How Tall Is Tinkerbell?

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Tinkerbell is Peter Pan's beloved sidekick. She was first introduced to the world in 1904 through J.M. Barrie's play Peter Pan but shot to fame in 1953 when Disney released an animated version of the story.

Since then she has become an icon, and one of Disney's most popular characters of all time.

It's hard not to fall in love with Tinkerbell. She packs so much sass into such a teeny tiny body. Even though her confidence is larger than life, Tinkerbell can easily fit into the palm of your hand.

So, just how tall is Tinkerbell? Her height has been debated for years but was finally put to rest in 2005. Tinkerbell is only 7 inches tall.

Who Determined Tinkerbell's Height

Tinkerbell was created by J.M. Barrie, but he originally wrote the character of Tinkerbell for a play.

He knew Tinkerbell would be a fairy, but since she would be introduced to the world by a human actor her actual height didn't seem important at the time.

It wasn't until she was introduced as an animated character that people took interest in her height.

A lot of people tried to do their math and make theories regarding her height. One of the most popular theories was that she was only 5 inches tall.

However, it turns out that Tinkerbell is much taller than that. This little fairy stands at 7 inches tall. Don't worry, she's still small enough to fit on your hand. 

Before J.M. passed, he bequeathed the copyrights of Peter Pan's characters to Great Ormand Street Hospital. At that time he already owned a 4-foot bronze lifesize sculpture of Peter Pan.

An artist from London, Diarmuid Byron O'Connor, was hired to create a bronze Tinkerbell that would be wrestling a thimble from Peter's hand. 

The Countess of Wessex, Sophie, was nominated to unveil this gorgeous 7-inch lifesize Tinkerbell statue on September 29, 2005.

That moment settled a debate among Peter Pan fans once and for all. Tiny Tinkerbell was a full 2 inches taller than her estimated height. 

What Is Tinkerbell?

Is Tinkerbell a fairy or a pixie? A fairy is a miniature but magical human being, that exhibits a lot of the same physical characteristics.

Pixies on the other hand have colorful hair and skin, their wings are also very similar to a butterfly's wings.

Their heights are different too, pixies are much smaller and usually only grow to be 4 inches tall. 

Tinkerbell is a fairy. Thanks to Disney, she has become the most popular fairy in the world. On top of all of her Peter Pan appearance she also has her series with Disney.

Fairies all over the world look to her for inspiration. She is sweet, sassy, and full of earthly humor. 

One of the key factors that make Tinkerbell a fairy and not a pixie is her height. The average fairy is 6 inches tall, but since Tinkerbell is far more superior than the average fairy she is a tiny bit taller. 

How Big Are Tinkerbell's Wings?

Tinkerbell's wings add a bit more flair to her height. When spread out, her wingspan measures 9 and a half inches long. That's roughly 2 and a half inches taller than she is. No wonder Tinkerbell is so strong, she's carrying that weight around wherever she goes!

What Are The Height Requirements For Being Cast As Tinkerbell?

If you're planning a trip to Disney World with the family, it's likely your little girl is going to want to meet the famous fairy.

Who are we kidding? You probably want to meet Tinkerbell just as much as the kids do. The staff at Disney wasn't able to capture a real fairy to play the role of Tinkerbell in their amusement park, so they had to enlist an actress.

Tinkerbell is a very special role and can't be taken on by just anyone. An actress may have all the right qualities to portray Tinkerbell, but their height can't be ignored.

Petite women may not get to strut their stuff on the runway during fashion week anytime soon, but they do have an advantage when auditioning for the role of Tinkerbell.

The actress who portrays Tinkerbell must be between 4 foot 11 and 5 foot 2 in height. Since Tinkerbell does have a petite frame they prefer that the actress weighs less than 105 lbs.

The first woman to ever be cast as Tinkerbell at Disney World was in 1961. 

This actress went by the stage name Tiny Kline, and she was just under the height requirements by an inch. This 4 foot 10 woman was ready to soar over Sleeping Beauty's castle.

It was amazing to see, but the craziest part of all was that she was 71 years old. Many twenty-year-olds aren't even brave enough to take that flight!

Is Tinkerbell The Same Height In Every Story?

Since there are many live-action renditions of Peter Pan, audiences won't likely see the same size Tinkerbell in every story.

Although Disney has put its height and weight restrictions in place, other production companies that take a spin on the story can put their own rules in place. Some don't mind a taller or more voluptuous fairy in their version.

The Tinkerbell costume is made for all shapes and sizes, so anyone can dress up as her for Halloween. The costume isn't limited to tiny women, giving everyone a chance to dress up as their favorite fairy.

Final Thoughts

The world's most famous fairy stands 7 inches tall with a 9 and a half inch wingspan, making her rather tall for a fairy.

Even though this little lady can fit right in your pocket, doesn't mean you can contain her. Peter Pan's wee sidekick is full of attitude and won't let you tell her what to do.

Ideally, actresses who are cast for the role of Tinkerbell should be under 5 foot 2 to suit the part.