It's difficult to tell how tall a movie or TV star actually is from just seeing them on the big screen. Now here are the ones who rise above the others.
Model Brooke Shields is an even 6 feet tall, and 6-foot-5 Vince Vaughn tends to tower over his costars. See some of the tallest celebrities in Hollywood below.
Kate Middleton - 5’10
Kate Middleton is gracefully tall, but thankfully the prince is even taller. It’s hard to notice just how towering the Duchess of Cambridge is, but seeing how she isn’t dwarfed in picture by the 6’3 prince in photos certainly clues us in.
The most interesting thing about Kate Middleton’s willowy stature, though, is that it’s just one more thing she has in common with her late mother-in-law, Diana — the People’s Princess was also 5’10”.
Ivanka Trump - 5’11
We know she used to be a model and we’ve also seen her stand next to her infamous father (who is no shorty himself) on countless seasons of The Apprentice and its offshoots, but we had no idea Ivanka Trump was pushing 6 feet tall.
One could say she is a Trump Tower herself. Ok, ok, put down the tomatoes. But jokes aside, the most unbelievable thing about Ivanka Trump is how someone so lovely could share DNA with our abrasive president.
Gwendoline Christie – 6’3
At 6’3 tall, Game of Thrones and now Star Wars star Gwendoline Christie is Hollywood’s tallest rising star by some distance. The actress has said that she felt alienated from the rest of society while growing up.
Christie became the subject of a noted series of photographs, in which she featured mostly nude, to help her come to terms with her body. She has now acknowledged that her height often works in her favor when it comes to roles.
Charlize Theron – 5’10
At 5ft 10in, this talented South African born American actress, model and producer stands tall among other Hollywood actresses.
You will remember Theron from her roles in several award winning Hollywood movies like The Devil’s Advocate, Monster, and the recently produced Mad Max: Fury Road. Charlize has won many awards thanks to her successful show business career, bagging the Academy Award, the Silver Bear, and the Golden Globes Awards.
Sigourney Weaver – 6’
Apparently there’s a reason Sigourney Weaver is so good at fighting angry aliens. She is one remarkably tall woman.
It helps that her onscreen presence matches her 6-foot off-screen stature, which means she can hold her own opposite leading men of all sizes (and alien races) — making her the epitome of the female action movie hero.
Uma Thurman - 6’
Uma Thurman has also expressed regret about the years she wasted wishing she didn’t have such a towering presence.
The 6’ star of Pulp Fiction, Dangerous Liaisons and Kill Bill has revealed that it wasn’t until the age of 35 that she accepted her uncommon height and was able to walk with her head held high.
Brooke Shields – 6’
While most actresses would be happy enough with a height of 6’, and some would think they’re even too tall, Brooke Shields often tries to make herself look even taller.
The Endless Love and Blue Lagoon star once told Entertainment Tonight that she regularly wears the highest high heels possible because of how happy they make her feel.
Karlie Kloss - 6'1
You can't miss fashion model Karlie Kloss on the runway at 6'1. But you won't catch her moseying around the Big Apple in her heels.
“I think I would look like a crazy woman walking around N.Y.C. in heels since I’m 6’1″ and 6’4″ in heels. Plus, I take the subway, so I’d stand out even more!," she said in a People interview.
Allison Janney - 6'0
Janney said of her height in an interview with NPR: "I say I'm 5 feet 12 inches. I'm definitely 6 feet. In my heels I'm 6 feet 3 inches.
I was always sort of a late bloomer in a lot of things. I always felt that way. I felt like my career started late and I think it was because of my height — and maybe some of my confidence issues."
Aisha Tyler – 6’0
Standing at 6’ tall, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds and The Santa Clause star Aisha Tyler has always been on the tall side.
In 2014 she even told KPCC she’s been a “giant from a very young age.” But the actress doesn’t appear to have any qualms about her height – in 2016 she voiced Lana Kane in Archer, the female agent renowned for being super-tall.
Rebecca Romijn - 5'11
Fashion model Rebecca Romijn is best known for her role as Mystique in the first trilogy of the X-Men film series and for a recurring role on Ugly Betty.
She suffered some health issues growing up because of her height. She says she had scoliosis and was constantly in pain after a growth spurt in adolescence and she called herself the Jolly Blonde Giant.
Nicole Kidman - 5’11
Despite his attempts to hide it, we all know that Tom Cruise is a short man. Even the not so tall Katie Holmes seemed to dwarf him, so poor Nicole Kidman must have spent the decade she was married to him with chronic back problems.
The good news is these days, she’s allowed to stand up straight next to current hubby Keith Urban — who, at 5’10”, doesn’t seem to mind that he’s just a tad shorter than she is.
Mandy Moore – 5’10
Yes, we’ve seen her in movies and on the red carpet, but we were surprised to find out that Mandy Moore checks in at an impressive 5’10 tall.
You can’t really see it in Tangled (because, you know, she voiced an animated character that isn’t Mandy at all), but this girl is more than just a pretty face with some pipes and acting chops — she’s a walking sapling with enviably long legs.
Taylor Swift - 5‘11
Our current theory suggests that Taylor Swift goes through boyfriends like tissues because they get tired of looking like hobbits next to her.
We knew she had the lanky thing down, but we had no idea she was one final growth spurt shy of 6 feet. But this would explain why she carries off so many of her red carpet outfits like a model — and why she seems so fond of her signature flat Oxfords.
Jordin Sparks - 6’
They must have had one talented cameraman on American Idol — because even while standing next to the demurely 5’8″ Ryan Seacrest, Jordin Sparks (who won season 6) never seemed that statuesque.
The good news is current boyfriend Jason Derulo is as tall as she is, and he doesn’t even seem to mind when she wears heels.
Ireland Baldwin - 6’2
Alec Baldwin better watch out who he calls a “thoughtless little pig” these days, because daughter Ireland is now two inches taller than he is.
We’re not saying she could lift him over her head and body-slam him on the ground WWF-style or anything, but this newly-minted model is no shrinking violet. (In case you’re wondering, her mom Kim Basinger is 5’7″ — hardly short, but positively petite in comparison.)
Maria Sharapova - 6’2
You have to be quick on your feet, have incomparable hand/eye coordination and the stamina of a superhero to dominate professional tennis, but apparently it also helps if you’re a giant.
Just ask 6’2 Maria Sharapova, who’s currently ranked No.3 in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association and so tall she’s even got Venus Williams beat by an inch.
Macy Gray – 6’
Soul singer and actress Macy Gray was teased while growing up for both her height and her trademark distinctive voice. She’s staggeringly tall even beneath that dramatic hair.
But the Ohio native has had the last laugh, using both to her advantage to sell millions of records, releasing six albums, win a Grammy and appear in a number of box office hits.
Kristen Johnston – 6’
Kristen Johnston is best known for playing alien blonde bombshell Sally in the much-loved sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, but just like Macy Gray she was also bullied about her height during her childhood.
However, the actress later drew upon her experiences of growing up as a self-described “freak” to pen best-selling book Guts.
Geena Davis – 6’
Ironically, 6’ tall actress Geena Davis was once married to The Tall Guy’s leading man Jeff Goldblum.
But the Thelma and Louise star and Academy Award winner has admitted that her height worked against her during her early years, with several New York agencies putting paid to her modeling ambitions because of it.
Kimora Lee Simmons – 6’
Kimora Lee Simmons was embraced by the modeling world largely because of her 6’ frame.
The reality show star, whose mother sent her to modeling classes as a youngster in a bid to boost her confidence, was snapped up by Chanel aged just 14 and went on to model for iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Jane Lynch – 6’
Jane Lynch is renowned for playing scene-stealing Sue Sylvester in the musical phenomenon Glee. But before that, the comedienne used her height to her advantage to land a small but significant movie role.
In 2009 Lynch’s 6’ stature made her the perfect choice to play Julia Child’s similarly tall sister Dorothy McWilliams in Nora Ephron’s comedy-drama Julie and Julia.
Famke Janssen – 6’
Ironically, Dutch-born actress Famke Janssen’s first name translates as “little girl.” But the former model who went on to star in GoldenEye, Nip/Tuck and the X-Men franchise grew up to be anything but little – as she’s 6’.
Her height gave her a first break as a model, before becoming one of Hollywood’s tallest leading ladies for over two decades.
Elle Macpherson – 6’
Elle “The Body” Macpherson became one of the world’s first, and most striking, supermodels after moving from Australia to New York.
But the star has admitted to British tabloid The Sun that she often felt awkward during her teens and constantly wished that she could have been smaller than 6’.
Saffron Burrows - 6’
Saffron Burrows’ 6’ stature has helped her to corner the market when it comes to one very niche character profession: the cellist.
The actress has been given the chance to play the instrument in numerous films and TV shows – most recently in the Amazon Prime drama Mozart in the Jungle – because her height makes her look like a natural cellist.
Yolanda Adams – 6’1
Crowned the number one gospel artist of the last decade by Billboard magazine, Yolanda Adams’ stature is almost as soaring as her voice.
Her gospel talents have been affirmed far and wide, selling tens of millions of albums worldwide. And the multi-talented singer, producer, radio host and actress remains the genre’s most towering star, at a striking 6’1.
Janet McTeer – 6’1
Tony Award, Golden Globe and Olivier Award-winning actress Janet McTeer certainly hasn’t let her self-described Amazonian presence hold her back during her glittering career.
In fact, the actress believes that her height has actually been an incredible tool. She told The New Yorker, “You can stoop, you can be big, you can be galumphing, you can be 1930s and elegant. You’re much more malleable.”
Elizabeth Debicki – 6’2”
Elizabeth Debicki’s 6’2 height is apparently a dream for Hollywood’s costume designers.
In fact, according to the star of The Great Gatsby, Macbeth and The Night Manager, those given the task of dressing her for the occasion relish the opportunity to work with such an imposing frame. Her height also led to a successful early career in dancing before she moved into theater.
Dot-Marie Jones – 6’3
Dot-Marie Jones initially used her height advantage in the sporting world, competing in both shot put and arm wrestling. J
ones had no intentions of moving into acting, but then she was discovered at a bodybuilding competition and was convinced to become a bit actor. And it proved to be an inspired move – the 6’3 star picked up three Emmy nominations for her role as Glee’s Coach Beiste.