Playing an actual superhero who already has thousands of fans of the comics can be quite a challenge. But the MCU is full of actors who took the challenge head-on - and succeeded! Even though it's true that sometimes fans protest and don't like the casting choice, they usually change their minds once the film comes out and the superhero actor or actress shows what they can do.
It's even better if they not only act like the comic-book superhero but also look the part. That includes their height as well. Some MCU actors are extremely tall while others are more on the small side.
Tallest: Paul Bettany (6’3’’)
Paul Bettany is a tall guy but somehow, he doesn't quite look that way. Perhaps because his superhero Vision was never meant to be as physically imposing as Thor or Captain America. However, Vision easily towers over most of his fellow superheroes, and that includes his onscreen partner, Scarlet Witch. Interestingly enough, Paul Bettany's height fits the comic-book Vision - who's also 6ft 3!
Tallest: Chris Hemsworth (6’3’’)
Chris Hemsworth stands only one centimeter shorter than his fellow Avenger, Paul Bettany. Combine his height with his shaped physique and Thor cuts an imposing figure, capable of striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. Hemsworth's height was one of the important reasons why they cast him as Thor. The casting call for the part asked for actors at least 6ft 1, ideally more. That's still much shorter than the comic-book Thor who's 6ft 6.
Tallest: Samuel L. Jackson (6’2’’)
The man who brought the Avengers together deserves a spot on this list. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury might not be a superhero but that never stopped him from fighting enemies and solving problems. His approach differs from the superheroes who mostly operate in the public eye. Fury, on the other hand, moves in the shadows. He's not the person fans usually think of when somebody says 'the tallest characters in the MCU' but with a height of 6ft 2 in the MCU (and 6ft 1 in the comics), that's exactly who Nick Fury is.
Tallest: Tom Hiddleston (6’1’’)
Loki looks somewhat small in comparison to Thor, but the height difference between them isn't so big - only 2 inches. Tom Hiddleston's build is leaner than Chris Hemsworth's which optically makes the difference between them more obvious.
Hiddleston's height was still sufficient enough for him to audition for the part of Thor himself! And even though the role ultimately went to Hemsworth, Hiddleston's shorter Loki - he's 6ft 4 in the comics - is just as memorable as Thor.
Tallest: Chris Pratt (6’1’’)
When Thor joins the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) feels insecure in comparison to him. It's true that he's smaller and not as strong as Thor but height-wise, the difference between them once again isn't so obvious. Chris Pratt's height of 6ft 1 makes him only slightly shorter than his comic-book counterpart who stands at 6ft 2. As long as Gamora doesn't mind Peter's height, fans could argue there's no problem with it.
Shortest: Zoe Saldana (5’6’’)
Gamora might not be one of the tallest women in the galaxy, but she's certainly one of the deadliest ones! And also someone who's much taller in the comics with a height of 6ft. Gamora has undergone difficult training at the hands of Thanos and as a result, she's fast, intelligent, and highly dangerous. Zoe Saldana's superheroine would then easily defeat even her taller partner, Chris Pratt's Star-Lord.
Shortest: Hayley Atwell (5’6’’)
Agent Peggy Carter took down her enemies with style and she never cared how tall they were. Peggy Carter worked hard on her career and helped establish the S.H.I.E.L.D.
She even had her own TV show so even though she's just a supporting character in the movies, she still deserves a spot on this list. Hayley Atwell's average height of 5ft 6 (for a woman) is very close to the Peggy Carter in the comics who's 5ft 5.
Shortest: Evangeline Lilly (5’5’’)
Evangeline Lilly's height becomes more obvious when she appears alongside someone taller - such as her onscreen father, Michael Douglas (who's also fairly short - 5ft 8). Nevertheless, Wasp once again is the type of superhero who doesn't pay attention to what her height is. In fact, she shrinks on more than one occasion and since her superhero gig is all about being small, it's safe to assume Wasp has zero complexes about her height.
Shortest: Elizabeth Olsen (5’4’’)
Scarlet Witch already got a mention - as her partner Vision was much taller than her, almost by an entire foot! However, love knows no bounds and the two made it work nonetheless. Wanda's powers aren't about physical combat and she doesn't have to worry about the height and physicality of her enemies. Simply because her magic won't allow them to come close enough in the first place. Similarly to Black Widow, Scarlet Witch is also taller in the comics - 5ft 7 to Elizabeth Olsen's 5ft 4.
Shortest: Scarlett Johansson (5’3’’)
Scarlett Johansson is excellent proof of the fact that an actress doesn't have to be too tall to play a superhero - and absolutely pull it off! Natasha's combat training, her experience as a spy, and intelligence are far more important than the lack of height. She stands her ground even when she fights taller opponents and brings down her enemies easily no matter how tall they are - both in the films and in the comics, where Black Widow is taller than Johansson, as she stands at 5ft 7.