When we think of famous people, we often picture them as tall and imposing. However, many well-known men are surprisingly small in stature. From legendary actors to influential leaders, these individuals have made a big impact on the world, showing that greatness comes in all sizes. Let’s take a look at some famous men who have thrived despite being shorter than expected.
Tom Cruise 5’7″ (172cm)
Tom Cruise is one of the most well-known A-list actors who stands under six feet tall. He was famously married to Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, both of whom are two to three inches taller than he is. When he was cast as Jack Reacher, a character known for his towering height, he faced some criticism. However, Cruise has proven to be a formidable presence in his roles.
Bruno Mars 5’5″ (165cm)
Bruno Mars is an exceptional performer, and you might not notice that he stands at only about 5’5” given his impressive stage presence. He has been seen wearing elevator shoes and Cuban heels, which certainly add to his height. However, his impeccable sense of style ensures that these footwear choices always look fitting.
The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, is reported to be around 5’7”, although his exact height is often debated online. While he is definitely under six feet tall, he held his own on stage alongside tall supermodels during the 2016 Victoria’s Secret show. He even performed facing his ex-girlfriend Bella Hadid, who is slightly taller at 5’9”.
Dustin Hoffman is an acting legend, renowned for his performances in *The Graduate* and *Rain Man*. Standing at just 5’5”, he has never allowed his height to hinder his success. In addition to his impressive acting career, he has been married multiple times and has six children.
Mark Wahlberg may be shorter in stature, but he compensates for it with impressive muscles. Known primarily for portraying tough, no-nonsense characters, he maintains a strict workout routine and disciplined diet in real life. His remarkable career trajectory continues to show no signs of slowing down.
Best known for his role in *Back to the Future*, Michael J. Fox was the ideal height to portray the teen character Marty McFly. Interestingly, he was already 24 years old during the film’s production. Despite his height, Fox went on to have a highly successful career, although he is now retired.
Al Pacino is best known for his iconic roles in *The Godfather* and *Scarface*. Despite his significant on-screen presence, he stands at only about 5’6”. Reports suggest that directors have employed clever angles and various techniques to address any height challenges during filming.
Joaquin Phoenix recently portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte in the film *Napoleon*, and he faced some unexpected criticism from viewers. Instead of being judged for being too short, as is often the case for actors, he was critiqued for being too tall. Historically, Napoleon was reported to be between 5’2” and 5’7”.
With his larger-than-life voice, Bono stands at a compact 5’6”, making him the shortest member of U2. However, you may not have noticed this, as he often wears elevated creeper-style shoes that create the illusion of a taller stature when he’s next to his bandmates.
Ben Stiller is well-known for his roles as iconic characters like Derek Zoolander and Greg Focker, but he stands at about 5’6” in real life. He takes his shorter stature in stride, openly admitting to wearing shoe lifts while filming. Interestingly, he is also good friends with Tom Cruise, who is similar in height.
Best known for his role as a chef in the TV series *The Bear*, Jeremy Allen White stands at 5’7”. Despite his height, he has gained quite the following, with women around the world swooning over him. He recently starred in a striking Spring 2024 Calvin Klein Underwear campaign, and the images quickly went viral on social media.
Kanye West has a commanding presence as a rapper, so it may surprise you that he’s actually well under 6 feet tall. His ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, is just 5’2”, which often made him appear taller in photos. Kanye also loves wearing chunky boots, which add a few extra inches to his height.
Zac Efron was the ideal height for playing high schooler Troy Bolton in the *High School Musical* movies, but his recent role as Kevin Von Erich in *The Iron Claw* required him to appear much taller. Since the real Von Erich stands at 6’2”, the film’s crew had to get creative with camera angles to make up the difference.
Jonah Hill may be below average in height, but it hasn’t slowed down his career. He’s starred in numerous Hollywood films, and many viewers might not realize he’s only 5’7”. During his *Superbad* days, his full head of hair may have even given him a slight boost in appearance!
Martin Short definitely earns a spot on this list of short kings. While standing at 5’8”, he’s not exactly tiny, he is only two inches taller than Selena Gomez in their popular series *Only Murders in the Building*. His height hasn’t held him back at all—he’s a multi-talented star known for his acting, singing, and writing.
Rami Malek’s height didn’t stop him from portraying the iconic Freddie Mercury in the *Bohemian Rhapsody* biopic. While the real Freddie Mercury was reportedly 5’9”, Malek stands just shy of 5’8”. Despite this small difference, the film was a huge success overall.
While Kit Harington isn’t exactly short, most people would appear smaller standing next to his *Game of Thrones* co-star, 6’2” Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Harington’s height hasn’t been an issue, as he delivered a strong performance as Jon Snow. Showrunners appreciated his work, and Snow was never meant to be particularly tall anyway.
Robert Downey Jr. is best known for his role as Iron Man in the *Avengers* movies. He never seems particularly short next to his co-stars, likely due to reportedly wearing platform shoes during filming. He’s clearly mastered walking in elevated footwear, as he’s also been spotted sporting chunky heels at red carpet events.
Martin Freeman, who portrays Dr. Watson in the BBC series *Sherlock*, stands just under 5’7”. This makes him noticeably shorter than his co-star, Benedict Cumberbatch, who is around six feet tall. In the original *Sherlock Holmes* novels, Holmes is described as particularly tall, which explains why a shorter actor like Freeman was cast as Dr. Watson for contrast.
Joe Pesci is reportedly just 5’3” tall, but that hasn’t stopped him from delivering powerful performances as an actor. He often portrays intimidating, unhinged characters, showcasing his talent regardless of his height. A notable mention is his role as Marv, one half of the Wet Bandits in *Home Alone*.
Elijah Wood’s character, Frodo Baggins, is estimated to be around 3’6″ tall according to fan analyses, making Wood practically a giant in comparison. However, his modest height isn’t his defining feature; it’s his striking, large, round baby blue eyes that really capture attention first.
Daniel Radcliffe was just a child when he was cast as Harry Potter, but his below-average height ultimately worked in his favor. By the end of the series, he still looked believable as a teenager. His co-stars, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, grew to 5’5″ and 5’8″ respectively, which isn’t a significant height difference.
Small but perfectly formed, Danny DeVito stands at just 4’10”. Despite his short stature, which is due to a genetic condition, he has enjoyed an incredible career in TV and film. He famously portrayed the formidable Mr. Wormwood in *Matilda*, made a memorable cameo as a stripper in *Friends*, and plays Frank Reynolds in the award-winning series *It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia*.
Dave Franco’s older brother, James Franco, is considerably taller at 5’11”. The siblings have appeared together in multiple films, but Dave has a distinct advantage with his height. His smaller stature and boyish looks allowed him to be cast in teen movies like *Superbad* and *Bad Neighbors* well into his 20s and early 30s.
James Corden gained fame as an actor and TV writer in the UK before capturing the hearts of audiences in the United States. Standing at a modest 5’7”, his height hasn’t hindered his career at all. It certainly doesn’t affect his presence when he hosts his star-studded carpool karaoke sessions.
Good Charlotte star Benji Madden may have seemed taller with his liberty spikes in the early 2000s, but he actually stands at just 5’6”. His wife, actress Cameron Diaz, is two inches taller at 5’8”, and his identical twin brother, Joel, is slightly taller as well, standing at 5’7”.
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Iggy Pop is an award-winning musician and actor renowned for his wild performances on stage. You might be surprised to learn that he stands at only around 5’6”, and he reportedly has one leg shorter than the other. However, you’d never guess it, as he rarely stands still during his energetic shows!
Jet Li demonstrates that you don’t need to be tall to be a total badass. As a martial arts star, he has enjoyed a highly successful film career in both China and the US. Interestingly, he reportedly considered quitting acting to live as a Buddhist monk. We imagine he’s perfectly at peace with his height!
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James McAvoy has openly discussed his below-average height, mentioning that it has made it challenging to secure certain roles and that he has faced criticism. However, this hasn’t deterred him from establishing a successful career. The Scottish actor has gained fame for his performances in movies like *Split* and *Filth*.
Stanley Tucci always looks stylish and well put together, so you might not realize he is only 5’8”. His wife, Felicity Blunt, is slightly shorter at 5’7”, but she often appears taller in red carpet photos due to her preference for heels.
Don Cheadle is the second *Avengers* star on this list, standing just below 5’8”. However, he’s much more than his character, James Rhodes, and more than his height. He has appeared in numerous blockbusters and is also a talented musician, skilled in singing and playing the saxophone.
This Green Day star may be only 5’7”, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most famous rock stars ever. Interestingly, his bandmate Tré Cool is about an inch shorter, proving that height isn’t an issue for them. The band continues to thrive, having released an impressive 14 studio albums to date.
The third *Avengers* star on this list is Mark Ruffalo, who stands at just 5’8”. Ironically, he plays the raging monster, The Hulk. Despite his height, he has done an incredible job in the role, and the transformation is so remarkable that adding a few inches to his height was likely the least of the crew’s concerns.
Stand-up king Kevin Hart is surprisingly compact at just under 5’5”. While he may be shorter in stature, he more than makes up for it with his immense talent. Hart is open about his height and often incorporates jokes about it into his stand-up acts, aiming to resonate with audience members who can relate.
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Tobey Maguire is another actor whose height helped him portray a teenager, most famously as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. There has been some confusion regarding his height, but it seems to be around 5’8”. He is slightly taller than his *Spider-Man* co-star, Kirsten Dunst.
Ken Jeong is best known for his comedic role in *The Hangover* movies, and he’s also a successful stand-up comedian. Standing at 5’4”, he is definitely on the shorter side, but his talent is undeniable. Interestingly, before entering the acting world, he earned a medical degree and worked as a practicing physician!
This *Big Bang Theory* star stands at a modest 5’5”, while his co-star, Jim Parsons, is significantly taller. This height difference reportedly caused some issues during filming, with Galecki mentioning that studio lights would reflect harshly off his glasses whenever he looked up at Parsons. Thankfully, they managed to work around it!
Tom Holland, who also played Spider-Man, was the ideal height for the role of teen Peter Parker at around 5’6”. He is notably shorter than his co-star and current partner, Zendaya. The two have often joked about their height difference and have clearly embraced it with humor.
Seth Green’s career dates back to the ’80s, and he is now an incredibly successful actor. While his exact height is unclear, he appears to be around 5’4”. He is happily married to actress Clare Grant, who is slightly taller at 5’6”.
At 5’6”, Nick Jonas is the shortest among his brothers: Kevin, Joe, and Frankie are all taller. His wife, actress Priyanka Chopra, is also around 5’6”. Interestingly, she often appears taller than him in pictures, likely due to her high heels.
When we think of famous people, we often picture them as tall and imposing. However, many well-known men are surprisingly small in stature. From legendary actors to influential leaders, these individuals have made a big impact on the world, showing that greatness comes in all sizes. Let’s take a look at some famous men who have thrived despite being shorter than expected.
Tom Cruise 5’7″ (172cm)
Tom Cruise is one of the most well-known A-list actors who stands under six feet tall. He was famously married to Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, both of whom are two to three inches taller than he is. When he was cast as Jack Reacher, a character known for his towering height, he faced some criticism. However, Cruise has proven to be a formidable presence in his roles.