How Tall Is Karen Gillan?

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Scottish actress Karen Gillan is approximately 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall.

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Scottish actress Karen Gillan is five feet eleven inches tall.

Answered from Christian Lament

 

Karen Gillan's height has been a much-discussed topic among her fans ever since she burst onto the Hollywood scene. As one of the tallest actresses working today at 5'11”, her statuesque physique is hard to ignore. This FAQ article will provide a deep dive into all the details around Karen Gillan's height and what it means for her career.

Contents

  • What is Karen Gillan’s official height?
  • How does Karen Gillan’s height compare to other actresses?
  • Did Karen Gillan’s height help her get cast as Nebula in the Marvel movies?
  • Was Karen Gillan always tall or did she have a growth spurt?
  • Has Karen Gillan’s height affected her self-confidence over the years?
  • Does Karen Gillan wear heels a lot and how does that impact her total height?
  • What are some memorable scenes and photos showcasing Karen Gillan’s height?
  • Has Gillan ever talked about height preferences when dating?
  • What are some fun facts about Gillan’s height and measurements?

What is Karen Gillan’s official height?

According to both Gillan herself and her various acting profiles online, she stands at 5 feet 11 inches tall (or 180 cm). When asked in interviews, she consistently gives this number as her official height.

For example, in this 2013 interview with The Guardian, Gillan stated “I'm 5ft 11in”. Similarly, on her IMDB profile, her height is listed as “5′ 11″ (1.8 m)”. Across the board, whether it's Gillan or her representatives providing the number, her height comes in at 5'11”.

How does Karen Gillan’s height compare to other actresses?

At 5'11”, Gillan is significantly taller than the average actress in Hollywood. To provide some context:

  • The average height for an American woman is around 5'4″.
  • Many famous actresses like Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, and Amy Adams are petite, standing between 5'0″ and 5'5″.
  • Iconic stars like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were ultra-short, measuring just 5'5″ or less.

So at nearly 6 feet tall barefoot, Gillan truly towers over most of her peers. In group photos with her co-stars, she can appear giant thanks to the height difference. For example, her frequent collaborator Lena Headey from Game of Thrones is just 5'5″.

Some actresses who come close to Karen Gillan's height are Nicole Kidman at 5'10”, Blake Lively at 5'10”, and Uma Thurman at 5'11”. But even among the truly tall women of Hollywood, Gillan stands out in the upper echelons.

Did Karen Gillan’s height help her get cast as Nebula in the Marvel movies?

Absolutely. Karen Gillan's imposing physique was one of the main attributes that helped her land the role of the blue-skinned alien Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers films.

Director James Gunn has specifically mentioned her height as being ideal for the character, who is depicted as a very tall, strong, and threatening presence in the comic books.

Being 5'11” allowed Gillan to credibly portray this imposing character on screen, especially in action sequences requiring her to domineer over other cast members. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Nebula towers over nearly everyone else.

So in short, Gillan's height was definitely an advantage that helped score her the career-making part of Nebula and cemented her place in the lucrative Marvel franchise.

Was Karen Gillan always tall or did she have a growth spurt?

By all accounts, Karen Gillan achieved most of her adult height by her mid-teens and did not suddenly shoot up.

In this interview, she shared:

I think I was about 5'7″ or 5'8″ at 14 and then I grew three inches in one year. So I was really gangly and still getting used to my height.

So she gained a few more inches in her later teen years, but was already tall compared to her peers from an early age. Gillan says she never experienced an awkward, super-fast growth spurt – just a gradual progression to her full adult height.

Has Karen Gillan’s height affected her self-confidence over the years?

By her own admission, yes. Gillan has openly discussed being self-conscious about her tall stature, especially in her adolescent years at school.

In this interview she stated:

When I was at school I was very insecure about my height. I thought I was a freak. You were either small and really cute, or slightly tall and awkward. I was never small and cute.

However, as she got older and fully embraced her acting career, Gillan learned to exude confidence and appreciate her natural stature.

She now recognizes the unique advantage her height provides and the power it can project on screen. So over time, her perspective has changed to fully positive self-assurance.

Does Karen Gillan wear heels a lot and how does that impact her total height?

Now that she's proud of her height, Gillan isn't afraid to accentuate it even further by wearing high heels. On red carpets and public appearances, she can regularly be spotted in heels adding several more inches to her 5'11” physique.

For example, at the Avengers: Infinity War premiere, she wore glittery 4-inch heels that made her look around 6'3″ when posing for photos.

In other casual public settings, Gillan may stick to flatter shoes to stay closer to her natural height. But when a splashy event calls for it, towering platform heels often make their way into her shoe collection to maximize height.

What are some memorable scenes and photos showcasing Karen Gillan’s height?

There are plenty of impactful moments that highlight just how tall Karen Gillan really is:

  • In this scene from Doctor Who, the nearly 6-foot Gillan positively dwarfs her co-star Matt Smith who was just 5'11”.
  • Many Marvel group shots show Gillan towering over her co-stars like 5'3″ Zoe Saldana and 5'5″ Pom Klementieff.
  • At the Infinity War premiere, Gillan posed for a photo with 5'4″ Danai Gurira in which Gurira only came up to her shoulders.
  • During press for Jumanji, Gillan took a photo with her much shorter co-stars like Kevin Hart and Jack Black.
  • At the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 premiere, this cast photo shows her towering over everyone, especially the very short Pom Klementieff.

Has Gillan ever talked about height preferences when dating?

The statuesque actress has not been very vocal about any height requirements she looks for in a romantic partner. However, she has jokingly addressed the topic:

In one interview with Craig Ferguson, she discussed wearing high heels on a date and teased:

“I want to weed out the weak. If you feel emasculated, then I don't want to go out with you.”

So while she hasn't outright stated a dating height preference, Gillan clearly wants any potential suitor to be confident and secure enough to handle her tall stature.

What are some fun facts about Gillan’s height and measurements?

In addition to her 5'11” height, here are some other fun body stats about the leggy actress:

  • Her reported measurements are 35-27-35 inches.
  • Her shoe size is 10.5 – 11 US.
  • Gillan says her hands are big for a woman and make props look small in comparison.
  • She once claimed she has “ridiculously long fingers that can reach things on the top shelf.”
  • When shaving her head for Guardians 1, she revealed it took 30 minutes because of her enormous noggin!

So in summary, from head to toe, all of Karen Gillan's proportions are elongated and accentuated by her tall frame. Every part of her physicality reflects her notable stature.

Conclusion

Karen Gillan's towering height sets her apart from most Hollywood starlets. But what once made her feel gangly and awkward is now one of her most striking attributes as an actress. Gillan has fully embraced being 5'11” and regularly accentuates it with high heels. She stands tall—both literally and figuratively—as one of the tallest female celebrities working today. So in the end, her height has proven to be a tremendous asset rather than a hindrance.

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