Celebrities are bold, beautiful, and talented – but is height the key to their success?
While being short comes with its pros and cons, it turns out that being small isn’t such a big deal in Hollywood. Some of the biggest names in the biz didn’t let their shortness affect their careers, and neither should you.
WATCH: Nicole Kidman opens up about her marriage to Tom Cruise in rare interview
Get ready for a confidence boost as we show you how these short celebrities launched themselves to stardom!
The Short List
What’s it like to be the shortest celebrity ever? We’ve seen what your favourite stars had to say about being vertically challenged, and it turns out that self-love is the best-kept beauty secret! It’s time to get inspired by these 15 short celebs.
1. Danny Devito
Age: 76
Height: 4’10” (147.32 cm)
Comedian Danny DeVito is at the top of the list! They diagnosed him with Fairbank’s disease, which affected his bone structure as he got older, but it helped him come out of his shell.
He told The Guardian: “It all worked out for me. We all have these little things, our insecurities about ourselves. My height and my demeanour. I’m a little rough around the edges. I was always a little shy about it. So, you can be insecure – so long as you’re not an asshole.”
2. Lil Kim
Age: 47
Height: 4’11” (149.86 cm)
True to her stage name, Hip Hop shorty Lil Kim has a presence as notorious as the legendary Biggie himself! Her powerful vocals pack a punch, and her size is made obvious next to rapper and long-time friend Puff Daddy.
4. Reese Witherspoon
Age: 45
Height: 5’2” (157.48 cm)
Being one of the shortest actresses around isn’t easy, so the Legally Blonde star had to break some rules for certain roles!
She told Country Living: “When I first came here, all I heard was, ‘No, not right – not tall enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough. But I didn’t really care about their opinions. I’m stubborn.”
5. Ariana Grande
Age: 28
Height: 5’2” (157.48 cm)
Pop superstar and US The Voice host Ariana Grande became famous at a young age, but unlike former Disney child star Zendaya, she didn’t get a growth spurt. On the bright side, she’s totally owning it and even tweeted about her height saying she was “#funsized”.
6. Zoë Kravitz
Age: 32
Height: 5’2” (157.48 cm)
Zoë, who is reportedly dating Channing Tatum, is the gorgeous daughter of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz. She’s also the shortest model ever, but she confessed to Elle that she didn’t always feel beautiful.
“I went through a really awkward phase. I was short and brown, surrounded by tall girls with boobs and blonde hair. I didn’t have beauty as a crutch, and I’m thankful for that because I had to develop my personality.”
7. Anna Kendrick
Age: 36
Height: 5’2” (157.48 cm)
Anna Kendrick is pitch-perfect, and she knows it! She expressed to Esquire how she’s learned to love her tiny frame: “I was angsty about my height when I was younger, but I love it now. Why wouldn’t you want to be a little compact being?”
8. Nicki Minaj
Age: 38
Height: 5’2” (157.48 cm)
She may not be as huge as an anaconda, but Nicki Minaj is a petite beauty with a booty! The living Barbie doll is smaller than most female rappers, but she is large and in charge at the top of the Hip Hop charts.
9. Vanessa Hudgens
Age: 32
Height: 5’3” (160.02 cm)
There’s more to this cutie than meets the eye! In an interview with Women’s Health, the High School Musical star shared how she learned to embrace her small figure.
“Because I’m very petite, I would feel less than because of my size. But then I started to realize that you can take up space without height—with your achievements, points of view, and opinions.”
10. Natalie Portman
Age: 40
Height: 5’3” (160.02 cm)
Natalie believes being short helped her get cast for Thor! She told US Weekly: “I was mainly cast in the role because I can make anyone look huge when they stand next to me. I’m extraordinarily short. They usually had a ramp for me to walk up so I could land somewhere near his face.”
11. Kevin Hart
Age: 42
Height: 5’5” (162.56 cm)
People have always made fun of Kevin Hart’s short stature, but he shared on Oprah Prime that he has learned to laugh at himself. “I am beyond confident. I’m confident in who I am. I’m confident in the person that I am – I think I’m sexy!”
12. Miley Cyrus
Age: 28
Height: 5’5” (162.56 cm)
Miley once thanked her now ex-husband Liam Hemsworth in an Instagram post for making their height difference work.
“Thank you for always bending down to hug me…I promise I will always meet you in the middle on my tippiest toes! I love you Valentine!”
13. Bruno Mars
Age: 35
Height: 5’5” (162.56 cm)
Even when tall supermodels strutted past him, Bruno stole the spotlight at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. What he lacked in height, he made up for with finesse and his massively entertaining performance!
14. Tom Cruise
Age: 59
Height: 5’7” (170.18 cm)
According to Cinema Blend, the Jack Reacher TV series rejected the Mission Impossible action star for being too short! In any case, Tom Cruise remains one of the most successful and legendary actors ever.
15. Robert Downey Jr
Age: 56
Height: 5’8” (172.72 cm)
Robert Downey Jr may be unstoppable as Ironman, but he wore platform shoes while filming Avengers because of his taller co-stars! He’s also been spotted in stomper boots to give himself a boost during red carpet events.
Short And Sweet
Tall people seem to have it all, but don’t sell yourself short – dream big and be proud of who you are. If these famous short people could reach for the stars, then so can you!
