Actress Who Are Short & Sweet
It can be hard to tell how tall someone is from watching them onscreen. In fact, sometimes, tricks like camera angles or stepping stools are used to make actors seem taller.
Stars like Lady Gaga, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jada Pinkett Smith are shorter than they may appear.
Here’s 44 actresses who are shorter than you might think.
Average Heights
Just for perspective, the average height for a female in the U.S. is about 5-feet-4-inches. This list will include actresses who are 5-feet-3-inches and shorter.
GabboT, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Zelda Rubinstein
Zelda Rubinstein was an American actress and human rights activist. She is best known for her role as eccentric medium Tangina Barrons in the Poltergeist film series.
Zelda’s short stature was due to a deficiency of the anterior pituitary gland, which produces growth hormone, causing her to be no taller than 4-feet-3-inches.
Marsha Traeger, CC-BY-SA-4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Snooki
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi is an American reality TV star known for her presence on Jersey Shore.
It’s no secret that Snooki is tiny as she stands just 4-feet-8-inches.
Amy Nicole Waltney, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter is an American singer and actress. She is known for her role in the crime drama series, Law & Order: SVU, and as a Disney Channel personality, playing lead roles Girl Meets World and Adventures in Babysitting.
Sabrina is only 4-feet-9-inches.
Red Carpet Report, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Linda Hunt
Linda Hunt is an American actress known for her roles in Pocahontas, Stranger Than Fiction, NCIS: Los Angeles, Kindergarten Cop, and more.
Linda is just 4-feet-9-inches.
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She attained international stardom and critical acclaim: as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles; as a recording artist; and on the concert stage.
The Wizard of Oz star was only 4-feet-11-inches.
Clarence Sinclair Bull - MGM publicity photographer, Wikimedia Commons
Lil’ Kim
Lil’ Kim is an American rapper and actress best known for her album, Hard Core, and her parts in Lady Marmalade; and her roles in Knocked Up, 8 Mile, and Moulin Rouge.
She isn’t called Lil’ Kim for nothing—she’s only 4-feet-11-inches tall.
Tila Tequila
Nguyễn Thị Thiên Thanh, also known as Tila Tequila is an American (born in Singapore) model, singer, television and social media personality. She is known for her role on I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, The Great Debate, and more.
Tila is known for her “cute size”, standing just 4-feet-11-inches.
Toglenn, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kristen Chenoweth
Kristen Chenoweth is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, Bewtiched, The Pink Panther, and more.
Kristen is another big talent in a small package at only 4-feet-11-inches.
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Panettiere is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, I Love You Beth Cooper, Bring It On, and more.
Hayden surprises fans with her shortness, standing just 5-feet.
Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick is an American actress known best for her roles in Pitch Perfect, Trolls, The Twilight Saga, Up in the Air, End of Watch, and more.
Anna is known for her tiny frame and stands only 5-feet.
Sagittarius - TFL Studio, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue is an Australian singer and actress. She is the highest-selling female recording artist from Australia, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. Kylie is also known for her roles in Moulin Rouge, Street Fighter, and San Andreas.
Fans are often surprised to learn that Kylie is only 5-feet tall.
Renan Katayama, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith is an American actress, singer, and talk show host. She is the co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show Red Table Talk. She has also been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021.
Jada is only 5-feet tall, but looks half that next to her 6-foot-2-inch husband, Will Smith.
Dominick D, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Mary-Kate Olsen
Kary-Kate Olsen is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, equestrian, and former actress. She is best known for her role on Full House, along with numerous other films with her twin sister, Ashley.
Mary-Kate stands just one 5-feet tall, one-inch shorter than her identical twin.
David Shankbone, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She is best known for her roles in The Running Man, Jerry Maguire, American Beauty, and more.
Paula is also only 5-feet tall.
The Heart Truth, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
AnnaSophia Robb
AnnaSophia Robb is an American actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bridge to Terabithia, Soul Surfer, and The Carrie Diaries.
AnnaSophia joins the club at just 5-feet tall.
Chandra Wilson
Chandra Wilson is an American actress best known for her roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Philadelphia, Lone Star, and more.
Chandra is also only 5-feet tall.
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria is an American actress, producer, director and business woman. She is best known for her roles on Desperate Housewives, Over Her Dead Body, Lowriders, The Harvest, Devious Maids, and more.
Eva is also only 5-feet tall.
Web Summit, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress. She is best regarded as a pop icon and influential figure in popular music.
Ariana often increases her 5-foot height with massive heels.
David Shankbone, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known for her role on American Horror Story.
Lady Gaga stands just 5-feet-1-inch.
Kourtney Kardasian
Kourtney Kardasian is an American socialite and media personality. She is best known for her family’s reality TV series, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Since she’s often dressed in heels, not many people know that Kourtney is only 5-feet-1-inch tall.
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Hudgens is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role in High School Musical.
Vanessa stands just 5-feet-1-inch.
JJ Duncan, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell is an American actress known for her roles in Veronica Mars, The Good Place, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bad Moms, and more.
Kristen’s small stature has her standing only 5-feet-1-inch.
Myles Kalus Anak Jihem, CC-BY-SA-4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nicole Ritchie
Nicole Ritchie is an American television personality, fashion designer, and actress. She is best known for her appearance in the reality TV series, The Simple Life, alongside Paris Hilton.
Nicole stands just 5-feet-1-inch.
Eva Rinaldi, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
America Ferrera
America Ferrera is an American actress, director and television producer. She is best known for her roles in Real Women Have Curves, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ugly Betty, and more.
America is only 5-feet-1-inch.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles in many films, including Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama, Water for Elephants, Big Little Lies, Gone Girl, and more.
Reese is also only 5-feet-1-inch.
Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega is an American actress best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix horror-comedy series Wednesday. She also had roles in Jane the Virgin and Stuck in the Middle.
Jenna stands just 5-feet-1-inch.
Maisie Williams
Maisie Williams is an English actress known for her role in Game of Thrones, as well as Two Weeks to Live, Pistol, and Doctor Who.
Maisie is only 5-feet-1-inch.
Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Zoë Kravtiz
Zoë Kravtiz is an American actress, model, and singer. She is known for her rol in the sperhero film, X-Men: First Class, and her role as Christina in The Divergent Series.
Zoë stands just 5-feet-2-inches.
David Shankbone, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian is an American socialite, actress, media personality, and businesswoman. She is known best for her family’s reality TV series, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Given that she is often seen in heels, most people don’t know that Kim is only 5-feet-2-inches tall.
David Shankbone, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is best known for her character on the Disney Channel comedy series, Lizzie McGuire, as well as her roles in Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story, Agent Cody Banks, and more.
Hilary is only 5-feet-2-inches.
RobinWong, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She is best known for her roles in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Puss in Boots, Grown Ups 2, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Fools Rush In, and more.
Salma stands just 5-feet-2-inches tall.
Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Emilia Clarke
Emilia Clarke is an English actress best known for her role in Game of Thrones, as well as Me Before You, Last Christmas, and Secret Invasion.
Emilia is just 5-feet-2-inches.
Sachyn, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her roles in Parks and Recreation, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, Sisters, and many more.
Amy stands just 5-feet-2-inches.
Sarah Hyland
Sarah Hyland is an American actress known for her role as Haley on Modern Family, as well as her roles in Scary Movie 5, Vampire Academy, Dirty Dancing, The Wedding Year, and more.
Sarah is only 5-feet-2-inches.
Josh Hallett, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Rachel Bilson
Rachel Bilson is an American actress known for her roles in The O.C., The Last Kiss, Jumper, Hart of Dixie, and more.
Rachel is just 5-feet-2-inches tall.
Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher is an Australian actress. She is best known for her roles in Scooby-Doo, Wedding Crashers, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Great Gatsby, Tag, Back to the Outback, and more.
Isla stands only 5-feet-3-inches.
Richard Goldschmidt, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Seyfried is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her roles in Mean Girls, Veronica Mars, Mamma Mia!, Dear John, Letters to Juliet, Ted 2, and more.
Amanda is only 5-feet-3-inches tall.
Elena Ternovaja, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kate McKinnon
Kate McKinnon is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her appearances on Saturday Night Live, where she became known for her character work and celebrity impressions.
She also starred in Sisters, Office Christmas Party, Rought Night, The Spy Who Dumped Me, The Bubble, Barbie, and more.
Kate stands just 5-feet-3-inches.
Walt Disney Television, Flickr
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. She is best known for her roles in The Dukes of Hazzard, Employee of the Month, and Do You Know.
Jessica is also only 5-feet-3-inches.
Mike Kaplan, Wikimedia Commons
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress and singer. She was the world’s highest paid actress in 2018 and 2019. She is best known for her roles in Lost in Translation, Avengers, The Other Boleyn Girl, Hitchcock, Iron Man, He’s Just Not That Into You, and many more.
Scarlett is only 5-feet-3-inches.
Новиков Евгений Александрович, CC-BY-SA-4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is best known for her roles in Girls, Tiny Furniture, Sharp Stick, Catherine Called Birdy, and more.
Lena is also just 5-feet-3-inches.
David Shankbone, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman is an Israeli-born American actress best known for her roles in Star Wars, Closer, Black Swan, No Strings Attached, Thor, and more.
Natalie is 5-feet-3-inches tall.
Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu is an American actress known for her roles in Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill, Lucky Number Slevin, Set It Up, and more.
Lucy is also just 5-feet-3-inches tall.
Bethany, CC-BY-SA-2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lea Michele
Lea Michele is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She is known for her roles in Glee, New Year’s Eve, The Mayor, and more.
Lea joins the club at only 5-feet-3-inches.