15 Most Famous Short People

Image by Melissa Rose from Wikimedia

15 Most Famous Short People

When you watch many celebrities on screen or in photos you can’t tell how short or tall they are in person. This is because the camera can not only add a few pounds to an actor’s weight but also a few inches to their height. So while most celebrities appear tall on screen, they are actually shorter than you think.  Over the decades historians sometimes focus heavily on an important historical figure’s height. The best example is General Napoleon Bonaparte, for most Europeans, he was an invader and, in the grand scheme of things, a villain that belongs in history books. He was very short and had image problems which supposedly led him to be such a despicable person. On the flip side, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, the emperor who developed Russia and westernized it, is rumoured to have been 6’7”. There are many instances in history where famous short people are associated with being less successful, while tall people are considered to be well-liked and charismatic. However, there’s no correlation between height and economic and social status or success and failure. This article lists the 15 most famous short people.

Most Famous Short People – Male

Danny DeVito – 4 feet 10 inches

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Danny is top of the list of shortest actors. DeVito stands only 4 feet 10 inches (1.47 metres) tall. His short stature is the result of multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (Fairbank’s disease), a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth. He was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune, New Jersey and debuted his acting career in 1969, and he is still active in the industry.  The gained prominence for his role in the television series Taxi. He gained international prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series Taxi, which won him a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. Danny DeVito plays Frank Reynolds on the FX and FXX sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 1982, Danny married his wife Rhea Perlman and they have three children together. The couple starred alongside each other as Matilda’s parents in the film Matilda. Danny Devito is a household name, a man who has appeared in many titles on the silver screen and made countless appearances in television shows. He is truly one of the greats.

Kevin Hart – 5 feet 4 inches

Image Eva Rinaldi from Wikimedia

Kevin Darnell Hart is an American comedian and actor. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, he has since starred in Hollywood films and on TV. He has also released several well-received comedy albums. Kevin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is 5 feet 4 inches tall. He rose to prominence when he landed a guest role in a guest appearance in his film debut in Paper Soldiers. The actor and stand-up comedian is also renowned for his role in other movies and TV shows. “I don’t believe in doing things to manufacture my body to appeal to what I think people might like,” he told Oprah Winfrey on Oprah Prime. “This is it. This is what I was given. These is my playing cards. If we were playing poker, I’ve got to make this hand work. This is it for me. And this is what I’m going to ride out. So how do you not embrace it? You get one life. One. You get one life. I’m going to embrace mine.”

Peter Dinklage – 4 feet 5 inches

Image by Daniel Hernandez from Wikimedia

Not only is Peter Dinklage one of the most famous short people on TV and cinema, he’s also a very most talented actor. Peter Hayden Dinklage is an American film, television and stage actor. He received international recognition for portraying Tyrion Lannister on the HBO television series Game of Thrones, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series a record four times. He overcame every obstacle to start one of the most unique careers in Hollywood history. A native of Morristown, New Jersey, he was born with the genetic disorder achondroplasia, which is a form of dwarfism. He studied drama in college but had trouble finding work during his early career in New York. His first break came in “Living in Oblivion” (1995). He went on to win everyone’s hearts with his spectacular performances in blockbusters such as Elf, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,  won him his first Screen Actors Guild Award. But this wasn’t the first award Dinklage ever won. Thanks to his amazing acting in the hit show Game of Thrones, he has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmys, of which he won three. This role also guaranteed him a Golden Globe in 2012.

David  Spade – 5 feet 5 inches

David Wayne Spade is an American actor, stand-up comedian, television host, and writer. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, and he later began an acting career in both film and television. David Wayne Spade hails from Birmingham, Michigan. He is 5 feet 5 inches tall. The actor joined Saturday Night Live in 1990 as a writer before he became a cast member. A natural prankster most of his life, Spade was pushed into stand-up comedy by friends and appeared in nightclubs and college campuses all over the country. A casting agent saw his routine at “The Improv” in Los Angeles and offered him a mischievous role in the film Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987). The biggest break in his career was when he appeared in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. His other acting credits include: Mad Families, Space Breakout, Jungle Master, Warning Shot and Father of the Year among others.

Danny Trejo – 5 feet 6 inches

Image by Edward David from Wikimedia

Desperado star Danny Trejo intimidates on screen, but it’s not on account of his height. The actor stands at 5’6″ and among his most memorable roles include, Con Air and Machete. While serving time in San Quentin, he won the lightweight and welterweight boxing titles. He also successfully completed a 12-step rehabilitation program that changed his life. His acting debut was in Runaway Train (1985) where Trejo was offered a role as a convict extra, probably because of his tough tattooed appearance. Also on the set was a screenwriter who did time with Trejo in San Quentin. Remembering Trejo’s boxing skills, the screenwriter offered him $320 per day to train the actors for a boxing match. Director Andrey Konchalovskiy saw Trejo training Eric Roberts and immediately offered him a featured role as Roberts’ opponent in the film. Trejo has subsequently appeared in many other films, usually as a tough criminal or villain.

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Bruno Mars – 5 feet 5 inches

Peter Gene Hernandez, known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, disco, and rock. Bruno has consistently featured on the list of short actors because he is 5 feet 5 inches tall. The Hawaiian native is one of the most influential singers in pop culture today. His music is upbeat, and he has the ability to capture a room’s attention like no other. There have been hundreds of articles written about his height and some magazines (such as Cosmopolitan) have even run funny pieces titled “31 Times Bruno Mars Was the Shortest Person in the Room.” Instead of being ashamed of his height, Bruno Mars says it doesn’t have any influence over his talent.

Yuri Gagarin – 5 feet 2 inches

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Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space. Travelling in the Vostok 1 capsule, Gagarin completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961. The first man in space was actually short unlike their American counterparts, Russian astronauts weren’t as tall. Height limitations in Russia in the 1960s were much more lenient than those imposed by NASA. Thanks to this, Yuri Gagarin, who only stood 5’2”, was allowed into the Russian Space Program, where he made a name for himself. He flew on board the flight Vostok 1 and left everyone on earth stunned as it was a great feat for mankind.

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Most Famous Short People – Female

Kim Kardashian – 5 feet 2 inches

Image by Damian Morys from Wikimedia

Kim K rose to fame as a socialite, entrepreneur, and the star of the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. This was only after a 2003 sex tape with her former boyfriend Ray J was leaked in 2007. In recent years, Kim Kardashian has grown to be an influential online and social media presence, with over 100 million followers on Instagram. As of 2018, her net worth has accumulated to a whopping $175 million. She was married but is currently married to American rapper Kanye West. Kim Kardashian’s accurate height that really is, without high-heeled shoes or possible filters is just 5 feet and 2.5 inches (roughly 1.58m), according to IMDb. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the medium lady in the United States is around 5 feet and 4 inches (around 1.62m) tall, which implies Kim Kardashian is a little bit shorter than the majority of American women. Given how much focus has been placed on Kim Kardashian’s body it may come as a surprise that Kim K is short in stature.

Find out fascinating facts about Kim Kardashian.

Lady Gaga – 5 feet 1 inch

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Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenager, singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays. Lady Gaga doesn’t really need an introduction since she’s sold upwards of 30 million albums and 150 million singles and her music was iconic during the late 2000s and early 2010s. The so-called queen of pop is one of the most famous short people in the United States today. However, you might not have noticed her short stature because she wears freakishly tall heels during public appearances. Besides being known to be a wealthy and successful singer, Lady Gaga is also famous for wearing over-the-top outfits and owning them like her meat dress for the 2010 MTV Video Awards.

 Emilia Clarke – 5 feet 2 inches

Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke is a British actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award and four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. The Mother of Dragons aka Khaleesi has conquered many hearts with her formidable performance in HBO’s Game of Thrones with her charm and elegance. The talented actress also happens to be skilled at singing and playing the piano, guitar, and flute. In 2017, she became one of the highest-paid actors on television, earning £2 million per episode of GOT. Besides receiving awards and nominations, she has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and six Screen Actor Guild Awards. This 5ft 2 actress proves that height is only a number.

Reese Witherspoon – 5 feet 1 inch

Image by Eva Rinaldi from Wikimedia

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she has consistently ranked among the world’s highest-paid actresses. America’s sweetheart, Reese Witherspoon, is a petite beauty, even when compared to other famous actresses in Hollywood. Despite being shorter, none of her hit roles reflects this personal characteristic. Known for her role as Elle Woods in Legally Blond and as Madeline Mackenzie in Big Little Lies, Reese Witherspoon was never held back by her height, southern accent, or blond hair. She’s one of the most loved actresses in Hollywood and her smaller stature is not a limitation: it only makes her cuter and more loveable.

Shania Twain – 5 feet 1 inch

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Eilleen Regina “Shania” Twain OC is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her success garnered her several titles including the “Queen of Country Pop”. Country legend Shania Twain frequently wears heels on stage, so it’s easy to miss the fact that she’s only 5’4″. The singer has admitted that she felt uncomfortable with her appearance as a child, and told InStyle that she didn’t feel at home in her own skin until she became a performer. “I didn’t accept who I was until I was out of high school and starting to wear stage clothes,” she said. “I started recognizing that, ‘Oh, I’m the girl in the band. Maybe I’m supposed to wear makeup and style my hair.'”

Ariana Grande – 5 feet 1 inch

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Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. With her R&B-infused pop music and impressive vocal range, Grande earned comparisons to Mariah Carey. With this success, Grande then shifted her focus to music whereby her second album, My Everything, was released in 2014 and it established her as a pop star. Ariana Grande is one of the most popular celebrities in the world today with her music videos viewed a total of more than nine billion times online! Her accolades include three MTV Europe Music Awards, three AMAs, and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2016, Time Magazine named her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list. On stage, she rocks massive heels for she is a little bit on the short side.

Nicki Minaj – 5 feet 2 inches

Image by Niko D from Wikimedia

Nicki Minaj proves the old saying that dynamite comes in small packages. Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter. Minaj first gained recognition after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents. Her first and second studio albums both peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and helped produce her hit singles Super Bass and Starships. Besides having a rough childhood with an abusive, drug-addict father, it was her upbringing by her grandmother that made her “seek out and practice self-discipline.” Among her other wins, she has been nominated for a total of ten Grammy Awards. The New York rapper has a huge personality but stands at just 5 feet 2 inches! Although she dominates on the stage, Nicki Minaj is pretty short.  Looking at Minaj’s footwear choices throughout the years, it is obvious that the rapper definitely uses super high heels to enhance her height.

Read also: The best female singers of all time.

Famous Short People – Transgender

Elliot Page – 5 feet 1 inch

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Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page; born February 21, 1987) is a Canadian actor. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award nomination, two BAFTA Awards and Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and a Satellite Award. Page publicly came out as transgender in December 2020. In March 2021, he became the first openly Trans man to appear on the cover of Time. Besides being known as a rising star, Ellen Page was held as a lesbian icon ever since she came out in 2014. He became a role model for people all over the world and has inspired many to come out and embrace who they are. He starred in hit movies, such as Juno, Inception, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Tallulah. Thanks to her unmeasurable talent he has been nominated several times for the BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and even for an Oscar. But his influence doesn’t end on the movie screen, he is a gay-rights activist and gives talks all over North America about the importance of acceptable, as well as advocating for the end of sexual-preference-based discrimination.