Believe it or not, most actresses are shorter than average because their leading men are also shorter than average. Strange, huh? It is actually rare to find an actress who is tall because they are at a disadvantage when it comes to being casted in roles. Well, these Amazon women are defying those dainty, petite Hollywood standards and storming out on the red carpet with heels. These tallest women in Hollywood have no problem flaunting their height and donning heels. Whether they are models, singers, actresses or professional athletes, these statuesque women are towering over most of the men in their life with no shame.
We hear of the short women in Hollywood gaining credit for their petiteness, but now it's time to embrace the abundance of height rather than the lack of it. Not that there is anything wrong with being short, but whenever you hear a girl under '5"4 how she "only wants to date guys over six feet", you can help but roll your eyes as a tall woman. That is because anything over '5"10 works for you, because you just can't be that picky when it comes to height. It also takes a man with a certain amount of confidence to approach a lady with height. Here is a list of 24 of Hollywood's tallest female monsters.
24 Taylor Swift - '5"11
When Taylor Swift isn't involving the Victoria's Secret models in her girl squad, she is always towering over the other members of the group like Selena Gomez and countless others. When she was touring with Ed Sheeran, journalists were questioning whether or not the two were dating. To which he replied, "she is too tall for me." Yes, the singer is a whooping '5"11 and she is not afraid to show it off by wearing heels even when she is walking down the street. Her thin frame and long legs make her look even lankier standing next to some of the past dudes she has dated. Though her most recent boyfriends, Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston are tall themselves to they probably didn't feel intimidated standing next to her. When she sang for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, she held her own and stood neck in neck with the world's supermodels. In fact, if she wasn't a singer, she very well could have had a career as a fashion model with her height and figure.
23 Chrissy Teigen - '5"9
Surprising fact: Chrissy Teigen is the exact same height as her crooner hubby, John Legend. Her '5"9 frame does not stop her from wearing 3-inch making her tower over John Legend at the red carpet events. It takes a certain level of confidence to be okay with dating, much less being married to a woman who is taller than you in heels. Rather than either party getting insecure about it (seriously, do you really think that is Chrissy Teigen's style?), they embrace it. Even in this photo when they are walking down the street, she is sporting a stylish modern twist on the Canadian tuxedo with high-waisted shorts and a jean jacket with wedges. We must admit, it seems pretty basic of Chrissy to be walking a French bulldog, but John Legend doesn't really seem to mind. That sneak smirk is telling the paparazzi, "I know what you're doing."
22 Karlie Kloss - '6"2
Karlie Kloss is one of those very few supermodels who makes even other supermodels look short in comparison. Her towering '6"2 frame makes the other runway models who usually run between '5"9-'5"10 look like little shrimps. She admitted in an interview with Vanity Fair that her height was not always an asset when she was playing basketball in high school. “I was at least six inches taller than all the other girls at one point, and I was really aggressive, and I would always reach over the girls, and I’d foul out of the game. Like, without even trying, I would trip a girl. I was so much bigger, and longer, and taller, that I just sort of hurt girls, and fouled them, and fouled out, and I just felt so bad. And my coach was, like, ‘No, that’s great! Everybody needs to be more like Karlie, more aggressive!" Well, her height was certainly an asset in the modeling world because she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and is now the face of Diane von Furstenberg.
21 Kate Middleton - '5"10
Kate Middleton's '5"10 frame certainly doesn't create a problem when it comes to height difference when she stands next to her husband, Prince William. Most people are pretty shocked when they hear about or see how tall she really is in real life for that very reason alone. However, whenever she stands next to Queen Elizabeth, she looks like like a giant. It looks like Prince George and Princess Charlotte are going to be in for some lengthy genes between their two parents. Princess Diana had some height on her too, but she wasn't quite as tall as Kate, she was about '5"8 but still, that's tall for a royal family member. The royal family isn't typically known for being the tallest human beings, but this particular family certainly disproved that fact. A close school friend of Kate Middleton's even revealed how she was bullied as a 13-year-old at her all-girl's boarding school for being too tall. That must have been the motivation behind her cause, Beatbullying as one of the charities that she is passionate about.
20 Blake Lively - '5"10
The Gossip Girl star definitely holds her own when it comes to the leading men that she starred alongside including Jesse Eisenberg in Cafe Society and her own hubby Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern. Lucky for her, Ryan Reynolds is '6"2 so there is no need for her to worry about not being able to wear heels around him. Being the brave soul that she is, she admitted to Access Hollywood that she still loves to wear heels despite the fact that he is already an amazon without them. "I love really high heels, so it becomes a problem sometimes. I just feel like huge… you don't want to feel like the man." Those are inspiring words for tall women around the world who feel slightly guilty about shying away from those sexy stilettos.
19 Khloe Kardashian - '5"10
Standing next to her two sisters, Kim Kardashian who is '5"3 and Kourtney Kardashian who is '5"0, you have to whole whether or not Khloe Kardashian really shares the same father as her two sisters. The fact that she stands at a statuesque '5"10 and the fact that neither one of her parents (Kris Jenner or the late Robert Kardashian) were that tall in real life, you have to wonder if there was some sneaky business going on behind closed doors when Khloe was conceived. In any case, Khloe Kardashian has always stood out among her full-blooded siblings not only for her height, but those light green eyes just make her look so different from the rest of the brood. When she lost the excess weight, she went from being the chubby sister to the sister with the rocking body who designers loved to dress. You have to give her props for that transformation.
18 Kendall Jenner - '5"10
So it looks like both Kendall Jenner and Khloe Kardashian share the same gene for height (even though they have completely different body types). There is a reason that this girl just became the world's highest paid model of all time (yes, that means even beating Giselle Bunchen). Not only is she '5"10, but she has the skinniest parakeet legs that are built for the runway and the most world renowned designers are eating that up like candy. She has been opening shows in New York and Paris Fashion Week like nobody's business. Though the rest of the Kardashian klan are famous for having those curvy physiques and having much back, Kendall Jenner takes after her father (or now mother) Caitlyn Jenner with those long legs and slender build.
17 Michelle Obama - '5"11
Michelle Obama certainly never looks like a dainty little housewife when she stood next to her husband, former President Barack Obama for the 8 years of his tenure. She stands at '5"11 and he stands at '6"1. Though he is taller than her without heels, Michelle Obama could never go without wearing heels very often given the fact that, well she was the first lady after all. Aside from her humanitarian and charitable causes that she facilitated as the first lady, she was known for her modern fashion sense that was a fresher look compared to first ladies before her. Her height has given her that ability to be experimental just still remain politically correct at the same time. We bet Nancy Reagan or Laura Bush could never have pulled that off. In fact, we know that they couldn't have pulled that off.
16 Gisele Bündchen - '5"11
Just like any other gawky-teenager-turned-supermodel story, Giselle Bunchen was bullied as a kid for being tall and skinny. “Even before I got into the business, I was used to being bullied because I was always tall and skinny and stuck out. I got really red all the time from playing volleyball, red like a pepper. So I thought bullying was just the way life is ” she said. In 1994 at the tender age of 14, she was discovered at a local McDonald's by an Elite modeling scout. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Sao Paulo to jump start her career and the rest is history. Now, she has been named by Forbes as the highest paid supermodel of all time (though she was recently beat by Kendall Jenner) and is married to the Patriots star quarterback, Tom Brady. Guess who is having the last laugh now?
15 Adriana Lima - '5"10
Yes, just like her fellow Victoria's Secret sister Giselle Bunchen, Adriana Lima is also a glamazon coming in at '5"10. That seems to be the exact height that most top models tend to be since it isn't quite over six-feet and too tall but it is enough height to where you are noticed. Unlike some of the other models on this list, she prefers to go for professional athletes that are well over six feet and almost freakishly tall. In fact, her ex-husband Marko Jarić (who she shares two daughters with) is '6"7. It is safe to say that she likes to feel like the feminine one in the relationship. In fact, she dismissed rumors that she was involved in a little fling with Justin Bieber saying that she won't take any dude under '6"7 after her ex. Way to shut down the gossip mill, Adriana.
14 Irina Shayk - '5"10
It is no surprise that the gorgeous bride and baby mama of Bradley Cooper, Irina Shayk is '5"10 seeing as though the handsome actor is pretty tall himself at '6"1. She came from a poor mining Russian town before she became a supermodel with a true rags-to-riches story. Unlike most women in Hollywood that come from affluent backgrounds, Irina Shayk had to struggle growing up. She was raised eating potatoes, boys teased her that she had 'stick legs', and when she first applied for a US visa she was rejected - amid fears over her Muslim roots. Just like any other youth growing up in post-Communist Russia, she had dreams of something bigger and better. She got her big break at the age of 14 when her mother took her and sister to a modeling agency and the rest is history.
13 Venus Williams - '6"1
Tennis star Venus Williams has broken records for the WTA singles rankings. Since she was a kid, she and her sister Serena Williams have proven themselves to be star athletes with impeccable speed and grace on the court. Though her sister is '5"9 and that far above average height, Venus Williams puts her to shame at '6"1. Not only that, but her muscular build makes for some heavy hitting when she owns those tennis courts. Now that she is 37 and no longer in her prime to be the best professional athlete possible, she is now an entrepreneur making her signature sportswear label a global brand. Having learned how to be competitive in tennis, there will be no doubt that she will conquer the world of business like the champion that she is.
12 Maria Sharapova - '6"2
Maria Sharapova has been a professional tennis player since the tender age of 13 when she first competed on the WTA tour since 2001. Unlike Anna Kournikova, this hot blonde Russian athlete can actually play tennis. She has been ranked number one in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions. She is also an Olympian with that '6"2 body having earned a silver medal for Russia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Along with being an amazingly talented athlete, she has gained many modeling contracts. She has been featured in Sports Illustrated, and has appeared in many advertisements including Nike, Prince, and Canon. In addition, she is also the face of famous fashion designer, Cole Haan. It looks like she is literally neck in neck with Karlie Kloss when it comes to being a '6"2 model.
11 Laura Prepon - '5"10
Though Laura Prepon looks like a roughed up version of Betty Page as Alex in Orange is the New Black, we lament to remember her as the red-headed girl next door in That '70s Show. That ongoing joke of that vintage sitcom was that her '5"10 frame was stronger than her boyfriend, Eric's. She is another Hollywood actress who defies the norms of being a petite lady and making waves for women with height. She had some small acting roles here and there in That '70s Show, but now she we are seeing her in a whole different light as an inmate in a female prison. Who would have ever guessed that Donna Pinciotti could go this rogue and switch teams at the drop of a hat? Now that is what you call good acting.
10 Tilda Swinton - '5"11
Tilda Swinton is known for her unique face and British features. The roles that she is casted for are often for that of a dominant female figure to which she plays that role with the utmost robustness. This is because she is '5"11 which makes her hold her own when she is around her leading men. She has acted beside George Clooney in Burn After Reading and Tom Hiddleston in Only Lovers Left Alive where she stands neck in neck with both of them. It looks like there may be a silver lining watching these movies where a tall lady can also be a leading lady rather than just a side character. Her charming English accent and "don't eff with me" look on her face makes her stand out from among the rest.
9 Jane Lynch - '6"0
Everyone knows Jane Lynch as that track suit wearing coach of the cheer leading squad, Sue Sylvester in Glee among other roles where she plays some shameless manly woman who has no problem making the first move. In whatever role that we see her in, she has a slick sense of humor with some hidden agenda that we can't help but adore and be wildly entertained by. Jane Lynch would not be able to pull off these intimidating yet endearing characters if it wasn't for her height. She stands at '6"0 and she is built like a linebacker. Even when she is getting shot by random paparazzi, she still looks like Sue Sylvester no matter how much she tries to hide it. Hopefully, she doesn't get pigeonholed in only those specific types of roles.
8 Tyra Banks - '5"10
Tyra Banks used to literally be built like a human Barbie doll back in the day before she filled out a little bit. In fact, she literally played a doll come to life in the old Disney movie, Life Size with Lindsay Lohan back when she was an adorable little kid (ah, the good old days). Fast forward to now and Tyra Banks still stands at the standard supermodel height o '5"10 but has prided herself on accomplishing much more than that. Her long-standing show America's Next Top Model had a ridiculously successful run. Although The Tyra Show met with some critique as she seemed a bit condescending, it still had its run nonetheless. Though she will never be Oprah Winfrey, she has pushed the boundaries and accomplished way more than most other retired supermodels do.
7 Liv Tyler - '5"10
Liv Tyler was the epitome of a '90s poster girl back when she starred in Empire Records, Stealing Beauty, Armageddon, and then cast as her most known role as Arwen in the Lord of the Rings trilogies. She is one of those rare women with a subdued beauty that doesn't require a whole lot of maintenance. She started out as a model (surprise, surprise) and then decided to make the transition into acting because of the pressure to be as thin as possible. She has lamented that back in the '90s, models were tall and slender but nowadays they are underweight. In an interview with People, she said: “Samples are a size zero – they’re so tiny,” she said. “I’m 5’10”, a giant, and I wear a size 10 shoe. Sometimes I just have to settle for what fits. But if I were 5’2″ and really petite [like a lot of actresses] I could wear those things.”
6 Uma Thurman - '5"11
Uma Thurman has always played bad ass roles that have been given praise by feminists everywhere. Her iconic black wig, white button down and cigarette black pants she wore in Pulp Fiction dancing with John Travolta is iconic. Since Quentin Tarantino considered her his muse he then casted her later in the Kill Bill series where audiences raved over her warrior prowess. What we love about Uma Thurman is that she is not conventionally pretty but beautiful in her own way and tall AF. She has said that in early career in acting that she had a hard time getting roles because she was nearly six feet tall at '5"11 with huge feet. She told The Sun that "it took me until I was 35 to walk around without feeling self-conscious." Better being a late bloomer than never.
5 Brooke Shields - '6"0
Brooke Shield's story is enough to make any late bloomer feel better about themselves. She shot up at a whooping '6"0 when she was just a teenager. Talk about growing pains and an awkward phase. At around the same time in high school, her modeling career took off which fueled a lot of jealousy among her peers to the point where she didn't even have a place at the lunch table in the cafeteria. She was so tall that she stood out like a sore thumb and there was just no hiding it. Brooke Shields even revealed to The Daily Mail that she remained a virgin until the age of 22 because she was so insecure about the way she looked. Even though she did provocative roles in movies as a child in Pretty Baby and Blue Lagoon only later to be featured in a sultry Calvin Klein commercial at the age of 15, she still didn't feel attractive.
4 Nicole Kidman - '5"11
Nicole Kidman certainly has put in her two cents on her opinion about the way tall women should carry themselves. The '5"11 Big Little Lies star gave a speech at the Women In Film's Crystal + Lucy awards dinner saying, "that you should stop apologising, stop being ashamed of your height, and start loving how strong, powerful and beautiful it makes you." She is so secure with her height, that her husband Keith Urban is an inch shorter than her and her ex-husband Tom Cruise is a whopping three inches shorter than her. Short or tall, this woman doesn't judge a man by his height. In an interview with The Sun, she said that "being tall and gangly as a teen as character-building." Out of all the women on this list, Nicole Kidman arguably rocks her height the best.
3 Mandy Moore - '5"10
Mandy Moore is another tall girl with a penchant for dating (and even marrying) men that are either exactly her height or shorter. Her ex-husband musician Ryan Adams is '5"8 and so was ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama. The '5"10 This Is Us actress revealed that she was insecure about her height growing up. In an interview with Glamour, she said “I used to hunch over and complain to my parents about sticking out or feeling awkward in my body. My mom, who is about eight inches shorter than me, never failed to mention how envious she was of my height and that it was a beautiful quality,” Mandy added. “She reminded me to embrace what I was given and stand tall with my shoulders back… I guess the grass is always greener.”
2 Elle MacPherson - '6"0
Elle MacPherson was one of the original supermodels. The Australian model was big in the eighties at '6"0 and was even nicknamed "The Body" by the press. Unlike most models who tend to fade away and retire after the age of 23, Elle has enjoyed a modeling career that has spanned over 33 years thanks to her amazing physique. At 52-years-old, she has appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Elle, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue before she was 21. She has started her own lingerie line called The Body - Elle MacPherson Intimates. She admitted to The Sun that when she was 18, she wished that she was smaller. "I never looked at myself and thought that I was a swan. All I could see was an ugly duckling. I was modeling at 18, earning all this money, thinking 'I don't deserve this.'" There seems to be a pattern here with awkwardly tall teenagers turning into gorgeous supermodels. Good thing not everyone peaks during high school.
1 Gwendoline Christie - '6"3
Gwendoline Christie is known for her role on Game of Thrones as Brienne of Tarth and even more recently as Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Gwendoline is the tallest actress on this list with a towering height of '6"3. Normally, having this much height works against you in Hollywood as actresses are typically short since all the leading men are short. Well, Gwendoline Christie crushes that standard with an iron fist (no, not the Iron Throne). She told Harper's Bazaar that she had to deal with constant height discrimination in the acting industry for years, but stuck it out and look where that got her. You have to respect her since she is one of those actresses who got their big break later in life. Now she is banking in on the big roles.
Source: Vanity Fair, E! Online, Harper's Bazaar, People, The Sun, The Daily Mail
