12 Successful Celebrities That Are 5’3″

People say height doesn’t matter, but everyone knows it does. Those who tower over the general population are often seen as superior, as if those extra few inches make them better than the rest of us. It’s true being tall can help with certain careers also, especially athletes and those in the movie business. Being 6’8″ on the basketball court sure beats being 5’8″, while many actors and actresses are of decent stature.

Speaking of actors, Gigacalculator suggests that the average male actor’s height is 5’10″, which is one inch taller than the average American male. The likes of Ben Affleck, Eric Fleishman, and Keanu Reeves are well above that average. 

As for female actresses, the average height in Hollywood is 5’5″, which is also one inch above the national average. Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Lopez, Robin Wright, and Jennifer Aniston are all above average.

But don’t fear short kings and queens, as it turns out there are quite a few celebrities that are 5’3″ who have made it big in the world of entertainment. 

These hardworking individuals have proven no matter your size you can make it in showbiz. Some are big-time movie stars, others famous musicians, and a select few have made it as TV personalities. All of these 5’3″ stars are proof that being under the average American height shouldn’t stop you from chasing your dreams. 

12 Successful Celebrities That Are 5’3″

1. Scarlett Johansson

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Scarlett Johansson’s movies have made $14.3 billion worldwide, making her the highest-grossing box office star of all time. Ever since she was a child she wanted to act, attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute before making her debut in the off-Broadway play Sophistry with Ethan Hawke. Although she only had two lines, she had the bug and it wasn’t long before Johansson was starring in feature films. 

She’s now been acting for almost three decades and has appeared in some of the biggest movies of all time. She can count The Horse Whisperer, Lost in Translation, The Prestige, Under the Skin, Isle of Dogs, and Marriage Story among some of her most well-received flicks. Then there’s her appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Black Widow. Johansson has played the character in nine Marvel movies, including the stand-alone Black Widow movie. She is the poster woman for 5’3″ movie stars. 

2. Joe Pesci

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Despite his stature, Joe Pesci is an overwhelming presence on the big screen. The talented actor made his mark in 80s movies like Raging Bull, Once Upon a Time in America, and Lethal Weapon 2 before taking on the iconic role of mafioso Tommy DeVito in Martin Scorsese’s classic Goodfellas.

Pesci won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Goodfellas and followed the movie with roles in Home Alone, JFK, My Cousin Vinnie, A Bronx Tale, Casino, and two more Lethal Weapon sequels. 

Although semi-retired, Pesci pops up from time to time in major motion pictures, with his last performance coming in Scorsese’s The Irishman. Pesci is also a music lover and has released several records over the journey. 

3. Carrie Underwood

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American country singer star Carrie Underwood is another celebrity who comes in at 5’3″. She’s the only solo country artist to have a number-one song on the Hot 100 in the 2000s and has sold over 70 million records worldwide. Underwood has won a stack of awards and is much loved in the country music community. She also dabbles in television, having hosted several big shows including American Idol.

4. Drew Barrymore

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There is a little conjecture surrounding Drew Barrymore’s height, with some believing she is 5’4″ and not 5’3″. We lean towards the smaller height, making her a welcome addition to this collection of incredible celebrities who come in at 5’3″. Born to famous parents, Barrymore got her start as a child actress, appearing in the hit 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

She went through a bit of a tough time as a teen, getting involved with drugs and alcohol and became known as a wild child. This didn’t impact her career though, with Barrymore starring in a slew of successful flicks in the 90s and 00s, including Never Been Kissed, Poison Ivy, The Wedding Singer, Fever Pitch, and two Charlie’s Angels movies. 

Married three times and with two children, Barrymore is currently riding another wave of success thanks to her hit talk show The Drew Barrymore Show. 

5. Natalie Portman

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You can’t help but love everything Natalie Portman does. The actress has not only starred in some incredible movies, but she is very vocal when it comes to politics, social issues, and the environment. She generally cares about the world around her and is doing all she can to make things better for future generations. 

Scoring her first role in 1994 as a 12-year-old in Léon: The Professional, Portman’s career has only gone from strength to strength. She played Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequels and had notable roles in the romantic drama Closer, the comic book adaptation V for Vendetta, the drama Brothers, and Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. 

6. Billie Eilish

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A chart-topping success before the age of 18, Billie Eilish is the definition of success. Along with her brother, Finneas O’Connell, Eilish has dominated the pop charts since the release of her 2017 EP Don’t Smile at Me.

The 5’3 superstar has a list of achievements that puts many artists to shame, having already won seven Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, three Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and even an Academy Award! Eilish also holds two Guinness World Records and has written a Bond song, all before the age of 21. 

7. Jessica Simpson

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“Is this chicken that I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says chicken by the sea. Is that stupid? What is it called – chicken by the sea or in the sea?” These words were once spoken by Jessica Simpson, turning her into a meme and forever embedding her in pop culture.

The singer, actress, and businesswoman might not come across as the sharpest tool in the shed, but she has done pretty well for herself. Along with releasing some high-charting singles and albums, Simpson has appeared in several movies and starred as herself in an array of TV shows, including reality hit Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with her ex-husband Nick Lachey. But her biggest success has been in the business world where her clothing line, “The Jessica Simpson Collection,” is the most successful celebrity licensing brand in history. Not bad for someone who didn’t know the difference between chicken and tuna. 

8. Kim Kardashian

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Here is another celebrity who falls between 5’2″ and 5’3″. Kim Kardashian is a reality star that turned a sex tape into a lucrative career. It helps that she comes from money, but you have to respect the hustle. She’s starred in TV shows, been on all the big talk shows, runs several businesses, and even got a law degree. All this while raising four children as a solo mom, with occasional help from ex-husband Kanye West.  

She might not be everybody’s favorite celebrity, but she is one of the most successful 5’3″ celebrities to make it in the entertainment world. 

9. Rob Schneider

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Love him or hate him, and there are plenty who hate him, Rob Schneider has had a pretty successful career. The comedian got his start on Saturday Night Live in the 90s and spent four years on the show before striking out as an actor. He had small roles in movies including Surf Ninjas, Judge Dredd, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Demolition Man before going on a mini-run as a leading man in comedies Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, The Animal, and The Hot Chick. 

The last 15 years have seen Schneider once again relegated to cameos, not that he seems to mind. He usually appears in good friend Adam Sandler’s movies as the “You can do it!” guy while also doing a lot of voice-over work. He even had his own show, Rob, but it only lasted one season after poor reviews. 

10. Carmen Elektra 

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Carmen Elektra started her career as a model, appearing in Playboy several times over the years. Her acting breakthrough came playing Lani McKenzie Baywatch. This led to many cameo roles in a host of movies, mainly in the parody genre, with Scary Movie, Date Movie, Epic Movie, and Disaster Movie being the standouts. 

She hasn’t done a lot of on-screen work lately and is concentrating on her OnlyFans account, telling People, “I, for once, have this opportunity to be my own boss and have my own creative vision to share with my fans without someone standing over me.”

11. Alison Brie

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Few actresses have had as many fantastic TV roles as Alison Brie. The American actress can count Mad Men, Community, GLOW, and BoJack Horseman as some of the Award-winning shows she has been a part of. But it’s not just on the small screen where Brie has left her mark, having critically applauded roles in movies including The Disaster Artist, The Lego Movie, Promising Young Woman, and The Horse Girl. 

Married to fellow actor Dave Franco, the two have also worked together, with Brie starring in Franco’s directorial debut, The Rental. 

12. Ashanti

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There were few bigger names in R&B in the early 00s than Ashanti. The New York singer blew up after appearing on Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?” and Ja Rule’s “Always on Time.” She would go on to have her own smash hit with “Foolish” and dominate the R&B scene for several years. 

Although she hasn’t released an album since 2014, Ashanti has still been making moves in the entertainment world, starring in movies and TV shows while also extending her philanthropy work.