The Kardashians veteran.
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN
HEIGHT: 5ft1in
She is the shortest member of the Kardashian/Jenner family. Seen with husband Travis Barker in 2021; he stands at 5ft9in
She is the shortest Kardashian; seen with mom Kris Jenner as well as Khloe and Kim Kardashian in 2019
She is the shortest member of the Kardashian/Jenner family.
Kourtney Kardashian is one inch shorter than younger sister Kim Kardashian.
And she is about a foot shorter thank Khloe Kardashian and Kendall Jenner.
She has said in the past that she is sometimes bothered by her height and was thrilled when Google changed her listing from 5ft to 5ft1in.
‘That one inch does really matter to me,’ she said on her reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Her husband Travis Barker stands at 5ft9in.
LADY GAGA
HEIGHT: 5ft1in
Lady Gaga is seen at Giorgio Baldi restaurant for her birthday dinner in March in Los Angeles
Lady Gaga seen at her show in Las Vegas
Lady Gaga has been a master at dressing in sexy outfits that make the focus her great curves and not her height.
When at the Oscars or a film premiere, Gaga always brings dramatic glamour.
So it’s a shock to find out she is only 5ft1in.
When she began her career, the Poker Face hitmaker often wore platform boots that looked to be over 10 inches.
These days she is comfortable with standard pumps.
EVA LONGORIA
HEIGHT: 5ft1in
Eva Longoria seen leaving Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party at Oswald’s on April 20, 2024 in London, England
Longoria and Georgianne Ocasio are seen during Mujeres Imparables event at Telemundo Center on April 11, 2024 in Doral, Florida
With Tony Parker and at the Par Couer Gala in Paris, France in 2010
She came to fame as the little Latin powerhouse Isabella Braña on Desperate Housewives.
And when the dark-haired dame was with basketball star Tony Parker – who is 6ft2in – it was illustrated that she is on the shorter side.
Over the years her fame has grown with movies as well as producing TV shows like Maids.
And over time the emphasis has not been on her height, but rather how great she continues to look as she ages and leans into motherhood as she heads toward her 50s.
Her career is – excuse the pun- hotter than ever after the hit film Flamin’ Hot, which she directed.
Next she will be on the Emmy beloved show Only Murders In The Building with Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin.
PATRICIA ARQUETTE
HEIGHT: 5ft1in
Patricia Arquette is seen arriving at the Pucci Spring / Summer 2024 Very Vivara fashion show at Palazzo Altemps on April 4, 2024 in Rome, Italy. She had on platform heels
(L-R) Sandra Bernhard, Theodora Richards, Patricia and Alexandra Richards attend the 2024 Planned Parenthood Of Greater New York Gala on April 16, 2024 in New York City
Patricia Arquette has been making waves in Hollywood since the 1980s.
The sister of Rosanna Arquette and David Arquette has made hit movies like True Romance and has been on the long-running TV series Medium.
No one has seemed to pick up on that she is on the shorter side.
The star looks perfect on red carpets as she models couture that she pairs with high heels.
She has not talked much about her height, but she has discussed ageing in Hollywood.
In 2022 she said: ‘This is my own face and if tomorrow I decide to have a facelift, then I’m going to do it. Everyone gets to do what they want with their own face … but I understand why people feel that pressure.’
She has not given in to that ‘pressure.’
‘[The look is] this, kind of, eternal ingénue, and you just don’t see it much in the human race. It’s kind of a Hollywood specific look,’ the actress said. ‘At the end of the day, there’s Hollywood and your relationship with Hollywood as an actor, and then there’s also your own relationship with yourself and the world around you. What adventures do you want to have in this life? I feel very happy with where I am right now.’
NATALIE PORTMAN
HEIGHT: 5ft3in
Natalie Portman and ex Benjamin Millepied at the UK Gala screening of Thor: Love and Thunder in London in 2022
She is 5ft3in but looks much taller probably because she is slender and wears fashion so well; seen in February
Portman modeling the Dior tote bag this year
Natalie Portman is on the A list.
And she has always looked the part while wearing couture and high heels on red carpets, and also dazzling on magazine covers as she flaunts her lithe frame.
Some mind find it surprising she is actually 5ft3in.
Portman may appear taller because her clothing is always tailored; her fitted jeans are never too long. And blazer look sharp on her, she never swims in them.
The beauty had become a successful model even though she is about six inches shorter than the average catwalk queen.
Portman has been working with Christian Dior since 2011.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON
HEIGHT: 5ft3in
Scarlett Johansson attends the David Yurman event at David Yurman’s 57th Street store in December 2023 in New York City
Her next project is Fly Me To The Moon with Channing Tatum
She has always looked tall in her films like Black Widow.
So it’s a shock that Scarlett Johansson is actually quite petite at 5ft3in.
The star talked to Cosmopolitan about how she doesn’t like being asked about her height.
Scarlett said, ‘”Wow, you’re really short.” I get that a lot. [They say], “You’re a lot shorter than I thought you were.” I’m like, “Wow, how is that ever OK to say to someone?” It’s so bizarre. Yes. It’s, “You’re really short.”‘
Scarlett has always had a healthy mindset when it comes to her appearance and has spoken often on how she opts for health over anything else.
‘I try to stay fit and eat healthily, but I’m not anxious to starve myself and become unnaturally thin. I don’t find that look attractive on women and I don’t want to become part of that trend,’ she said.
‘It’s unhealthy and it puts too much pressure on women in general who are being fed this image of the ideal, which it is not.
‘I think America has become obsessed with dieting… I also think that being ultra-thin is not sexy at all. Women shouldn’t be forced to conform to unrealistic and unhealthy body images that the media promote.
‘I don’t need to be skinny to be sexy.’
