20 Shortest Men In Hollywood And Their Real Heights

The average height for men in America is 5 feet 9 inches tall. But some of Hollywood's leading men such as Al Pacino, Dave Franco, and Mark Wahlberg are even shorter than average. Look at these short Hollywood actors and how they've proven height is not a barrier to success.

1. Al Pacino - 5'7"

Famous for his gangster roles and explosive acting style, The Godfather star is just 5 feet 7 inches tall. You may be surprised to learn that Pacino's diminutive stature almost cost him the role of Michael Corleone. Paramount producers thought Pacino was "too short" and wanted a Robert Redford-type for the role, but director Francis Ford Coppola was on his side.

2. Tom Cruise - 5'7"

There has been a lot of speculation about Tom Cruise's height. The most pervasive one is that the Top Gun star is 5 feet 7 inches tall. But discussion boards and blogs have repeatedly tried to prove he is actually around 5 feet 5 inches tall, even showing times that the actor wore heeled boots or shoe lifts to make himself appear taller.

3. Jonathan Lipnicki - 5'8"

Remember the adorable Ray played by then 5-year-old Jonathan Lipnicki in Jerry Maguire? The child star is now all grown up and is just 5 feet 8 inches tall. Jonathan also starred in family-friendly films such as Stuart Little and Like Mike. But he didn't piggyback on his early success and continued taking theater classes to improve his acting skills.

4. Dave Franco - 5'7"

The Now You See Me star is about 5 feet 7 inches tall, much shorter than his 5-feet-11-inch-tall brother, James Franco. Dave starred in the zombie drama Warm Bodies, and when asked how he would fare if the undead took over the world, the actor responded: "I'm a small shifty kind of guy, I think I would be up in the hills…shooting from above..."

5. Martin Freeman - 5'6"

"The Hobbit" and "Sherlock" star is reportedly 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall, but his height hasn't come up all that much in interviews. However, there's a quote attributed to Martin Freeman where he's claimed he's not that bothered by talk of his size on social media. He says just because something is big doesn't mean it's better.

6. Dustin Hoffman - 5'6"

The Academy Award-winning actor has starred in box office hits like The Graduate, Rain Man, and Midnight Cowboy. Hoffman is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and he has acknowledged that he was surprised director Mike Nichols cast him as Benjamin Braddock, saying "Nichols chose to give this short, funny-looking Jewish guy the role usually reserved for a tall, handsome protestant."

7. Daniel Radcliffe - 5'5"

The Harry Potter star is 5 feet 5 inches tall. When asked if his size limits the roles he plays, Daniel Radcliffe responded: "I don't think so. Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise have very different careers, and they're both about the same height as I am. I could play a soldier. The minimum height for a marine is five feet, and I'm well above that."

8. Michael J. Fox - 5'4"

At 5 feet 4 inches tall, the "Back to the Future" and "Family Ties" star is among the shortest men in Hollywood. But what's more noteworthy about this award-winning actor is his advocacy surrounding Parkinson's Disease. Diagnosed with the neurological disorder at 29, Fox launched a foundation that has raised nearly $1 billion for the condition's research.

9. Elijah Wood - 5'6"

Elijah Wood is best known for his role as Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The actor revealed in a segment with Conan O'Brien that he is often mistaken for Daniel Radcliffe, as they have the same blue eyes and similar height. But in fact, Wood is 5 feet 6 inches tall, an inch on Radcliffe.

10. Joaquin Phoenix - 5'8"

The Golden Globe winning actor for his role in Joker is 5 feet 8 inches tall. Interestingly, Joaquin Phoenix once changed his name to "Leaf" at the age of just 4. You might also be surprised to learn that the actor is a vegetarian and a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and he was even named PETA's "Person of the Year" in 2019.

11. Antonio Banderas - 5'8"

The Spanish-born award-winning actor is just 5 feet 8 1/2 inches tall. When he was young, Antonio was a soccer player, but a severe foot injury ended his sporting career. He then appeared in the rock musical Hair, which triggered his new passion. After that he ventured into Hollywood and landed his breakout role as Tom Hanks' lover in the 1993 film Philadelphia.

12. Woody Allen - 5'5"

The filmmaker-director measures in at just 5 feet 5 inches tall. But his short stature hasn't stopped him from enjoying a stellar career. Starting out by writing jokes for a newspaper at just 15, Woody Allen has worked in the film industry for over 60 years and is still active today. The comedian has also starred in his own films, such as Annie Hall and Manhattan.

13. Tobey Maguire - 5'8"

The superhero in the Spiderman series is 5 feet 8 inches tall. Young Tobey took acting lessons under his mother's encouragement and started his career with small roles in Roseanne and Blossom. The actor and film producer also starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

14. Ken Jeong - 5'5"

Funnyman Ken Jeong is 5 feet 5 inches tall. What's fascinating is that the comedian has a medical degree and was a real doctor before shifting into acting. His breakout role was in the comedy Knocked Up where he played a doctor, and he also landed roles in Community and The Hangover.

15. Kevin Hart - 5'4"

The Vulture infographic about height in Hollywood puts comedian Kevin Hart at 5 feet 2 inches tall. To crack this joke about his height, the self-deprecating Night School actor says in a Variety video: "Hey, what's going on, I'm Kevin Hart, and one thing you may not know about me is… I'm 5 foot 4-1/2. A lot of people think it's just 5-4. It's not. Five-foot-four-and-a-half."

16. Marc Anthony - 5'6"

At 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall, the Grammy award-winning singer has also dabbled in acting. Anthony played small roles in Hackers and The Substitute in the '90s and landed a larger role alongside Denzel Washington in the crime thriller Man on Fire in 2004. The singer and actor shares twins with ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.

17. Jack Black - 5'7"

Actor Jack Black played giant Lemuel Gulliver in the comedy Gulliver's Travels, but he is actually just 5 feet 7 inches tall. The comedian is best known for his roles in movies such as School of Rock, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, the Kung Fu Panda franchise, Bernie, and the Jumanji series. In 2018, Jack was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

18. Martin Scorsese - 5'3"

One of the most influential directors in Hollywood, Martin Scorsese is just 5 feet 3 inches tall. Once asked his thoughts on sports, the Goodfellas director responded: "Sports? Anything with a ball, no good!" The Academy Award-winning film producer also landed roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock.

19. Mark Wahlberg - 5'8"

The "Boogie Nights" and "Entourage" star is 5 feet 8 inches tall. Mark Wahlberg came from a big, close-knit family and started his music career with older brother Donnie in the boy band New Kids on the Block. He switched to Hollywood in the early '90s after their rap collective, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, flopped.

20. Martin Lawrence - 5'7"

Comedic icon Martin Lawrence is 5 feet 7 inches tall. He rose to fame in the '90s with his own sitcom, Martin. The actor also starred in the Bad Boys franchise alongside 6-feet-2-inches-tall Will Smith. You may have noticed the comedy legend shadowboxing, and it comes naturally as Martin is also a former Golden Gloves boxer.