Star Wars began in the mind of George Lucas a long time ago. Premiering in 1977, the epic saga has been delighting fans with all of the beloved characters from that galaxy far, far away ever since. The franchise has lived in a state of consistent rebirths between the original trilogy, the prequels, the books, the television shows, and the sequels.
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It is not only the action and adventure that brings fans back year after year but the fantastic cast members that make up each chapter of the story. As Master Yoda says, “size matters not.” It doesn’t matter how big or small the characters and the actors are when it comes to making a real difference in the world of Star Wars.
Tallest: Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks) - 6'1
Ahmed Best is an actor most famous for his role as the clumsy but kindly Gungan, Jar Jar Binks. Though the native New Yorker is 6'1, the character is much taller, standing between 6'4 and 6'5. Production accounted for this difference by having Best wear part of the costume on top of his head, with a spot in the character's long neck for the actor to look through.
Though Best struggled for some time due to the abuse he suffered from fans that hated the character, he has recently rejoined the franchise as host of the Disney+ gameshowStar Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge.
Shortest: Temeura Morrison (Jango Fett) - 5'7
Temuera Morrison is a name that has been associated with Star Warsfor decades, but he is back in the spotlight due to his incredible work in The Mandalorian, and Disney's recent announcement about The Book Of Boba Fett.
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Standing at 5'7, the New Zealander first made his debut in Attack Of The Clones as Jango Fett, and again in Revenge Of The Sith as Commander Cody. He has continued to lend his voice to an assortment of characters in Star Wars video games, and even provided the voice of Boba Fett in the 2004 re-release of The Empire Strikes Back.
Tallest:Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu) - 6'2
Samuel L. Jackson has a name well outside of the world of Star Wars, but to long-time fans of the franchise, he will always be Jedi Master Mace Windu and signify the birth of the purple lightsaber into Star Wars canon.
Originally meant to have one of the more typical lightsaber colors, Jackson wanted to stand out in a flashy fight sequence. The 6'2 actor asked Lucas specifically for what is now the character's famous, amethyst saber.
Shortest: Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) - 5'5
The adorable Jake Lloyd was a child actor known for starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All The Way, prior to being cast as young Anakin Skywalker for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
As an adult, Jake Lloyd is 5 foot 5. Though the actor has since given up acting for personal reasons, including ones similar to the hardships suffered by Ahmed Best, the actor did voice Anakin in various Star Wars video games that were released the next few years after the film's debut.
Tallest:Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn) - 6'4
Liam Neeson towers over many cast members at 6 foot 4, but there is something pleasant about the juxtaposition of his height and skills with a lightsaber, and his calm, quiet nature as Qui-Gon Jinn. Neeson has starred in many action movies in the last decade, but he shined as the patient and empathetic Jedi Master in The Phantom Menace.
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While devoted to the Jedi ways, Qui-Gon defied the Jedi Council and chose to take young Anakin Skywalker to train him. He firmly believed that Anakin would bring a balance to the force, and the choices that he madewould lead to his death at the hands of Darth Maul.
Shortest: Natalie Portman (Padme Amidala) - 5'3
Natalie Portman may be one of the shorter actors in the cast, but her talent and personality are far from small. The Academy Award-winning Israeli-American actress stands at 5 foot 3 inches tall and made her Star Wars debut asPadmé Amidala in 1999.
Appearing in all three prequel films, the brave and kindhearted Queen of Naboo is as clever as she is courageous, willingly putting herself in harm's way for the good of her people and the ones that she loved most.
Tallest:Christopher Lee (Count Dooku) - 6'5
The late, great Christopher Lee made a name for himself in the world of fantasy from early on in his long career. His height made some of his villainous characters all the more intimidating at an impressive 6 foot 5 inches tall.
He has appeared as the dreaded vampire Count Dracula in various projects, the powerful wizard Saruman in The Lord Of The Rings franchise, and in Star Wars as Count Dooku. A Sith also known by the name of Darth Tyranus, Dooku was originally trained by Yoda and had a key role in The Clone Wars.
Shortest: Kenny Baker (R2-D2) - 3'8
Born in 1934, Kenny Baker was an actor most known for a beloved role in which he didn't show his face, or even the rest of his body. Baker brought the happy, bleep-blooping droid to life by literally stepping into the R2-D2 costume, and he continued to helm the role from 1977 through2005.
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His final Star Wars film was Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith. The actor was 71 years old at the time.Baker passed away some years later in August of 2016.
Tallest: Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) - 7'2
Another Star Wars "lifer", Peter Mayhew held the role of Chewbacca from A New Hope in 1977 all the way through The Force Awakens in 2015. Like Kenny Baker, the 7 foot 2 inch tall actor was also in his early 70's at the time of his retirement from a lifetime of playing the loyal Wookiee.
The torch was passed from Mayhew to Finnish actor, Joonas Suotamo, for the remainder of the Star Warssequel franchise. Peter Mayhewdied four years later in April of 2019.
Shortest: Warwick Davis (Wald; Race Spectator; Mos Espa Citizen) - 3'6
A highly talented actor with more than a few recognizable roles under his belt including Willow, Harry Potter,and the Leprechaun series, Warwick Davis has played a wide assortment of characters in the Star Wars universe as well.
The 3'6 actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer played Wicket in Return of the Jedi. He also held various small parts in the prequels and sequels, he voiced Rukh in Star Wars Rebels, and he also appeared in both Rogue One and Solo. Though his roles may not have been starring ones like others on this list, Davis is extremely significant to the Star Wars franchise.
NEXT:Star Wars: Age, Height, And 8 Other Things You Didn't Know About Daisy Ridley
