Zombie killers come in all sizes, especially when it comes to The Walking Dead. What’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s height and is he the tallest actor?
There are plenty of characters in The Walking Dead who are notably tall or notably short, so wondering who the tallest and shortest among the cast of TWD are has been a common question among the show’s devoted fanbase. AMC’s dystopian survival drama, which ran for 11 seasons between 2010 and 2022, has proven that no character is ever too big or too small to learn how to take out a Walker.
Whether it’s one of The Walking Dead‘s toughest characters, Carol, teaching kids knife work and how to clean a gun, or Negan is smashing heads with Lucille, there is a place for everyone in the zombie apocalypse. However, thanks to height differences between the cast, it’s difficult to tell who is above average height in The Walking Dead, or which characters are shorter than most. Most interestingly, height in The Walking Dead doesn’t always translate to a presence, with some of the tallest characters being among the most timid, and some of the shortest being the most deadly in the apocalypse.
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5ft 11 ¾
As one of the tallest characters in The Walking Dead, Eugene demonstrates that having an intimidating size doesn’t translate to a powerful physical presence. Eugene, despite his height, is one of the most sensitive and timid characters on the show. Awkward and aloof, Eugene may have quotes that make him seem way cooler than he is and even struggle in social situations, but his genius is unmatched when put against any other character in the show.
Eugene has proven himself time and again to be empathetic, caring, and resourceful.
Despite his occasional bouts with his own cowardice, such as when he joined the Saviors, Eugene has proven himself time and again to be empathetic, caring, and resourceful. He is portrayed by Josh McDermitt, who is 5ft 11 ¾ (via celebheights). Outside of The Walking Dead, comedian Josh McDermitt has starred in several movies and TV shows, such as Twin Peaks, and is due to star in the upcoming Suits spinoff Suits: L.A.
Ross Marquand
6 Ft.
One of several The Walking Dead characters who started out as supporting cast members only to find themselves as central to the plot by the end of season 11 was Aaron. Aaron has been a valuable member of Alexandria since before he recruited members of Rick’s group to the Safe Zone. Despite losing his boyfriend, Eric, as well as his arm, Aaron’s kindness had never wavered for long. No matter the circumstances, he fights bravely for his friends and his adopted daughter, Gracie.
Perhaps his most prominent role was replacing Hugo Weaving as Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame
Played by Ross Marquand (via celebheights), Aaron is 6 feet tall. Ross Marquand has had quite an active career outside of The Walking Dead, on both the small and big screen. Perhaps his most prominent role was replacing Hugo Weaving as Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, though he returned to the MCU shortly after to voice the Ultron Sentries in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Additionally, he currently provides the voice for Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men ’97
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
6 Ft. 1
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s height is 6’1 (via celebheights), and he is easily one of the most recognizable members of The Walking Dead cast thanks to portraying Negan. Morgan has played Negan since the character’s introduction to the show in season 6, and continues to be a star of the franchise thanks to spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City.
Viewers watched Negan change from a dictatorial leader who took joy in killing Glenn and Abraham, to a broken man who finally regrets his ways and just wants a home. He proved his dedication on his journey from villain to anti-hero many times throughout the show, such as when he inflitrated The Whisperers, and, of course, with his continued attempts to make amends with Maggie. Outside of The Walking Dead, Jeffrey Dean Morgan has starred in a number of films and movies, notably as The Comedian in 2009’s Watchmen.
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6 Ft.1
Of all The Walking Dead characters, Jerry is one whose size was one of the first things viewers noticed when he was introduced to the show in season 7. Former loyal bodyguard of King Ezekiel before the fall of the Kingdom, Jerry may be big, but he’s incredibly kindhearted and will do anything for his friends. He lives in a dying world, but he still manages to hold onto his optimism, even starting a family and becoming a part of Hilltop leadership.
Andrews doesn’t have as long a career as some other The Walking Dead cast members, though the show is far from his only work.
Jerry is played by Cooper Andrews, who is 6 foot 1 (via celebheights). Andrews doesn’t have as long a career as some other The Walking Dead cast members, though the show is far from his only work. He notably appeared in Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods as Billy Batson’s foster-father Victor, and in the 2018 crime thriller Den of Thieves as criminal telecoms expert Mack.
Ryan Hurst
6 Ft. 4 ½
While Beta, played by Ryan Hurst, doesn’t have much of the best dialogue among The Walking Dead villains, and is somewhat of a secondary antagonist, there’s no denying that he’s the most physically intimidating human being the heroes have come into contact with. It’s easy to see why Alpha chose him as her second-in-command and enforcer.
Ryan Hurst also starred in Remember The Titans and Sons of Anarch y.
Little is known of the Whisperer’s second in command before the decay of the world, other than a brief glimpse into his past as a famous country singer, and his fierce devotion to his Alpha and their ways. Ryan Hurst, who also starred in Remember The Titans and Sons of Anarchy, towers over many of his castmates at 6 foot 4 and a half inches tall (via celebheights) — making him the tallest cast member on The Walking Dead. Additionally, he also portrayed Thor via voice and motion capture in the 2022 video game God of War Ragnarok, a fitting casting given his size.
The Shortest Actors On The Walking DeadCassady McClincy
5 Ft. 4
20-year-old Cassady McClincy has played a significant part in later seasons of The Walking Dead as Lydia, an ex-member of the Whisperer’s, and Alpha’s daughter. She first appeared in season 9, and managed to survive until the The Walking Dead finale. Strong, but emotionally exhausted from years of abuse, she feels like an outsider in Alexandria and takes comfort in others that have felt the same, such as Negan, Daryl, and Carol.
Outside of The Walking Dead, McClincy has starred in a handful of movies, most notably Love, Simon.
One of the shorter The Walking Dead cast members, Cassady McClincy is 5 foot four inches tall (via celebheights). Outside of The Walking Dead, McClincy has starred in a handful of movies, most notably Love, Simon. She’s also made several single-episode appearances in a variety of TV shows including Ozark, Castle Rock, and Constantine, though The Walking Dead remains her most prominent role to date.
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5 Ft. 3 ½
Juanita Sanchez’s (AKA “Princess”) surprisingly good nature and colorful fashion sense are just what the zombie apocalypse needs, and she’s easily the most bombastic character to appear on The Walking Dead. While she might not seem like an obvious candidate for a survivor of the zombie apocalypse, her quirky outsider nature is also likely what kept her alive.
Despite living in solitude with only her booby traps and her hair dye options to keep her busy, her bubbly personality shines through when she meets Eugene, Ezekiel, and the rest of their group. Paola Lazaro stands at 5 foot, three and a quarter inches tall (via celebheights). The Puerto-Rican actress hasn’t appeared in much outside The Walking Dead. Her most notable appearances include appearing as Luisa Gutierrez in the Lethal Weapon TV series, and in the Netflix comedy-drama Obliterated as Angela Gomez.
Samantha Morton
5 Ft. 3
Standing at 5 foot 3 (via celebheights), Samantha Morton has worked in a broad ensemble of television and film, from Hulu’s Harlots to the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Her talent truly shone in her portrayal of the bald-headed antagonist, Alpha. Cruel and calculating, it took Negan skillfully gaining her trust to finally bring down the small but mighty Whisperer leader, in one of the top Walking Dead villain deaths.
Even standing next to Beta, who is over a foot taller than her, Alpha is always an unsettling presence on the show.
Samantha Morton’s Alpha is, in many ways, the opposite of Eugene or Jerry. Despite being among the shortest cast members on The Walking Dead, Morton makes Alpha a truly intimidating, at times even terrifying, presence. This juxtaposition is further enhanced by Alpha’s soft-spoken dialogue — and her group being called the Whisperers is incredibly apt. Even standing next to Beta, who is over a foot taller than her, Alpha is always an unsettling charater on the show that the heroes are right to fear.
Lauren Ridloff
5 Ft. 2
The second-shortest cast member in The Walking Dead is Lauren Ridloff, who is 5’2 (via celebheights) and — like her character — is deaf. She portrays Connie, who is not only intelligent and kind but one of the few people that Daryl opened up to throughout the show. Their friendship was only beginning to blossom when they were separated in a disastrous cave collapse. Seeing Daryl learning ASL to communicate with Connie was genuinely one of the most touching developments on the show.
Outside of The Walking Dead, Lauren Ridloff has only appeared in a handful of productions, though one of them was a big budget Hollywood blockbuster. Ridloff appeared in the 2021 MCU film The Eternals as Makkari, an Eternal with the power of superhuman speed and reflexes. She also appeared in Sound of Metal as Diane, and was honored at the Theater World Awards for her portrayal of Sarah in the play Children of a Lesser God.
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4 Ft. 9
One of the youngest recurring characters on the show, Judith has fit right into her big brother’s shoes in the last few seasons. Little Judith Grimes has some of the best quotes in The Walking Dead, with all of the sass and toughness to easily take care of herself in this world, but also the sweetness that it takes to make it a good place again. Cailey Fleming, who also played “Young Rey” in The Force Awakens, is around 4’9 (4’4 when she first appeared on the show). This makes her the shortest cast member on The Walking Dead, but she is, of course, still growing.
As one of the child actors in The Walking Dead cast, there understandably isn’t much that Cailey Fleming appeared in prior to The Walking Dead. Outside of playing Judith Grimes and Young Rey, her roles included playing “Young Millie” in 2016’s The Book of Love and “Little Girl” in Supercon. She is due to appear in a small role in the 2024 Ryan Reynold’s comedy IF.
