MovieChat Forums > Boys Don't Cry (2000) Discussion > Height of the real Brandon Teena?

Height of the real Brandon Teena?

posted 9 years ago by fraaanzkez
4 replies | jump to latest

If he was around a female height, say 155cm to 165cm (5'1 or 5'4), then wouldn't it have raised suspicions in some of the women? I am not saying men can't be below 5'5, but generally, if someone is below 5'4, with feminine features and WITHOUT facial hair at 21 years of age, wouldn't it have rang alarm bells for some of the girls? Even Lana, who had spent most of her life around men, should have weighed these things up. Yes, men can be feminine too, and Brandon was definitely a very masculine looking person with a strong jaw, but as soon as the townspeople got talking, I'm sure people would have looked at the finer details and figured it out. I'm just surprised nobody knew until it was proven to them through the public notices and birth information provided by Brandon's mother. Does anyone know the exact height of the real Brandon Teena? I am yet to find a definitive source.

[–] Livelaughlove43 9 years ago

I've had a look around and some say 5'5 others 5'3 looking at pictures she does not seem a lot shorter than men in the pics she posed for

[–] Stenian 8 years ago

Hilary Swank is 5'6 (168cm) - Which is still rather tall for a woman in the non-Hollywood world. I thought she seemed shorter in this, like say 5'4 (163cm-ish). Height doesn't make a person more masculine or feminine, IMO. I know a lot of taller women with the most petite bodies and shorter women with a stocky "masculine" build.

You forgot narrow shoulders. Men naturally have broader shoulders, even if they are the most unfit folks out there. Teena had really small shoulders (at least Swank did). That part gave it away for me. And also the voice, of course. They should've trained Swank and have her build muscle for the role (as they did with her in Million Dollar Baby). But maybe the real Teena was that scrawny too? I don't know...

Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.

[–] ndsopranorocker 8 years ago

I've met some pretty scrawny cismen. A lot of them are either shorter than I am (I'm 5'7) or my same height. Height's not as big of a factor in men as you think, especially when it comes to sex. Trust me, there's more fun to be had with a shorter scrawny man than anyone can realize.

[–] yajji 8 years ago

Hilary Swank is 5'6 (168cm) - Which is still rather tall for a woman in the non-Hollywood world.

Right. I did not know this. That is quite tall for a woman, as I have met many men who are that height. So in the film world, Hillary would have been passable as a man. But I'm sure the real Brandon was a few inches shorter. Perhaps he wore shoes with a bit of heel? Either way, it's fascinating that he had so many fooled.