3ft Actress Stopped Growing At 5 Years Old | BORN DIFFERENT
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Published 2023-08-26
HOLLYWOOD actress, Ali Chapman, was born with hypochondroplasia - a rare form of dwarfism - and stands at 3ft 8" tall, meaning she often gets mistaken for a being child and has even played children in movies. Ali was "about five years old" when she "stopped growing" and remembers "trying to blend in" at high school, as she wasn't "comfortable in my own skin at that time". When Ali started out on her career, she could never have imagined walking red carpets and regular nights out with A-list stars, but she now lives in Los Angeles and has forged a successful career in the TV and film industry. Her big break came when she replied to an advert posted online, seeking "a little person for a body double and a stand-in for a major motion picture". That film turned out to be the blockbuster I Am Legend, starring Will Smith in the lead role. Producers asked Ali to send in photographs of herself and she soon received news back that she had been selected to act as body double to Willow Smith - who was six years old at the time. Ali explained to Truly: "There are scenes where [Will Smith] is picking his daughter up. She would come out of the scene and would be replaced by me... I'd be cheek-to-cheek with him... So that was pretty cool!" Since that "life-changing" experience, Ali has appeared in numerous TV and film roles, but many of those have been "character roles, a lot of costume work". She has played elves and leprechauns and feels she has been "pigeon-holed for those types of roles". Ali's aim is now to play her part in pushing Hollywood to cast little people in roles that could just as easily be played by an actor of average height. And after her appearance in an episode of Better Things - as a character who just happened to be a little person - Ali is on her way to achieving that goal. She told Truly: "You don't have to just have little people be these creatures... At the end of the day we are people with dignity, we are people that are just trying to make it just like everyone else."
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With thanks to: Un Deux Trois - udtfashion.com/
Videographer: Istvan
Producers: Hannah Beaugeard, Georgia Embling, Tom Buckman
Editor: Hailey Wang
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00:00 Intro
0:21 Meet Actress Ali And Learn About Her Condition
1:47 Being A Little Person In The Acting Industry
3:00 How Do People React To You?
4:04 Come With Ali And Her Friend Shopping
5:36 Ali And Her Friend Discuss The Struggles In Hollywood
6:19 Ali's Hope For The Future
6:52 Outro
All Comments (21)
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I would totally watch if she was a lead in a movie.
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She's lucky that her limbs are longer because I think that can really affects mobility in a big way. It sounds like she's carved a successful life for herself entertainment industry and she's very pretty and down to earth ! .
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Self- love is the balance between accepting yourself as you are, while knowing you deserve better, and then working towards it. She’s awesome.❤️
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I had a cousin that was a dwarf. She was super tiny. I was glad to have grown up with her. I wanted my kids to know her but she passed away too soon. I brought my sons up to not stare at people. I would explain to them why someone was small or different in any way. All parents should do that. You are a beautiful young lady!❤️. I could definitely see you in the lead in a movie or tv show. I look forward to one day seeing that!! 🌟
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She is so beautiful!! I’m in total support of all her endeavors. Stay encouraged Ali!!! See you soon!
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I think she's adorable! She may be a little person but she has a big personality and I love her confidence.
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She beautiful!
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Don't see that a me being funny but she's down to earth, a lovely personality, smart and beautiful.
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She used to work at the Venice Beach Freak Show back in 2013 with her husband Matt I believe. I got to meet her and her husband when I went to the freak show/Venice beach boardwalk. She was so nice! And her husband (maybe ex husband now?) was so funny! Love Ali! ❤
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We love you Ali! She’s been a loyal shopper of mine at Un Deux Trois and she has the best style ❤
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Ali is such a gorgeous, confident, talented being! A good point raised is why writers aren't auditioning all types of people for parts, not just relying on the frankly outdated "type cast" people.
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What a wonderful lady! 🤩🥰
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I know Ali. She's the sweetest person you'll ever meet!!!
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My grandmother was always showing me that the world was full on unique & kind people. When I was a kid I met a little person who my grandmother was friends with. I am 33 now & still don’t understand the weird things people say about little people. They’re people there is nothing weird about them 😊
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She is adorable!!
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One of the first times I saw a little person be taken seriously was when I saw Peter Dinklage as Miles Finch in the holiday classic Elf! If Ali keeps up with this acting thing maybe she could get a role like that someday! I’m a person of average height, but even I find it inspiring when people who dwarfism for example try their best to prove that they can do what they love if they are taken more seriously if you what I’m saying (like not make a big deal of the fact that they are small, etc)!
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Ali so beautiful and nice❤, thank you for this so kind video.
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She is fearless and strong and independent woman so beautiful love her personality and so sweet and love gorgeous inside and out and and wonderful ❤
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These people are heroes ,Respect!
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you are on your way..too more success..I'm soo glad..I meet you at Delilah (west hollywood)...you are VIP...I'm on YOUR.cheering squad
