Audrey Hepburn. When you hear that name, you probably think of the little black dress or those massive sunglasses in Breakfast at Tiffany's. But there is a weird, lingering debate that follows her even decades after her passing. How tall is Audrey Hepburn, exactly? It sounds like a simple question with a single number for an answer, yet the truth is wrapped up in old Hollywood myths, restrictive ballet standards, and a truly harrowing childhood in wartime Europe.
Most official records, including her own passports and biographies written by her family, pin her height at 5 feet 7 inches (roughly 170 cm).
That might not sound like a giant today. However, back in the 1950s, standing 5'7" made Audrey a bit of an anomaly. She was tall. Leggy. Almost "too much" for the roles she originally wanted. Honestly, her height is the reason she became a movie star instead of a prima ballerina. Life has a funny way of closing one door just to kick open a much bigger one.
The Ballet Dream That Height "Ruined"
Before she was Holly Golightly, she was Audrey Ruston, a girl obsessed with dance. She trained like a fanatic. Even during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, she was giving secret performances to raise money for the Dutch resistance. You’ve probably heard the stories—performing in rooms where the audience couldn't even clap because the sound might tip off the Germans.
After the war, she headed to London on a scholarship to study with Marie Rambert. This was her dream. But Rambert was blunt. She told Audrey that at 5'7", she was simply too tall to reach the top tier of professional ballet.
Why did height matter so much in ballet?
Back then, the "ideal" ballerina was closer to 5'2" or 5'5". It wasn't just about aesthetics; it was about the men. Male dancers were shorter on average back then. If Audrey went up on her toes—en pointe—she would tower over almost every leading man in the company.
Beyond just the verticality, Audrey’s body had been ravaged by the "Hunger Winter" of 1944. She had survived on tulip bulbs and grass. By the time the war ended, she was 5'6" and weighed a terrifying 88 pounds. Her son, Luca Dotti, has spoken about how this malnutrition led to chronic anemia and respiratory issues. Marie Rambert didn't just see a "tall" girl; she saw a girl whose body might not survive the grueling physical toll of being a prima ballerina.
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So, Audrey pivoted. She started taking modeling gigs and small acting parts in London.
The 5'7" Star in a World of Shorter Leading Men
When Audrey arrived in Hollywood, her height was still a topic of conversation.
If you look at the "Golden Age" lineup, she was a bit of an outlier. Marilyn Monroe was around 5'5". Elizabeth Taylor was about 5'2". Even her frequent co-star, Humphrey Bogart, was reportedly only 5'8"—barely an inch taller than her.
A Quick Reality Check on Hollywood Heights
- Audrey Hepburn: 5'7"
- Grace Kelly: 5'6.5"
- Marilyn Monroe: 5'5.5"
- Elizabeth Taylor: 5'2"
- Bette Davis: 5'3"
In Sabrina, there were rumors that Bogart had to wear platform shoes or stand on boxes to maintain the illusion of being significantly taller than Audrey. Whether that's 100% true or just set gossip, it highlights the "problem" her height created. She was willow-thin and statuesque.
Basically, she didn't fit the "curvy pin-up" mold of the era. She was something new.
The Mystery of the "Official" Number
If you dig through Reddit threads or fan forums today, you'll find people swearing she was actually 5'6" or maybe 5'6.75". Why the confusion?
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Well, Audrey herself often said she was "5'6 and three quarters." In the world of Kibbe body typing (a popular system for analyzing celebrity style), there is a massive debate about whether she was a "Gamine" or a "Flamboyant Gamine." Some fans argue that if she were truly 5'7", she wouldn't fit the Gamine category at all.
But honestly, obsessing over a quarter of an inch misses the point.
Her height, combined with her tiny 20-inch waist (which Christie’s auction house confirmed when they had to order special mannequins for her clothes), gave her a "vertical line." This made her look even taller on screen than she was in person. She didn't have the typical "soft" features of 50s stars. She had sharp, aristocratic bones.
How to Channel the "Hepburn Height" Energy
You don't need to be 5'7" to pull off Audrey’s look, but you can learn from how she handled her proportions. She understood that being "tall and thin" in a world that wanted "short and curvy" meant she had to lean into her uniqueness.
If you want to apply her style logic to your own life, here is what actually works:
1. Embrace the Flats
Audrey famously wore ballet flats (like the iconic Ferragamo ones) because she was already tall. She didn't feel the need to add four inches of heels to "fit in." It made her look effortless and comfortable while everyone else was hobbling in stilettos.
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2. The Power of the Crop
Because she had long legs, she could pull off cropped cigarette pants. If you’re on the shorter side, you can mimic this by making sure your pants hit just above the ankle bone to create a similar "gamine" silhouette.
3. Neckline Magic
She had a long neck—something she was actually self-conscious about. Instead of hiding it, she used boat necks (Sabrina necklines) to emphasize her collarbones. It’s a trick that works for almost any height to create an air of "elegance."
4. Own Your Stature
The biggest takeaway from Audrey isn't a number on a measuring tape. It’s that she was told she was "too tall" for her dream, and she used that exact "flaw" to become one of the most recognizable faces in history.
If you're looking to verify her measurements for a project or just out of curiosity, stick to the 5'7" figure cited by the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund and her son’s memoirs. It's the most consistent data point we have.
Ultimately, her height wasn't just a physical trait. It was the catalyst for her entire career. Without those extra few inches, she might have spent her life in the back of a ballet chorus in London. Instead, she stood tall in Hollywood and changed the definition of beauty forever.