It probably won’t come as a surprise that Hollywood isn’t
known for employing a lot of tall men. And often it’s because it’s actually easier to
keep people of shorter statured actors in the same frame with their female costars,
without having to utilize weird angles. But the list of the shortest actors in Hollywood is
certainly packed with talent. The gentlemen stars in this video are living proof that,
at least when it comes to being a rich and famous actor, it’s not all about height. So join
Facts Verse as we take a look at the shortest male actors in Hollywood, ranked by height.
Tom Cruise – 5’7” Tom Cruise has been at the top of the A-list
for as long as we can remember. And his short stature has never stopped him from being one of
the most successful Hollywood stars of all time. Cruise is 5’7”. If the success of the new Top Gun:
Maverick movie is any indicator, Cruise’s fame and acting success is showing no signs
of slowing down. Cruise is famously full of unending energy, massive acting talent,
and more general charisma than one person should be allowed to have. Yet at the same time he’s
also known for being very secretive about his private life, which includes his high position
in the dubious church known as Scientology. This penchant for secrecy tends to also extend
into his height. Through the years, there have been myriad photos of the star posing
next to female costars (or wives) who are known to be taller or the same height as him. And yet,
he often appears taller than them. Or at least taller than we know he is. The
reason? He often wears lifts in his shoes, or he wears shoes that are designed to give the
wearer a couple extra inches in height. One notable example of this is when he
recently posed with Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in
London. Middleton is 5’9”, and was wearing 3-inch heels, putting her at around 6 feet.
Yet Cruise seemed to be standing eye to eye with the royal. How did he pull it off? First off, his
shoes appeared to have a stacked heel, which boosted him around 1.5 to 2 inches. And then
he likely wore custom insoles that can give the wearer a few more inches. Talk about movie magic!
Danny Trejo – 5’6”
Danny Trejo has carved out quite the incredible career as a character actor,
often playing intimidating and hard-nosed characters. So you might assume Trejo is a large,
looming person. And yet, Trejo is fairly diminutive, standing at 5’6”. He’s a fitness
fanatic and has been able to project a fit and muscular body, despite his short height.
Trejo is of Mexican heritage and was born in Echo Park in Los Angeles in 1944. He
struggled a lot as a kid, getting into frequent trouble with the law. He spent time in prison on
drug-related charges and has issues with substance abuse. During one stint in San Quentin prison,
he joined a 12-step program that enabled him to get sober. He also used that time to hone his
boxing skills and became a boxing champ in the welterweight and lightweight divisions.
Clearly, these experiences help Trejo figure out how to make up for his small stature and utilize
his strength, physique, and confidence in order to thrive. And he’s been able to channel those
qualities into his successful acting careers. Even into his 70’s, Trejo continues to act,
and still plays characters that are intimidating and raw. He’s appeared in films like Desperado
and Point Blank, and TV shows like Sons of Anarchy and Desperate Housewives. In total, he’s appeared
in more than 250 films and shows. So clearly his height has never gotten in the way of his success!
Daniel Radcliffe – 5’5” We’ve all seen Daniel Radcliffe
since he was VERY short. But of course, he was only a child when we were introduced
to him as Harry Potter. But, as it turns out, Radcliffe grew up into a short adult as well,
standing at 5’5”. But he’s another great example of an actor who has had immense success,
despite being significantly shorter than the average man.
Radcliffe is the first to admit he’s pretty short. But he also says that it hasn’t held him back. He
seems to have a great attitude about the whole thing. When asked about his height by Playboy,
he brought up the fact that actors like Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise are close to his height,
and they have both played leading men for decades. He also pointed out that he’s of sufficient height
to play a soldier since the bare minimum for a marine is 5 feet. At the same time, he knows he
has limitations when it comes to the type of roles he CAN plan. For example, he says he wouldn’t be
able to take himself seriously if he was cast as a quarterback in a football movie. Though Daniel
should keep in mind that there are diminutive QB’s in the NFL, such as Kyler Murray. So who knows!
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Michael J. Fox – 5’4” Michael J. Fox is another
A-lister who has been able to achieve huge success, despite standing at only 5’4”. Born
in Edmonton, Canada in 1961, Fox found fame through his portrayal of Alex Keaton on the
legendary sitcom Family Ties. He parlayed that success into a lead role in Back To The Future,
which turned him into a megastar. Fox starred in all three of the films in that franchise and was
able to star in several other mores in the’80s and ‘90s, including The Secret of my Success,
Doc Hollywood, Greedy, and The American President. But tragedy struck when he was only 29. He was
diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Though he hid the disease for the next nine years
and was able to continue working, eventually he had to come forward with the news. He was
forced to retire at age 39, due to the debilitating nature of the disease. He
now uses his time to help further Parkinson’s research and be an advocate for the disease.
Joe Pesci – 5’3” Joe Pesci is kind of like a stick
of dynamite – short, but intensely powerful. His acting prowess and bigger-than-life personality
have allowed him to shine in many movies, including several with directing legend Martin
Scorsese. The beginning of their partnership began with the 1980’s Raging Bull. After that,
he acted in Goodfellas, Casino, and The Irishman. And if you’re noticing a pattern here,
you’re right… all of those movies were critically acclaimed, loved by audiences, and won awards.
So clearly Joe has a knack for picking great movies, then turning in amazing performances.
Danny Devito – 4’10” Danny Devito is another
legend of the bill and small screen who hasn’t let his incredibly small stature
stop him. But that doesn’t mean he’s always felt confident about it. As a child in New Jersey,
he was self-conscious about his height. But he says that as he got into acting in high school,
it helped him forget about his height. He was able to use his love of the acting craft as a way to
boost his confidence as a shorter man. And no one can argue that he hasn’t made it work. Devito has
been a star for decades, despite suffering from a condition called Fairbanks disease,
which is a bone growth disorder. After getting a start on the hit sitcom Taxi,
he spent the next several decades as a successful movie actor, appearing in films
ranging from Batman Returns to Get Shorty. He then found success in recent years as one
of the main characters in the long-running hit show, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
Peter Dinklage – 4’5” Peter Dinklage has been
a working actor for several decades, though he didn’t achieve mega fame until his turn as Tyrion
Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Though he did previously garner critical acclaim for his work
in the movie The Station Agent. Dinklage, who is now 52, is 4’5” tall. This is on account of being
born with a form of short-limbed dwarfism known as achondroplasia. Dinklage admits that he’s fairly
used to getting stares because of his short stature. But he told the U.K. newspaper The
Times that it doesn’t bother him nearly as much as it used to. Plus, he points out that in the
modern era, there are fewer restrictions on who can be considered a ‘leading man’ in Hollywood.
Warwick Davis – 3’6” In 1983, Warwick Davis’s
grandmother heard an announcement on the radio that the production of Return of The Jedi was
looking for people to cast who were under four feet tall. So she sent in his name, and the rest
is history. Davis has achieved great success in Hollywood ever since his first role in that
movie. He stands at 3’6”, due to a rare genetic disorder known as SED. This caused his dwarfism.
But Warwick hasn’t let his stature hold him back. He had a starring turn in the classic
fantasy film, Willow, and has appeared in every Harry Potter film as well.
Verne Troyer – 2’8” Sadly, this last actor
passed away in 2018. But before that, Verne Troyer was the shortest member of our list,
standing at a mere 2’8”. However, that didn’t stop him from making a big impact
in the world of film. Verne’s most prominent role was as “Mini Me” in the Austin Powers
series of movies. He also had a role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Before he
died he also made several appearances as himself on a variety of reality shows,
like The Surreal Life and Celebrity Big Brother. Sadly, he died of suicide by alcohol poisoning.
Now it’s time to hear from you. Which is your favorite of these
short but talented gentlemen? Let us know in the comments below. And before you go,
make sure you give this video a like, and subscribe to Facts Verse if you
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