7 Actors Whose Height Is Not What We Expected

Did you know that Chris Hemsworth is an entire foot taller than Natalie Portman?

Damjan

• Published in Cartoons / Anime
• February 14, 2023

When it comes to movie and TV show casting, height often matters. It can be difficult for directors and producers to create a balanced visual between two actors if the height difference between them is significant.

This challenge is especially apparent when casting romantic pairings. However, people come in all shapes and sizes, and actors are no exception.

Height is not the only challenge when it comes to creating a visual balance between actors in a scene. Producers must also consider body shape and size. For example, if an actor has a larger frame than their romantic partner, they may be required to wear baggier clothing or to stand further away from their partner to achieve a balanced look.

Moviemakers use a range of methods to give their actors the look they need to play their parts. Some actors must dye their hair, some must change their accents, and some must spend months working out to be in shape.

But when an actor has to play a character that is much taller than they are, the filmmakers have to come up with creative solutions. Fortunately, we have details of some of these attempts.

Let's take a look at them:

1. Penn Badgley In Gossip Girl

Despite the 5-inch-10-inch height advantage Blake Lively had over Penn Badgley's 5-foot-8.5-inch height, they became one of the most famous TV couples. Thanks to clever camera work, audiences were unaware that Lively was wearing heels while filming.

2. Woody Harrelson In True Detective

Despite the fact that Matthew McConaughey is 5 feet 11 3/4 inches tall and Woody Harrelson is only 5 feet 9 inches, the producers of True Detective somehow managed to make them appear to be the same height.

3. Jude Law In Genius

In the film Genius, Jude Law, who stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and is just under an inch shorter than his co-star Nicole Kidman, is made to look much taller than her. Despite the reality of the difference in their heights, Law was able to create an illusion of towering over the actress onscreen.

4. Leonardo DiCaprio In The Aviator

Cate Blanchett portrays the legendary Katharine Hepburn in the film, wearing a multitude of beautiful outfits, all accompanied by high heels, as seen in many scenes. Blanchett, who is 5 feet and 8 inches, should have been nearly as tall as Leonardo DiCaprio, who is 6 feet tall in heels.

5. Natalie Portman In Thor: Love and Thunder

A noticeable height difference exists between Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, but they are not the first on-screen couple to have this issue. To make them look better together on screen, Portman (who is 5 feet 3 inches tall) had to be filmed walking on a platform that was raised one foot in the air, as Hemsworth is 6 feet 3 inches tall.

6. Margot Robbie In Bombshell

The drama, Bombshell, employed a common film-making technique to make its two tall leading actresses, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman (both 5'10"), look even better on screen. In order to do so, their co-stars were made to appear taller than they actually were, including Margot Robbie, who is only 5 feet 6 inches tall.

7. Robert De Niro In The Intern

Although Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro are both a modest 5 feet, 8 inches tall, Anne was required to wear heels throughout the filming of the movie. This made it necessary to pose them in the iconic photo taken at the film's premiere, with De Niro towering above Anne Hathaway. It is unclear why the filmmakers felt it necessary for De Niro to appear taller than Anne Hathaway.

Movie makers are highly skilled at making height differences between actors appear more pronounced than they actually are. This is done through a combination of camera techniques, casting choices, and clever set design.

Camera techniques such as low-angle shots and forced perspective are used to make the taller actor appear even taller while the shorter actor appears even shorter. On the other hand, high-angle shots have the opposite effect.

Damjan