It’s easy to believe some people are shorter that they truly are thanks to clever clothing choices or simply standing next to towering actors and statues alike. But the entertainment industry is loaded with illusionary factors that contribute to our perceptions of size.
Several celebrities belie their actual heights by appearing significantly shorter on screen. One prominent example is Tom Cruise, the movie star who always seems comfortably close in his numerous action sequence shots. Though often cited as standing at 5-foot-7, official reports suggest the man has an inch or two more going for him — putting him slightly closer to a strong 5’9”. Perhaps his insistence on performing his most dramatic stunts, combined with strategic camera angles in those blockbuster hits, contributes to his seemingly pintsized presence.
Similarly, Scarlett Johansson appears shorter in movie after movie despite standing at six-feet even. A figure not usually perceived as being particularly towering within its own right certainly makes the illusion stronger for the actress who seems perpetually dwarfed by her male contemporaries on screen. Could this height discrepancy factor into Hollywood’s perpetuation of tropes where tallness traditionally grants an actor greater hero status, particularly among males?
Zendaya has always seemed slightly off-proportioned as if a magical elf rather than simply young, lithe woman and fans have been shocked over and over again about her real height—5′1 inches — is noticeably shorter than many actors she’s starred with for instance Jacob Elordi at 6’4″.
In comparison to Tom Ford’s more average-height presence. the designer can appear slightly shorter than anticipated because of his trademark style—suits designed with high hems that can inadvertently cut off his legs visually. While rumors put him under seven feet, Ford actually walks about at 6’7″ giving him enough height for a confident strut even down Gucci Boulevard. And those boots he tends toward aren’t helping any illusion to the contrary.
Finally there’s Justin Turner – the Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman – who consistently appears around average height, playing with towering teammates on the legendary diamond he calls home, often finding himself dwarfed by them visually when captured within team photographs On closer inspection it quickly becomes apparent that stands at a solid six-feet-six, making his presence quite remarkable even in amongst giants. Perhaps our perception is truly affected by context.
Understanding how perceived versus actual height functions within pop culture can offer us surprising insights into ourselves and how we react to seemingly simple elements—something more nuanced than meets the eye for this tall order that some A-listers have mastered as we learn about them
These are, of course, only five examples. Many more famous figures play with optical illusions throughout their careers. Perhaps a keen pop culture lover out there can help us discover even more intriguing cases!