Ever watched Poldark and thought, man, that guy looks like a giant on that horse? You're definitely not the only one. There’s something about the way Aidan Turner carries himself—this brooding, sweeping presence—that makes him feel like he towers over everyone else in Cornwall.
But screen presence is a funny thing. It’s a mix of camera angles, heavy boots, and sometimes, a little bit of tactical equestrian choices. Honestly, the question of how tall is Aidan Turner is one of those things fans debate because he seems to change size depending on which character he's playing. When he’s Kíli in The Hobbit, he’s "dwarf-sized" (with a lot of help from Weta Workshop). When he’s Ross Poldark, he’s a commanding hero.
The Real Numbers: Aidan Turner’s Official Height
So, let's get the stats out of the way. Aidan Turner is 5 feet 11 inches tall. That’s roughly 180 cm for those of you who prefer the metric system.
It’s a solid height. It’s taller than the average guy in the UK or Ireland, but it’s not exactly "professional basketball player" territory. Yet, on screen, he often feels like he’s 6'2". Part of that is just the way he’s built. He’s got that lean, athletic frame that photographs really well and makes him look elongated. Plus, let's be real—the hair adds an easy inch or two of vertical volume.
Why Does He Look Taller in Poldark?
Here is a hilarious bit of trivia that Aidan himself has talked about. When they were filming Poldark, he actually used a specific trick to look more imposing. It wasn't about lifts in his shoes or standing on boxes.
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It was the horse.
Basically, his trainer suggested he switch horses. He was originally riding a big, beefy horse named Jonny Wilkinson. But his trainer pointed out that while he looked fine on Jonny, he looked huge on a smaller horse named Seamus. Aidan told the Radio Times that Seamus was a bit smaller, which naturally made Aidan look like a bigger, more dominant rider. He switched immediately. Smart move, right?
Comparing Aidan to His Co-Stars
If you want to see his height in context, you just have to look at him standing next to his Poldark castmates. Eleanor Tomlinson, who played Demelza, is about 5'7.5". Even when she's in period-appropriate footwear, Aidan clearly has several inches on her.
Another co-star, Heida Reed (Elizabeth), stands at about 5'7". When Aidan is in a scene with them, that 5'11" frame looks quite tall because he's usually about three or four inches taller than the leading ladies. It creates that classic leading-man silhouette that viewers love.
The Hobbit Factor
The most confusing part of Aidan’s height journey was definitely The Hobbit trilogy. Playing Kíli meant he had to look much shorter than his actual 5'11".
- Scale Doubles: They used shorter actors to stand in for the dwarves during wide shots.
- Oversized Props: Huge mugs, giant chairs, and massive doors made the actors look tiny.
- Forced Perspective: A classic Peter Jackson trick where actors are placed at different distances from the camera to cheat their height.
It’s wild to think that the same guy who looked like a miniature warrior in Middle-earth was, in reality, the same height as many of the "human" characters.
Is He Actually Shorter or Taller Than Reported?
There’s always a segment of the internet that thinks every actor is lying about their height. You’ll see forum posts claiming he’s "actually 5'9"" or "definitely a full 6 feet."
But 5'11" seems to be the honest consensus from people who have met him at stage doors or conventions. He doesn't have that "surprising smallness" that some Hollywood stars have in person. He’s just a fit, well-proportioned guy who knows how to hold a room.
He once joked in an interview with Shortlist about the obsession with his look and his "scything" physique, saying that there's no "little pill" you can take to get fit—it’s just the gym and eating a bit less. That same discipline applies to his posture; he stands tall, which is half the battle when it comes to looking "celebrity tall."
How to Gauge Height Like an Expert
If you're still skeptical, the best way to verify an actor's height is to look for "red carpet" photos where they are standing next to someone with a verified height. Look for shots of Aidan next to someone like Dean O'Gorman (his Hobbit brother, who is about 5'8") or Luke Evans (who is about 6'0"). Aidan usually slots right in the middle of those two, confirming that 5'11" mark is pretty much spot on.
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What’s interesting is that in 2026, we’re seeing more actors being open about the "tricks of the trade." Whether it's the size of the horse or the angle of the lens, height in Hollywood is often a collaboration between the actor and the production team.
Your Next Steps for Following Aidan
If you’re a fan of Aidan's work, the best way to see his "real" height in action is to catch him in a contemporary role where he isn't wearing 18th-century boots or dwarf prosthetics.
Check out his work in more recent dramas or stage plays. Seeing him in a simple pair of sneakers and a t-shirt gives you a much better sense of his true 5'11" stature than any period piece ever could. You can also follow fan-run galleries that track his public appearances, which often feature "real world" photos of him interacting with fans of all different heights.