Getty Gwendoline Christie stands at 6'3" tall and is one of a small handful of actresses that have successful acting careers who stand over 6 feet tall.
Gwendoline Christie, who plays the badass warrior Brienne of Tarth on HBO’s Game of Thrones and Captain Phasma in the Star Wars films, will be back again to protect Westeros from the Army of the Dead when the eighth and final season premieres this Sunday, April 14.
With the season premiere right around the corner, fans of the English actress may find themselves wondering about her personal life. Christie stands at 6’3″ tall, or 190 cm, and was born on October 28, 1978, making her 40-years-old.
Here’s what you need to know about Christie:
She Has Struggled With Her Height When Auditioning For Parts, Although She Doesn’t See Her Height as Anything But a “Positive & Unique Selling Point”
Although Christie’s height is perfect for her roles as Brienne of Tarth and Captain Phasma, she has struggled throughout her career to get parts because of it. In an interview with SFX Magazine, Christie claimed it was difficult to get parts because the casting directors couldn’t see past her height.
“Many people can’t see past my height, and it’s been very difficult to be considered for parts simply because I’m six foot three,” she told SFX.
“I’m certainly really rather tall at 6 foot 3, and I’ve been this way since I was 14, but for years, women who are even 5 foot 10 have come up to me in the street and said, ‘Oh, it’s so nice to see a woman who is taller than me. I’ve always felt like a giant,'” she told Rolling Stone in 2013.
She’s Been Tall Since She Was 12-Years-Old & Her Family Always Treated Her Height as Something to Be Celebrated
Christie told Vogue during a 2015 interview that she hit a growth spurt at a young age and shot up in her early teens. She says a mixture of better posture and a long growth-spurt contributed to her 6’3″ height.
“At 12, I was 5’7″,” she told Vogue. “At 14, I was 6’1″. Then I grew another couple of inches after that when I was around 18. I’m now 6’3″ and a quarter. Either I’m still growing or my posture has improved. I’m hoping I’m still growing.”
During an interview with Independent Newspaper in 2008, she said her family has always celebrated her height and looked at it as something “positive and unique.”
“I am 6’3″ or 6’4 1/2″, depending on when you measure me. My parents treated my height as a wonderful thing to be celebrated, but also normal. I love being tall as you literally look at life from a different perspective: it’s easier to breeze through life’s turmoils. ”
There Are Few Women in The Film Industry Who Stand Over 6 Feet Tall & Have Successful Acting Careers
Christie has struggled with her height throughout her acting career, although she has found success through Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and the “Hunger Games: Mockingjay” films. According to IMDb, she is one of a small handful of actresses that have successful acting careers who stand over 6 feet tall.
“Several inches taller than towering leading ladies like Uma Thurman and Sigourney Weaver, she is one of a small handful of professional actresses with a successful film & TV career who stands over 6 feet tall,” IMDb reports. “Another is fellow Brit Janet McTeer, who is 6’1″.”
Tune in Sunday, April 14 at 9/8c to catch the eighth and final season premiere of Game of Thrones, only on HBO.
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