Summary

• The height differences among the cast members of The Big Bang Theory are easy to spot and often become a topic of conversation, with jokes about Bernadette's small stature and Sheldon's tall height.
• Melissa Rauch, who plays Bernadette, is the shortest actor on the show, standing at just 4'11''. Despite her small stature, she has a big personality and often dominates over the other characters.
• The tallest cast member is Brian Posehn, who plays Bert Kibbler, and stands at an impressive 6'7''. Despite his height, his character is portrayed as awkward, soft-spoken, and harmless.

The Big Bang Theory cast creates one of the most beloved television ensembles and part of the joy of their chemistry is the unique appearance of each character, especially in their heights. Many actors are actually much shorter than they look, as the camera angles, or even clever lifts, make them look taller than they really are. Conversely, sometimes it's tough to tell how toweringly tall an actor might be when seeing them on screen from the comfort of the couch. When it comes to the heights of the cast of The Big Bang Theory, they vary quite a bit.

When The Big Bang Theory cast is all standing together, their height differences are easy to spot and sometimes become the topic of conversation. Most poke fun at Bernadette's small stature, mainly because her big personality is in stark contrast to that. Meanwhile, Sheldon is overpowering not only in his personality but his height, too. Alongside the main cast, fans also wonder how tall (and short) other cast members are on the show.

Melissa Rauch

Shortest (4'11'')

It's obvious that Melissa Rauch of The Big Bang Theory cast, who plays Howard's firecracker wife Bernadette, is the shortest person on the show. They mention her tiny stature often, complemented by her high-pitched, shrill voice — which is not Rauch's actual voice. Standing under five feet tall, Rauch measures in at just 4'11'', making her the shortest actor on the show.

Despite this, however, she has the biggest personality and often dominates over not only her husband Howard but the others in the group. Most of them talk about how they are afraid of her, proving that size does not matter when it comes to confidence. Rauch can most recently be seen in the Night Court reboot as Abby Stone.

Sara Gilbert

Shortest (5'3")

Roseanne alum Sarah Gilbert played Leslie in The Big Bang Theory cast. Fans missed Leslie's dynamic with Leonard and Sheldon in later seasons. She was a lot like Leonard but didn’t know how to tolerate Sheldon quite as well. Nevertheless, Leslie wasn’t the shortest of the group, but she wasn’t the tallest either. She was most known for her quick comebacks against Sheldon and her up-and-down relationship with Leonard.

Like Leonard, she's one of the shortest on the list. Some believe Leslie is one of the most underrated characters on The Big Bang Theory. She was one of only a few female colleagues and she was downright hilarious. Gilbert headlines the cast of The Conners, reprising her role as Darlene.

Aarti Mann

Shortest (5'3")

Like many others on this list, Aarti Mann is of average height in terms of The Big Bang Theory cast. Her character Priya started as Raj’s sister and ended with her being the ex-girlfriend of Leonard. Priya and Leonard had a solid relationship and probably would have ended up together if it weren’t for the long-distance aspect of their relationship.

However, it was for the best because fans wanted Leonard and Penny to be the endgame more than Leonard and Priya. However, some fans did not like how she treated Leonard at times. As Raj's sister, she and Leonard staying together could have become awkward for their friendship. Mann recently played Meera in The Donor Party and plays Violet Ebner in The Recruit.

Simon Helberg

Shortest (5'4'')

Simon Helberg of The Big Bang Theory cast is technically the shortest male cast member. Helberg, of course, plays Howard, an engineer with an inflated sense of confidence and a weirdly close relationship with his mother. Howard is often made fun of by his friends for being an engineer and not having a doctoral degree.

He doesn't appear to be as short since the other guys are similar in height to him, except Sheldon. With his wife Bernadette, played by Rauch, several inches shorter, it also makes Helberg appear taller than he is since many of his scenes include her by his side. Helberg recently played Dimitri in Space Oddity and had a brief stint on Poker Face as Luca.

Mayim Bialik

Shortest (5'4'')

Interestingly, Mayim Bialik of The Big Bang Theory cast is the same height as Helberg at just 5'4'', which makes her one of the shortest women on the show, and also nine inches shorter than her on-screen boyfriend Sheldon. Bialik plays Amy, Sheldon's love interest and eventually his wife. There are many ways Amy matured throughout The Big Bang Theory, but most importantly, she was pivotal in helping Sheldon grow and mature.

Bialik was known before this role for the '90s sitcom Blossom. She is also known for being the only cast member from TBBT to understand the scientific lingo they use since she has a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Bialik has voiced Amy on Young Sheldon twice and headlines the series Call Me Kat.

Johnny Galecki

Shortest (5'5'')

It is pretty well-known that Johnny Galecki (Leonard) from The Big Bang Theory cast isn't exactly one of the tallest actors in Hollywood, as he is only 5'5", which is a full inch shorter than Cuoco, who plays his love interest (Penny) and eventual wife on the show. In fact, the two also dated in real life at one point.

Galecki has been acting for decades. While he is best known for playing Leonard on this show, other notable roles include playing Darlene's boyfriend in Roseanne—and ex-husband in the sequel series The Conners — as well as from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and the film I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Kaley Cuoco

Shortest (5'6'')

As one of the tallest of the shortest The Big Bang Theory cast members on the show, Kaley Cuoco, who plays Penny, is an average 5'6'', which is fairly tall considering the height of some of the others. As one of the original cast members of the show, it's her presence in the building when she moves in that sets the stage for the entire premise.

Cuoco rose to fame with her role on the sitcom 8 Simple Rules, but it was really her role as Penny on this show that put her on the Hollywood map. She's now appearing in The Flight Attendant, a show she also created and executive produces.

Laurie Metcalf

Shortest (5'7")

Laurie Metcalf plays Sheldon Cooper‘s mom, Mary Cooper, in The Big Bang Theory cast. Mary is a devout Baptist who is out of touch and dated, but she adds comic relief whenever she comes to visit her “Shelly.” Although her son is very tall, Mary is of slightly above average height at 5'7".

She ranks among the best relatives on The Big Bang Theory. Metcalf rose to fame as Aunt Becky on Roseanne, a role she has reprised for the sequel series The Conners. She also received an Oscar nomination for her performance in Lady Bird. Audiences who notice that Zoe Perry, who plays a young Mary on Young Sheldon, bears a striking resemblance to Metcalf are correct: she's Metcalf's daughter.

Kunal Nayyar

Shortest (5'7'')

Kunal Nayyar is in the middle when he comes to the height of The Big Bang Theory cast, standing at 5'7''. But, indeed, he just inches into this category with this fairly average height. Many of the women he dated on the show stood taller than him, though he is slightly taller than his best friend Howard.

Nayyar played Raj, one of the most changed core characters on the show, who initially had selective mutism that made it impossible for him to speak to women. He most recently appeared in the Apple TV+ thriller Suspicion and headlined The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

Laura Spencer

Shortest (5'7'')

Laura Spencer briefly played Dr. Emily Sweeney in The Big Bang Theory cast. She was a dermatologist who appeared on the show from seasons 7 through 10 and, for some time, dated Raj. The pair, who stood the same height, seemed like the perfect couple. She actually found him and sought him out from a dating app, and after a run around, they hit it off.

The relationship ended badly when Raj, having once been unable to even speak to women, decided to date two women at the same time and they found out. Emily, however, was one of the characters with the best chance of being a soulmate for Raj. Her most recent credit is the action/thriller 13 Minutes.

Kevin Sussman

Tallest (5'9'')

Kevin Sussman is among the tallest of The Big Bang Theory cast, standing at about 5'9'' tall. He plays the awkward comic bookstore owner Stuart who is often depressed and pining to be part of the group of friends. By the end of the series, Stuart finally found true love and found success at his comic store.

All of his hardships made him the kind of compassionate man he was by the end of the series. Sussman most recently appeared in the final season of AMC's Breaking Bad prequel series Better Call Saul as a potential victim of Saul Goodman's con scheme and the TV show Call Me Kat.

John Ross Bowie

Tallest (5'9'')

Also standing 5'9'' tall is Bowie, who plays Sheldon's rival at the university in The Big Bang Theory cast, Barry Kripke. He's also known for his roles in Speechless, for appearing in Ford Motor Company commercials, and for sketch comedy work at theaters in New York and L.A. Despite his Elmer Fudd-like voice in the series, Bowie does not, in fact, have a speech impediment in real life. Even though viewers loved his character, he could be one of the most eccentric characters on The Big Bang Theory. He last appeared in the sitcom The Neighborhood and had a small role in Reno 911!: It's a Wonderful Heist.

Christine Baranski

Tallest (5'10'')

Audiences might be surprised to know that Christine Baranski, who played Leonard's cold mother, Dr. Beverley Hofstadter, is the tallest woman among The Big Bang Theory cast. Standing 5'10'', her stature is in stark contrast to her son. She appeared in several episodes when she was in town visiting her son, always talking down to him, talking up his brother, and doting over Sheldon as though he was the fascinating son she wished she had.

One of the biggest bits of closure for the show, however, was Leonard finally getting some affection and apologies from his mother for the way she treated him as though he was a psychological experiment. Baranski has an impressive repertoire, known for Mamma Mia!, Into The Woods, and Chicago. She recently had a long run on The Good Fight.

Lauren Lapkus

Tallest (5'10'')

Another later-season The Big Bang Theory cast addition, Lauren Lapkus, stands 5'10'' as well. She played Denise, a young woman who entered the comic book store and mesmerized the guys with her interest in and knowledge of comics. She ended up working there alongside Stuart and the two began a relationship.

She is the first real girlfriend for Stuart and marks the only time he ever appears to be happy while on the show. Interestingly, she stands just an inch taller than him, but as a woman who rarely wore heels, they often stood eye-to-eye. Lapkus voiced Gasolina in Digman! and had a small role in A Million Little Things, but is most well-known for appearing alongside David Spade in The Wrong Missy.

Wil Wheaton

Tallest (5'11'')

Wil Wheaton wasn't a main The Big Bang Theory cast member, but he did appear in many episodes through the seasons. One of the best guest stars on The Big Bang Theory, he played an exaggerated version of himself, he was Sheldon's rival, even though Sheldon, in some way, idolized Wil for having appeared as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The two often butted heads, trying to one-up one another at every turn. Wil was always annoyed to see Sheldon and did whatever he could to get under his skin. Height-wise, he was a few inches shorter than Sheldon, making him among the tallest on the show. He reprised his infamous role in an episode of Star Trek: Picard and hosts "The Ready Room," a Star Trek podcast.

Jim Parsons

Tallest (6'1'')

Jim Parsons, who plays the socially awkward and egotistical Sheldon Cooper, is indeed one of the few The Big Bang Theory cast members on the show who tops six feet. He is notably taller than the others on the show, but his slim build might have given the impression that he isn't actually as tall as he is. With TBBT over, Parsons has been focusing a lot on his film career, appearing in top films like Hidden Figures and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, as well as narrating the spin-off series Young Sheldon. He also starred in the Netflix movie The Boys in the Band and Spoiler Alert.

Brian Thomas Smith

Tallest (6'3')

Brian Thomas Smith portrays Penny’s ex-boyfriend, Zack in The Big Bang Theory cast. Unlike many of Penny's exes, Zack continued to pop up throughout the series as he became friendly with her group of friends. Zack isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he does have a big heart. Standing at 6’3”, Brian Thomas Smith is one of the tallest characters on the show.

He had a pivotal storyline in the final season when he and his wife visit Penny and Leonard, asking Leonard to be a sperm donor so they can have a baby. It's this that sparks a conversation with Penny and Leonard about starting a family. Since being on TBBT, Smith has had small roles on The Neighborhood, NCIS, and UDrive Me.

Brian Posehn

Tallest (6'7'')

Coming in at a towering 6'7'' tall, Posehn plays geologist Bert Kibbler in The Big Bang Theory cast. It's clear he's significantly taller than anyone else on the show which is wonderfully contrasted with his soft-spoken ways. In addition to stand-up comedy, he has taken his strapping height to other films and TV series, as well, and has even released a musical album titled "Grandpa Metal."

Posehn is one of the tallest figures in Hollywood, towering over many others. Despite his stature, on The Big Bang Theory, he was often quite awkward, soft-spoken, and harmless, like a big teddy bear. Posehn does a lot of voiceover work, appearing in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Crank Yankers, and M.O.D.O.K.

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  The Big Bang Theory

  Cast:

  Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg

  Genres:

  Romance, Comedy

  Release Date:

  2007-09-24

  Seasons:

  12

  Story By:

  Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady

  Writers:

  Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady

  Network:

  CBS

  Franchise(s):

  The Big Bang Theory

  Directors:

  Mark Cendrowski

  Showrunner:

  Mark Cendrowski

  Season List:

  The Big Bang Theory - Season 1, The Big Bang Theory - Season 2, The Big Bang Theory - Season 3, The Big Bang Theory - Season 4, The Big Bang Theory - Season 5, The Big Bang Theory - Season 6, The Big Bang Theory - Season 7, The Big Bang Theory - Season 8, The Big Bang Theory - Season 9, The Big Bang Theory - Season 10, The Big Bang Theory - Season 11, The Big Bang Theory - Season 12