"Being tall makes you stand out in most groups. As with any kind of difference you have to learn to own it."

Maddie Crum
Books and Culture Writer, The Huffington Post

When Jessica Goldschmidt was five years old, she was put in a swimming group at day camp with a bunch of kids twice her age. She was taller than the average child, so her strength was assumed to be on par with the older campers. But, the current was stronger than her athletic abilities, and she struggled to stay afloat, nearly drowning.

Though her height hasn’t had quite as dire an impact on her personality since then, its influenced her work as a theatre artist. Along with three other tall women, she co-created, choreographs for and performs in "Tall Women in Clogs", a funny, feminist take on how height can shape a woman’s identity in America.

Goldschmidt met Sophie Shackleton and Katherine Cooper at Brown University while performing for a student production of "The Rocky Horror Show". After graduating, the three women moved to New York City, where they teamed up with Madeline Wise to create "Tall Women in Clogs", a variety show involving dance, physical theater and circus, which sold out on its first run. The troupe recently campaigned on Kickstarter to bring their work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.

"Tall Women in Clogs is an ethos, an attitude", they wrote on their Kickstarter page. “It’s a way of looking at ourselves, the world, and our bodies in the world as four 20-something women who take up more space than average.”

Below, Goldschmidt, Shackleton, Cooper and Wise discuss their play, their height, the Rockettes, and the woes of middle school dances.

Do you think being tall is an integral part of your identity?

Madeline Wise: In general my height is something that I feel doesn't define me. I'd always prefer that I am defined by nonphysical traits, because those are the traits I can control and cultivate.

Sophie Shackleton: It affects my feelings of femininity deeply. But it also makes me feel very capable, and older than my age much of the time, and is a great asset for leadership and confidence in many parts of life, too.

Jessica Goldschmidt: On a family vacation when I was five, I was so tall they placed me in a day camp group with the eight to 10-year-olds. I almost drowned because the undertow was too strong. So for me, early on, being tall became almost literally a matter of life and death.

Katherine Cooper: Absolutely.

You discuss a few of the woes of tall women on your Kickstarter -- that others expect you to be stronger than you are, for instance. Which of these misconceptions do you struggle with the most?

MW: I think the bit about being tougher than you are, probably. I've had a lot of people project stoicism onto me simply because I'm physically above the sturm und drang.

SS: I struggled with weight as a kid, so that is strongly related to my feelings about “bigness." I’m no longer overweight, but because of my height, I’m realizing that I will always feel like I still am “too large.” As I get older, I’m much more interested in embracing femininity and vulnerability. I’m full of those things too, perhaps even more because of my size, and I’m less scared of showing that.

JG: For me, it's this ideal that a tall woman is an outlier, that she must be either a) ungainly/"unfeminine" or b) supermodel/Rockette material -- ogres or sex objects, and not much in between

KC: I definitely struggle to share my vulnerability with people. I'd say that's probably true of a lot of people. But I think being tall exacerbates that feeling because people do expect you to be stronger and more competent a lot of the time.

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‘My Giant Life’ Sneak Peek: Haleigh Faces Pregnancy Complications, Alicia Jay Struggles With Dating

By Megan French 1 day ago

Standing tall! In an exclusive sneak peek of season 3 of My Giant Life, six tall women, Haleigh, Alicia Jay, Katja, Lindsay, Krista and Coco all deal with different issues related to their extreme heights and beyond.

Haleigh, who is 6-foot-7, and her 5-foot-8 husband, Bryan, have made it through their first year of marriage and are expecting their first child together. “We moved to Tennessee, and we’re pregnant,” she reveals in the clip. “We weren’t supposed to be able to get pregnant, so this makes this pregnancy a little more delicate.” 

In the preview, the couple learn there may be some complications with the pregnancy. A doctor is seen telling them that he sees a “big issue.”

Meanwhile, Alicia Jay, is struggling with dating because of her 6-foot-6 height — and because she’s a virgin. “I love my height, but I definitely think it’s harder to date as a tall woman,” she says. “If I don’t get married, I could be a virgin until the day I die.” The clip teases an awkward interaction when she tells a man that she’s a virgin after he asks her to come upstairs at the end of a date. 

Lindsay, on the other hand, is dealing with roommates trouble. “A lot has happened in my life. I dumped my boyfriend. I relocated to Las Vegas because I needed a fresh start. I want to get a roommate. I am interviewing someone who I met on social media. Fun fact: She’s also really tall,” the 6-foot-9 blonde says. “When Krista walked into the bar, I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s one of my kind.'”

However, things aren’t going as great as they both hoped. “You don’t really know the other person until you live with them,” Krista says, while pointing out that the freezer is disgusting, there’s hair in the refrigerator and Lindsay has a whole shelf in her closet of her roommate’s stuff.

“She has to realize she’s not the only badass in the house,” Lindsay quips.

Watch the preview above to see what’s going on with the rest of the ladies!

My Giant Lifereturns to TLC Sunday, September 17, at 10 p.m. ET.

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‘Tall Girl 2’ Coming to Netflix, Filming Begins in April 2021

by Kasey Moore @kasey__moore on March 3, 2021, 6:31 pm EST

The Netflix teen rom-com Netflix Tall Girl is coming back for a sequel according to two sources that suggest filming will be getting underway next month and wrap in the summer. Here’s what we know.

Just to quickly recap, the first Tall Girl movie was a smash hit for Netflix given its low budget and eventually went onto rack up 41 million views on the platform in the first four weeks available.

The film starred Ava Michelle, Griffin Gluck, Sabrina Carpenter and Paris Berelc and was a standard rom-com with the twist being the main character, Jodi, was very tall and very self-conscious.

Tall Girl was by no means a smash hit when it came to the critics, however. The movie currently sits at a 5.2 on IMDb with critic scores similarly low at 44%.

Back in October 2019 after the initial film had released, Ava Michelle spoke to EliteDaily and said there were talks for a sequel. She teased that she hoped fans would see Michelle go into her final year of school saying:

“I’m excited to see hopefully Jodi’s senior year and to see what happens there, but I really don’t know. There’s talk, but I really don’t know, we’ll see.”

Since then, all has been quiet and of course, there’s been a global pandemic that likely halted any development.

It was then in December 2020 when DiscussingFilm got the scoop that Netflix was developing a sequel. They revealed that Sam Wolfson would be returning to write the sequel’s screenplay and news today backs that up.

Filming, as confirmed by ProductionWeekly issue 1236 suggests that filming is currently due to get underway in mid-April 2021 and wrap up in late May 2021. That means a 2021 release could be squeezed in but the more likely scenario is that it gets released sometime in 2022.

Here’s what you can expect from the sequel:

“After Jodi Kreyman gains popularity, her miscommunications start causing rifts with those around her and now she really needs to ‘stand tall’.”

The sequel will be filmed in New Orleans just like the first movie with McG, Mary Viola, Steven Bello and Corey Marsh continuing in executive producer roles.

Only Ava Michelle is currently listed to be returning but more familiar faces from the original will almost certainly return with a sprinkling of new ones too.

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ByMegan Gustashaw

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5 Surprising Things You Never Knew About Allison Janney (She Wanted to Be a Figure Skater!)

MIKE MILLER December 07, 2017 11:39 AM

With over 100 acting credits to her name and nearly 60 major award show nominations, Allison Janney is one of the most beloved and acclaimed actresses working today.

She’s made memorable appearances in classic films like American Beauty and Finding Nemo, and became a household name starring press secretary C.J. Craig on The West Wing. She’s also won awards for her work on CBS’s Mom alongside Anna Faris.

Now, Janney, 58, is earning major Oscar buzz for her role as U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding’s abusive mother LaVona Golden in the upcoming film I, Tonya, which details the skater’s career and 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan that got Harding banned for life from figure skating.

Here are five things to know about the star:

1. She’s won a TON of Emmys.

Seven to be exact, out of a whopping 13 nominations. She’s even won two Emmys for two different shows in the same year. Janney was nominated for The West Wing six times from 2000 to 2006, winning four. She’s received four nominations for Mom and three for playing Margaret Scully in Showtimes’s Masters of Sex. She’s also been nominated for 5 Golden Globes and 15 Screen Actors Guild Awards, winning six.

2. She’s fiercely loyal to Anna Faris.

Janney and her Mom onscreen daughter are tight onscreen and off. Speaking about how they support one another through good times and bad, Janney previously told PEOPLE, “We are a family there.” The actress was one of Faris’s most loyal confidants during her split with Chris Pratt. When the cameras aren’t rolling, Janney said the two are “hanging out at Stage 20 and gossiping and getting through the bumps in life.”

3. She’s really, really tall.

“I say I’m 5 feet 12 inches,” Janney told NPR in 2014.

“I’m definitely 6 feet. In my heels I’m 6 feet 3 inches,” she added. When she was a kid, Janney said, “I was always sort of a late bloomer in a lot of things … I felt like my career started late and I think it was because of my height — and maybe some of my confidence issues.”

Being the tallest woman in the room had its drawbacks. “I was playing 40-year-old women when I was 20. I didn’t get considered for ingenue roles,” she explained.

But having a head on the competition also had some positive effects. “[My height] also helped me in certain parts. It’s made me definitely more of a character actress in terms of my love of doing comedy. I get cast as either the smartest woman in the room or the drunkest woman in the room, and a lot of stuff in between,” she said.

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I am so honored to have been crowned Miss Tall NYC 2017 on May 5, 2017, in Manhattan by the Tall Club of New York City ! I am excited and proud to be representing New York City while competing in the  Miss Tall International 2017 Pageant this July 3 - 5 during the Tall Club International Annual Convention July 3 - 9, 2017, in Portland, Oregon . I am asking for your help to be able to compete in the Miss Tall International Pageant and to send a Founding & current Board Member of Tall Club of NYC, 6'3" Nashwa Shalaby! along with me to represent tall women, our tall city, and the tall Northeast Coast, as we gather with our tall international brothers and sisters in Portland, Oregon. 

As measured by Guinness Book of World Records, I am in the category of 10th Tallest Woman in the World and the World's Tallest Female Comedian. I aim for every man, woman and child on the planet to see me, a Samoan-Celtic American female, born of the High Chiefs of Samoa, the Black Douglas of the Scots, the Red Adairs of the Irish; I am the great great great grandaughter of Margaux Constantine - a French pirate & John Marshall - 1st Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, the only to also serve as U.S. Secretary of State. 

As a woman at  6' 5-1/2" barefoot at the beach, 6'7" in sneakers on the courts, 6'8" in cowboy boots, 6'9" in drag queen heels, 280 lbs, 11 years of college, born of free nations, chiefs, pirates, immigrants, statesmen, veterans, fisherfolk, factory workers, secretaries,  nurses and miners, couldn't we, once and for all, be rid of the idea that women are the weaker sex? 100% of humans come from women.

Join us in promoting positive facts about tall women, about all women.  In my year's reign as Miss Tall NYC 2017, I am linking with empowering movements everywhere - in schools, neighborhood groups, businesses, municipalities - in recognizing and promoting women and girls, of all shapes, colors, sizes, as the leaders and treasures that we are, while celebrating our allies of all genders, as we all hoe this row together. 

Thank you for helping me compete and hopefully bring home the crown of MissTall International 2017.

Love always,
#MissTallNYC2017 
#TheReignBeginsWithTallLove 
#WeAllHaveABrightFutureTogether

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Those of us women over 6' tall in the U.S. (I'm 6'4") only make up 1% of the population. That's about 3.2 million of us out there. It's not a huge number, but here's the thing about that number:

• 99% of us are between the ages of 20 and 50
• We are internet savvy because we had to be (to find clothes, communities, etc.)
• A decent chunk of us tend toward the liberal because, again, we had to (traditional roles don't work with us, we faced a lot of bullying growing up, etc.)
• We are constantly exploring the world around us for innovations (because we're looking for the world to offer things that work for us)

Essentially, we are the perfect demographic for Jezebel. And many of us are readers. In many of the tall communities I'm in, we share Jezebel articles frequently. We are still, above all, women who want to connect with others and the world around us.

Well, Jezebel, you just lost us. The quick spotlight Clover Hope wrote about the TLC series My Giant Life was bad.

Read the full article / blog posting

The astonishing Lindsay Kay Haywardis part of a new series on TLC. It's called "My Giant Life" and will begin airing on the U.S. cable network on July 14 at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST.

All of the cast members are well over six-feet tall. The shortest woman featured in the show - Colleen, a 36-year-old former pro-Volleyball player – stands at six feet six inches tall and the tallest - Nancy Mulkey, a Texan high school basketball player - is six feet nine inches. Lindsay is not quite 6'9" herself (she officially stands at 6'8 3/4") and the World's Tallest Actress. As you can imagine these ladies have a lot to say about themselves and what challenges they are facing in their daily lives.

BYJULIE MAZZIOTTA @julietmazz

06/21/2016 AT 09:45 AM EDT

At 6'9", landing acting gigs is no easy task for actress Lindsay Hayward. And her bad head shots aren't helping.

To reignite her career, Hayward hires a photographer for new head shots in this exclusive clip from Tuesday's episode of My Giant Life.

"I'm here to get my head shots done, because last time I took head shots was a few years ago, so I definitely want to update my new, more radiant look," Hayward, 28, says in the clip. "I think that it's going to do wonders as far as getting my further in my acting career."

But as it turns out, Hayward is looking for less of a head shot, and more of a body shot.

"As a six-foot-nine-inch actress it's very, very important that I get full-length body shots because nobody believes how tall you are."

Hayward hates her old head shots because they were shot from an unflattering angle – by someone shorter than her – giving her a double chin.

"Everyone's looking at me from way down here and like I'm way up here, and when they look at me I've got that double chin angle, you know what I mean? It's not very flattering," she says. "Because I do have that as an insecurity, I need someone who's not taking that shot all the time."

"If I could change anything about my looks I would make my face a little bit thinner here," Hayward admits, pointing to her neck.

Luckily, she found a photographer, Sharon, who understands – even if she was a little surprised at Hayward's size.

"Holy cow, okay!" Sharon says. "I am used to working with much smaller people, so I was not expecting her to be as tall as she was."

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Allison Janney: ‘I would get cast as 40-year-old women when I was still in my teens’

Janney, who didn't find success as an actor until she was in her late 30s, thinks things are looking up for women – even very tall women – in Hollywood

By Tara Brady

There is a story from Hollywood's golden age that tells us that Lana Turner, upon visiting her tailor, looked over at a dress dummy for the Irish-born Greer Garson and sniffed: "She's a very tall woman."Was Turner being euphemistic? Perhaps not. It's not easy being tall in Hollywood. Just ask Allison Janney.

"It was really hard for me to get cast in anything for a long time," she says. "I would get cast as 40-year-old women when I was still in my teens. There just wasn't a lot of work out there for people of my height."

No wonder she is giddy talking about Spy, a new espionage caper from Bridesmaids director Paul Feig that brings together Janney (1.83m) and Miranda Hart (1.85m) as handlers for unlikely CIA operative Melissa McCarthy (1.6m).

"I've known and admired Melissa forever," says Janney. "And we hit it off immediately with Miranda, who is just glorious. We really want to work together again. We're going to have to find or write a play for tall women."

Spy boasts a plot that is at least as good as the last two Bond films, with plenty of Pink Panther-worthy bumbling. Even better, Janney gets to boss Jason Statham around.

"I only knew him as the consummate screen tough guy," she says. "But it turns out he's charming and funny and loves to be silly. He's just delightful. And it was just a playful shoot. I think I made up a new swear word."

Standing up for herself

In truth, we're not too surprised to see The Stath cowering and sulking at Janney's every command. As CJ in The West Wing, she was quite capable of slapping down her own president ("That's fine. Just don't show off"), while her steely stand-off with the ultrasound technician in Juno is perhaps that film's finest moment.

"People talk about mom roles," says Janney. "But mom roles can be pretty interesting."

She has, indeed, recently taken home an Emmy – her sixth – for her work on Mom, the Chuck Lorre-produced multi-camera sitcom concerning a mother (Janney) and daughter (Anna Faris) who are both recovering addicts.

"Mom is the best day job I ever had," she says. "It's two weeks on, one week off, which is very civilised after the 17-hour days on The West Wing. Glorious even. So I've been able to do HBO's Masters of Sex , which I loved doing also, alongside Mom.

"I'm so grateful to have stumbled into such a great show at this point in my career. It manages to take very serious topics like addiction and make them funny. Because in the end, isn't that how people get through things?"

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Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress that was born in France. When she was five her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she began to walk down the path that would eventually lead her to where she is at this point and time. This rather tall woman, she stands about 6'2", has been noted as an outstanding student and has gained awards aplenty since her time in high school and is now set on making a film, TV, and stage career worth mentioning. She’s already accomplished at least a third of that goal and is still hard at work to attain the fame that she desires. With any luck and the talent that she already possesses she will continue to shine in the productions that want her and those that she auditions for.

So far she’s done a great job of getting noticed.

5. She’s very much into escaping from her own life for a little while.

As a child she liked to imagine herself as one of the characters that she happened to enjoy at the time. Children pretending to be their favorite stars and heroes is nothing new but this allowed Elizabeth to become her own person and attain a level of comfort with herself and those around her that helped her to grow and develop into someone that could slip into a role quite easily.

4. She doesn’t like to sit still.

Once she’s done with a role she wants to know what comes next. With some people this could be an indication that they are restless, that they have a wandering spirit and can’t settle no matter how comfortable they might be. With Elizabeth it feels more as though she’s eager to see what else she can do and what other roles are out there that might be right for her.

3. She trained as a dancer before going into theater.

She was about five when she started to learn ballet. The performing arts have been her field since then, though she moved into drama after a while and started gaining high marks for her performances and the ability to slip into her roles so easily. Even at a younger age it seemed that she was destined to go further, to possibly show the world what she could do.

2. She made her film debut in 2011.

She made her film debut in the movie titled A Few Best Men. She’s a relative newcomer to film despite having been around for a few years now. Chances are that at the rate she’s going now she could see a great deal of improvement in her roles and a greater involvement across the board if she plays her cards right. She is a skilled actress and should expect to see herself in bigger movies as time goes on.

1. She’s been nominated for several awards.

She’s been nominated for several but to date has only won one of note. She won Best Actress In a Supporting Role for her part in the Great Gatsby. The award was bestowed upon her by Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.

She’s here, and there’s no limit to how high she can go.

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Geena Davis: ‘After Thelma & Louise, people said things would improve for women in film. They didn’t’

Having built a career playing strong women, the Hollywood star is taking on sexism in the film industry, with a gender equality project that will launch at this year’s London film festival

By Elizabeth Day

Geena Davis is tall, very tall. In her bare feet, she reaches 6ft. Today, she is wearing 5in wedge heels and towers over everyone in the near vicinity.

This is worth remarking upon not because Davis’s appearance is the most interesting thing about her – it isn’t, not by a long mark – but because it shows her willingness to occupy a space, to lay claim to it. There is an assertiveness to her physical presence. Most tall women feel the need to slouch or wear flats or somehow make themselves seem that little bit less intimidating. Davis clearly has no truck with this. As she walks across to meet me, shoulders back, smile in place, arm outstretched to shake my hand, her entire stance is one of easy confidence.

Davis has long made it her mission to ensure women occupy more space in a notoriously sexist business. The film industry has never been an equal opportunities employer. But we are meeting at a time when the plates seem to be shifting. Several actresses have recently spoken out about unequal treatment and an increasing number of films are being made with complicated, interesting female protagonists at the helm. Are we at a watershed moment?

“The women in the industry, I think, are remarkable,” Davis says cautiously. “A lot of people are becoming very comfortable about saying it’s not fair.”

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Julie Newmar, 5'11"

Julie emailed me in 2012: "Dear Joerg, Love your website, congratulations. In appreciation, a picture and quote from my new book:

“Tall girls, don’t slump.
Think of how many short guys out there
Would love to have your offspring.
Stand up for them.” 

Julie Newmar

About Julie

As an eleventh generation American and a Mayflower descendant, Julie Newmar has beauty, brains and a charming sense of humor. Born Julia Chalene Newmeyer in Los Angeles, her father, Donald, was an engineering professor, head of the Phys Ed. Department, and head football coach at LACC. He was on the L. A. Buccaneers Wonder Team. Her mother, Helen Jesmer, was a Ziegfeld Follies girl, said by Eddie Cantor to have the most beautiful legs in the Follies. From an early age, Julie studied classical piano, ballet, and every form of dance her mother would drive her to lessons for, graduating high school at 15, then spending a year in Europe with her mother and brother John. On her UCLA entrance exam, she scored a 99, staying only six weeks, switching to Universal Studios as choreographer, teacher, and dance double. Not yet 18, she was the original "Golden Girl," a statue-come-to-life dancing in "Serpent of the Nile," often times seen on MySpace, YouTube, and was one of the brides in the classic MGM musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

"Silk Stockings" was her first role on Broadway at 19. Then the very "Stupefyin’ Jones" in "Li’l Abner." She won a Tony for her first speaking role in the hit comedy "Marriage-Go-Round" (Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer). A contract with 20th Century Fox provided Marilyn Monroe/Jayne Mansfield-type roles in "The Rookie," "The Maltese Bippy,"… In London, she played the ubiquitous love interest of Zero Mostel in the unfinished film "Monsieur Le Coq." She also toured in the National Company, opposite Joel Gray, in "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off." Her legs were insured for $10 million (except in the event of theft).

Making the transition to TV, Julie had many memorable song and dance routines (a Jonathan Winters Special, The Danny Kaye Show, Mike Douglas Show) but is best known for her comedic as well as supernatural roles. She was the complex and alluring motorcycle babe in two episodes of "Route 66" (a role created for her by Stirling Silliphant) and starred in a "Twilight Zone" episode as The Devil. She was claimed again by Jim Aubrey, President of CBS for the lead in "My Living Doll" as Rhoda the robot, still a cult sitcom favorite.

In 1966, urged by her brother at Harvard, she created the role of Catwoman in "Batman." Her sense of humor and physicality made her this show’s most popular villain. Similarly popular was her appearance as April the Laundress in "The Monkees Get Out More Dirt". On "Wide, Wide World of Sports," she made three parachute jumps. She was killed off in "Columbo" but slayed audiences as Lola in "Damn Yankees." She was given a chapter in the book "Mothers of Invention" for having created "Nudemar," a new design in pantyhose, appearing in People Magazine.

In the 1980s, Julie appeared in nine films of "presumptive" value while raising her son. A mother at 49 and divorced, she attended UCLA and took courses so she could more effectively run her own real estate business. In 1991, Julie took on the Rosalind Russel role in "The Women," then astonished Broadway in a revival of "Li’l Abner," 42 years after performing in the original production as Stupefyin’ Jones in the same costume. In her 60s, she became a modeling sensation in Paris for Thierry Mugler and appeared among the fashion world’s most gorgeous divas in George Michael’s music video "Too Funky."

Few women have had a movie named after them. Julie’s name literally became box office via "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," a film from Stephen Spielberg’s company. Literary types from John D. MacDonald to Harlan Coben have written characters based on Julie or alluding to Julie’s "special… beautiful and animated… incomparable feminine" personality. She was persuaded by Adam West to re-make Catwoman in his "Return to the Batcave." She also appeared in her own "A&E Biography."

A feud over "quality of life" issues with neighbor Jim Belushi ended amicably in a historic and hysteric guest spot on his show, "According to Jim," which once again proved she’s as active and attractive as ever. Batman’s formidable feline, Belushi’s archly attractive enemy.

From the ‘60s into the 21st century, Julie is still fascinating. "Beauty is her business" as well as her passion for art and design and gardening, which have led to a rose, day lily, and an orchid named in her honor. Her magnificent gardens are first choice for L.A.’s top charity events. "Why not? I live in Paradise."

A book on the oft asked questions "How do you look the way you do?" The answers are few when it comes to makeup and exercise. "It’s the inner life that’s all important". Check it out on JulieNewmar.com – her 2011 book, "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth". She is currently writing short stories, magazine pieces, as well as a bi-monthly memoir on the beatitudes of yes, consummate bliss.

Visit Julie Newmar's website

Lindsay Kay Hayward had one specific person in mind during her ambulance ride to the hospital after a health scare... fellow giant Shaquille O'Neal!

We got the "My Giant Life" star and 6'9" pro wrestler Friday in Vegas after she was hospitalized last week -- for what she thought was a blood clot in her lung -- and she's got a funny way of remembering her time on the stretcher.

Good to see Shaq helped Lindsay stay positive in what could have been a serious problem. Big folks gotta stick together... in sickness and in health.

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Liz Mikel

Liz has been performing since an early age. A Texas native, she has had the opportunity to grace stages locally, nationally, and abroad. Her love of dance, music and theater has endeared Ms. Mikel to audience members of all ages.

An all-around entertainer, she was trained from age 6 in dance by Ann Williams, founder of The Dallas Black Dance Theater. And she also studied under the illustrious Curtis King, founder and Director of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters.

She has toured nationally and has performed at Regional theaters across the country, including most recently, The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Mass.

Liz is known to Dallas Metroplex audiences having performed at;The Dallas Theater Center, Theatre Three, The Dallas Children's Theater, WaterTower Theater, Casa Manana, The Majestic Theater, Jubilee Theater as well as other venues.

In October 2005, Liz played the part of Mabel –The First Lady, thrilling audiences in the musical "CROWNS" written and directed by award winning actress, Regina Taylor, at The Dallas Theater Center.

She has appeared in over 20 productions at DTC since 1990. And in December, she completed her 14th year in its annual production of A Christmas Carol, where she portrayed several characters, including The Ghost of Christmas Present.

She was a company member of Vivid Theater Ensemble, a professional African American acting company founded by her mentor, Akin Babatunde'. And in 2004, she accompanied Mr. Babatunde' and Co-playwright and producer, Alan Govenar to Geneva, Switzerland; Paris, France and New York to perform the musical Blind Lemon Blues.

As well as stage, Liz has appeared in films and commercials and she has done numerous voice-overs. She's also performed locally on Good Morning Texas, Insights, Metro, and Good Day Dallas.

Liz has opened for nationally renowned recording artists Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis and Isaac Hayes. And was featured vocalist for the Dallas Museum of Art's presentation of Duke Ellington's "Sacred Concert".

She has received the Dallas Theatre League's Leon Rabin Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical 1998; The Sankofa Award, for her dedication to the Arts in the Community;The Dallas Theater Critics Forum Award 2004 for Ain't Misbehavin. Liz was named Best Actress 2004 by D Magazine in their annual Best of Big D issue. And recently, she was featured as Queen of the Arts-The Face of Black Theater in Dallas byThe Dallas Weekly, March, 2006.

Ms. Liz's dream of being a performer would not have been possible without the love and support of her family. Mother, Dr. Versia Lindsay Lacy; daughters, Lindsay, Corienne, and Vershea; and siblings, Brenda McKinney & Keith Lacy. "Thanks for your constant love, support and encouragement...I Love you all!"

Visit her website

Winnipeg's Chantal Van Landeghem has picked up two swimming golds at the Pan Am Games in Toronto

CBC News Posted: Jul 15, 2015 11:42 AM CT Last Updated: Jul 15, 2015 8:02 PM CT

Manitoba's Chantal Van Landeghem, 21, stole the show on the opening night of swimming competition, finishing with two gold medals and two Pan Am records.

Her parents, Wayne and Dinah Van Landeghem, watched all of the excitement unfold from their home in Winnipeg Tuesday night.

Wayne spoke with Chantal right after she hopped out of the pool following the women's 100-metre freestyle race.

"[She's] really excited. And she could not get over the crowd. She said this is the first time where she actually could feel the crowd and hear the crowd. She said 100 per cent of the last 20 metres, the crowd like pulled her," Wayne said Wednesday.

He believes the double gold will give his daughter the confidence she needs to achieve her next goal, making Canada's Olympic team.

Three years ago, while trying to qualify for the London Olympics, Van Landeghem finished 0.01 second off of the qualifying time.

Canada's crown jewel

Chantal's former coach of six years, Tom Hainey, says Chantal is Canada's crown jewel in the 100-metre freestyle event. So the wins didn't surprise the coach at all.

Tuesday, Chantal beat out 12-time Olympic medallist Natalie Coughlin from the U.S. Chantal has the physical advantage over many of her competitors, measuring six feet three inches tall.

"I was so happy for her. When you coach an athlete and you go through what we went through together, the highs and lows – the low being missing the Olympic team by a hundredth of a second – and for her to do that in front of a home town crowd. That's where she trains, that's her home pool now. It's awesome," Hainey said.

"Her progress has been outstanding. And once we saw how she reacted to missing the team, I knew it was just a matter of time. She is a very big girl. Tall. And it takes long time for tall women to gain strength, no matter what you do."

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BY EMILY ZAUZMER @emilyzauzmer 06/18/2015 AT 09:20 AM EDT

Even the simplest task can be a tall order when you tower over your peers.

In an exclusive preview of TLC's new five-part reality series My Giant Life, Lindsay, who stands 6'9", explains the social and physical discomfort of flying in an airplane for someone whose wingspan gives the airplane wings a run for their money.

"The airplane is very frustrating for me," Lindsay says. "I shouldn't have to feel self-conscious about walking onto an airplane, but I do because I know... that everybody on that plane is like, 'I hope I don't have to sit next to her.' "

Once she is seated, Lindsay still can't catch a break. She comments, "I get crammed on a plane, and, even if I'm in an aisle seat, my knees are, like, up to my chest." The clip shows that Lindsay is too tall to even use the table attached to the seat in front of her.

Keep up with your favorite celebs in the pages of PEOPLE Magazine by subscribing now.

My Giant Life takes a peek into the lives of four women who all measure 6'6" and higher as they attempt to stand tall in a much shorter world.

Actress and former wrestler Lindsay (6'9") nabbed the Guinness World Record for Tallest Actress in a Leading Role and now wants to find the father who abandoned her at age 11. Colleen (6'6"), a former professional volleyball player, juggles her move to San Diego and her desire to find a boyfriend. Fellow professional volleyball star Haleigh (6'7") finds herself caught between her boyfriend Brian's hope to start a family and her father's disapproval. And 17-year-old Nancy rounds out the cast as a high school student and basketball hot shot.

My Giant Life premieres July 14 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.

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My Giant Life: Season Two Coming to TLC in June

by Cindy McLennan, May 11, 2016

The second season of the My Giant Life TV show on TLC premieres Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at 10:00pm ET/PT. My Giant Life features six women who are 6'6" or taller, and are "seemingly too tall for the average-sized world."

Returning in My Giant Life season two are: Colleen ‘Coco’ Smith, Haleigh Hampton-Carvalho, Lindsay Kay Hayward, and Nancy Mulkey.

Get more on the second season, and new cast members Katja and Lexie, from TLC.

BIGGER IS BETTER IN THE SECOND SEASON OF TLC’S “MY GIANT LIFE”

New Season Premieres Tuesday, June 7th at 10/9c

New York, NY – TLC’s MY GIANT LIFE follows the stories of six women who stand at six feet six inches and above, and are seemingly too tall for the average-sized world. The second season, premiering Tuesday, June 7th at 10/9c, chronicles the challenges these women face, ranging from performing seemingly everyday tasks to being noticed for their extraordinary height. From dating difficulties to simply going out in public without stares, the stories in each episode get to the heart of what it means to live life a foot taller than the average female.

Meet the women of MY GIANT LIFE:

COLLEEN a.k.a COCO – Austin, Texas

At six feet six inches tall, Colleen is not the average single gal playing the field. The 36-year-old, former pro-volleyball player has struck out recently in the dating game. After her disastrous dating life in season one, she has moved to Austin for a fresh start. But when she meets Will, she has to decide if she’s willing to let him get past the friend zone.

HALEIGH – Huntington Beach, California

Standing at six feet seven inches tall, 24-year-old Haleigh has a world of possibilities at her fingertips. Last season, to her father’s dismay, she married her much shorter, 32-year-old boyfriend, Bryan. Now, they’re facing serious marital obstacles, and Haleigh is forced to choose between her husband and her family.

LINDSAY – Los Angeles, California

Statuesque and striving to make a name for herself, Lindsay stands out from the crowd at six feet nine inches tall. She is actively pursuing a career in film and television and is willing to do whatever necessary to succeed… including plastic surgery. But will her destructive habits and a tumultuous past keep her from fulfilling her dreams?

NANCY – Cypress, Texas

At a staggering six feet nine inches tall, Nancy is struggling through her senior year of high school. She has always relied on her tall family for support, but now that she is 18-years-old, she is ready to step out on her own. She knows that life will get better as soon as she gets to college to play basketball, but for now, her main focus is graduating and navigating life as a rising basketball superstar.

KATJA – New York, New York

Katja, standing at six feet eight inches tall, and her much shorter wife, Julie, five foot two, want to start a family. They have a lot of questions to answer: Who will carry the baby? Do they want the baby to be taller or shorter? And how will they decide on a sperm donor? When the stress of the decisions brings out the problems in their marriage they start to wonder if they are ready for this next chapter.

LEXIE – Phoenix, Arizona

Confident Lexie, who is six feet six inches tall, is getting married to a man stationed 2,500 miles away. Meanwhile everywhere she goes, men flirt with her. Will the distance be too much for them?

For updates, ‘Like’ MY GIANT LIFE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MyGiantLife

MY GIANT LIFE is produced by Workaholic Productions for TLC.

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In My Giant Life, viewers step into the shoes of women who are seemingly too tall and lofty for the average-sized world, standing at six feet six inches and above. They are faced with challenges every day - some because their extreme height makes performing seemingly mundane tasks like loading the dishwasher and getting into a car extremely difficult and others because the eyes of society are not as friendly to women of their stature. As a young lady that is a foot taller than the average female, life is anything but easy! From dating difficulties to simply going to the grocery store without stares, the stories in each episode get right to the heart of what it means to live life blessed with an extra foot or more.

Visit the "My Giant Life" website

People Told Gwendoline Christie She Was Too Tall to Be an Actor

Gwendoline Christie is a talented actress best known for her roles on Game of Thrones and Star Wars Episode VII. Because of her role on Game of Thrones, most people see her a tough as nails woman that doesn't care what anyone thinks about her. As hard as it is for us to imagine, once the camera stops rolling, most celebrities are exactly like us. They have to go through life's ups and downs the same way anyone else has to. And although she may look like an extremely confident woman now, she had to struggle with the same thing that most of us had to deal with when we were younger, which body image insecurities.

When you look at her, it may be hard to see anything that Gwendoline could possibly be insecure about, but apparently, she was told for most of her life that she was too tall. So, did her height hinder her chances at becoming an actor? Here is what we know about Gwendoline's height and acting career.

Gwendoline is 6'3" tall. That is pretty tall by anybody's standards. In Hollywood's standards, however, being an actress over 6 feet tall is almost unheard of. As of today, there are only a handful of actresses that reach the 6 feet mark. For an actress, being anything over 5'10" is considered pretty tall, so we can only imagine how self-conscience Gwendoline must have felt trying to fit into a world that seems to be made of petite women.

Gwendoline Christie was subjected to bullying due to her height

Gwendoline grew up in a small village in England. She has referred to the school that she attended when she was a child as a "village school in the countryside." She has also said that she had already reached 5'7" when she was just twelve years old. By the time she was 14, she was over 6 feet tall. Being that she was probably the tallest kid in school - maybe even the tallest kid that the other children had ever seen - she had to endure years of being bullied and teased for her height.

When she was older, she had realized that she wanted to become an actress. She attended the infamous Drama Centre London and was told by her teachers that her height would make it difficult for her to land a prominent acting job. Her height did make it harder for her, but that didn't stop her from pursuing her dream.

Gwendoline Christie has embraced her differences

Even though other people had commented on her height throughout her entire life, Gwendoline had never looked at her height as anything negative. She had recently done an interview with Vogue. When the interviewer had asked her about being bullied as a child because of her height, Gwendoline replied: "I would rather talk now about how the obstacle has been overcome."

She then went on to talk about how she never really gave any thought to what other people's opinions were. In reference to when she first began acting, Gwendoline had said: "I never really gave too much stock to were the realities were, because it seemed even my infant mind that nothing interesting got done if you accepted the limitations other people put on you."

Luckily, Gwendoline had the right train of thought that allowed her to not only pursue her dreams but to achieve them as well. She has gotten several extremely prominent acting jobs in some of Hollywood's biggest movies. And thanks to her tall stature, she landed a lead role in one of the most-watched television shows of this decade. Manny girls now consider here a role model as they watched her transform into a tough warrior in Game of Thrones.

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