If you’ve ever watched The Notebook and wondered how Rachel McAdams looks so tiny next to Ryan Gosling, you aren't alone. It’s one of those Hollywood optical illusions. Camera angles, high heels, and even the way a scene is blocked can make a five-foot-nothing actress look like a runway model. Or vice versa. Honestly, the internet is full of conflicting reports about celebrity heights, and Rachel McAdams is a prime example of someone who seems to change size depending on who she’s standing next to in a scene.
So, let's get the number out of the way. Rachel McAdams is 5 feet 4 inches tall.
That is roughly 163 centimeters.
In the grand scheme of things, she’s perfectly average. For a woman in North America, 5'4" is basically the middle of the bell curve. But in the weird, distorted world of Hollywood, "average" can feel quite short when you're being cast opposite leading men who are frequently pushing 6 feet or taller.
Why people keep asking "Rachel McAdams how tall is she?"
People obsess over this because of her screen presence. She has this "big" energy. Whether she’s playing the terrifyingly sharp Regina George in Mean Girls or the gritty investigative reporter Sacha Pfeiffer in Spotlight, she doesn't exactly come across as "small."
Take Mean Girls for example. Regina George dominates every room she enters. You’d think she was six feet tall just based on her sheer audacity. But when you see her standing next to Lacey Chabert (who is about 5'2") and Amanda Seyfried (around 5'3"), the "Plastics" actually look fairly uniform. It’s only when Lindsay Lohan (5'5") enters the frame that you realize the leader of the pack is actually one of the shorter members.
The Gosling Factor and The Notebook
We have to talk about The Notebook. It’s basically a requirement.
Ryan Gosling stands at a solid 6'0". That eight-inch height difference is significant. When they were filming those iconic rain-soaked scenes, the directors often had to be clever. You’ll notice a lot of shots where they are either sitting, lying down, or she’s tilted up toward him. It creates that classic romantic aesthetic where the male lead "looms" slightly over the female lead. It’s a trope as old as time, but it definitely fueled the "Rachel McAdams how tall" searches because she looks positively dainty in his arms.
Interestingly, she’s worked with plenty of actors who aren't giants.
- Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes): He’s reportedly around 5'8" or 5'9".
- Cillian Murphy (Red Eye): He stands about 5'7".
- Eric Bana (The Time Traveler's Wife): He’s a big guy at 6'2".
When she’s with Cillian Murphy in the tight quarters of an airplane in Red Eye, she doesn't look short at all. They look like a matched set. That’s the magic of cinematography. It’s also why seeing her on a red carpet in four-inch stilettos can be so confusing for fans. One minute she’s eye-to-eye with her co-star, and the next, she’s a head shorter in a "behind the scenes" clip.
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The red carpet vs. reality
If you ever see her in person—maybe grabbing a coffee in Toronto or walking a carpet in London—she’s probably going to look smaller than you expect. Celebs always do. They have a way of filling up a screen that doesn't always translate to physical mass in the real world.
Fashion also plays a huge role in the "Rachel McAdams how tall" debate. She often leans toward high-waisted trousers or monochromatic outfits. Stylists use these tricks specifically to elongate the frame. If you wear a single color from neck to toe, you look taller. If you wear a dress with a high slit, you look taller. She’s a pro at this.
Then there are the shoes. In the 2017 TIFF premiere for Disobedience, she stood next to Rachel Weisz. Weisz is 5'6". Even with heels, McAdams was visibly shorter, which finally gave some "boots on the ground" evidence for the 5'4" claim.
Is she actually 5'4"?
Height inflation is a real thing in talent agencies. Actors often add an inch or two to their resumes to avoid being passed over for roles. Men want to be 6'0"; women often want to be that "perfect" 5'6" or 5'7" range that fits most sample-size clothing.
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However, McAdams has stayed pretty consistent with her stats. There aren't many credible sources claiming she’s 5'2" or 5'6". The 5'4" mark is supported by her proportions and her appearances next to known-height celebrities. She’s built "compactly," if that makes sense. She has an athletic background—she was a competitive figure skater for years—which gives her a very upright, confident posture. Good posture can easily add an "optical" inch to anyone's height.
Why it doesn't matter (but we still look it up)
Ultimately, her height has never limited her range. She’s played everything from the girl next door to a hardened detective to a Marvel doctor. She’s got that rare versatility where her physical stature doesn't define the characters she plays.
If you’re trying to compare yourself to her, just remember that 5'4" is the standard. You’re in good company. She’s the same height as Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, and Julia Roberts (though Roberts often "feels" much taller).
What to do with this info
If you're a fan trying to get the "Rachel McAdams look," focus on tailoring. The reason she looks so statuesque despite being average height is that her clothes fit her perfectly.
- Tailoring is key: Even if you're 5'4", clothes that are too long in the leg or sleeve will make you look shorter.
- Embrace the heels: But only if you want to. Rachel is often spotted in flats or sneakers when she’s not on a clock, proving that you don't need the extra inches to have style.
- Posture matters: That figure skating background served her well. Stand up straight and you'll immediately look more "Hollywood."
Stop worrying about the inches. Whether she's 5'4" or 5'5", she's still one of the most talented actors of her generation. The next time you see a "Rachel McAdams how tall" thread on Reddit, you can confidently drop the 5'4" truth bomb and move on.
Check out her recent work in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret to see how she uses her physicality to play a relatable, "normal-sized" mom. It’s a masterclass in acting where her height is exactly what it needs to be: totally irrelevant to the power of the performance.
Actionable Insight: If you are around 5'4" and struggle with finding clothes that don't swallow you up, look at McAdams' street style for inspiration. She excels at "the tuck"—tucking in shirts to define her waistline—which is the oldest trick in the book for making shorter legs look longer.