diff --git a/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
index 21a575b91c..1cf3b12937 100644
--- a/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
+++ b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
@@ -343,45 +343,45 @@ export function parseEmbedPlayerFromUrl(
   }
 }
 
-export function getPlayerHeight({
+export function getPlayerAspect({
   type,
-  width,
   hasThumb,
+  width,
 }: {
   type: EmbedPlayerParams['type']
-  width: number
   hasThumb: boolean
-}) {
-  if (!hasThumb) return (width / 16) * 9
+  width: number
+}): {aspectRatio?: number; height?: number} {
+  if (!hasThumb) return {aspectRatio: 16 / 9}
 
   switch (type) {
     case 'youtube_video':
     case 'twitch_video':
     case 'vimeo_video':
-      return (width / 16) * 9
+      return {aspectRatio: 16 / 9}
     case 'youtube_short':
       if (SCREEN_HEIGHT < 600) {
-        return ((width / 9) * 16) / 1.75
+        return {aspectRatio: (9 / 16) * 1.75}
       } else {
-        return ((width / 9) * 16) / 1.5
+        return {aspectRatio: (9 / 16) * 1.5}
       }
     case 'spotify_album':
     case 'apple_music_album':
     case 'apple_music_playlist':
     case 'spotify_playlist':
     case 'soundcloud_set':
-      return 380
+      return {height: 380}
     case 'spotify_song':
       if (width <= 300) {
-        return 155
+        return {height: 155}
       }
-      return 232
+      return {height: 232}
     case 'soundcloud_track':
-      return 165
+      return {height: 165}
     case 'apple_music_song':
-      return 150
+      return {height: 150}
     default:
-      return width
+      return {aspectRatio: 16 / 9}
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/EventStopper.tsx b/src/view/com/util/EventStopper.tsx
index 1e672e9457..e743e89bbe 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/EventStopper.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/EventStopper.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 import React from 'react'
-import {View} from 'react-native'
+import {View, ViewStyle} from 'react-native'
 
 /**
  * This utility function captures events and stops
  * them from propagating upwards.
  */
-export function EventStopper({children}: React.PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
+export function EventStopper({
+  children,
+  style,
+}: React.PropsWithChildren<{style?: ViewStyle | ViewStyle[]}>) {
   const stop = (e: any) => {
     e.stopPropagation()
   }
@@ -15,7 +18,8 @@ export function EventStopper({children}: React.PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
       onTouchEnd={stop}
       // @ts-ignore web only -prf
       onClick={stop}
-      onKeyDown={stop}>
+      onKeyDown={stop}
+      style={style}>
       {children}
     </View>
   )
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/post-embeds/ExternalPlayerEmbed.tsx b/src/view/com/util/post-embeds/ExternalPlayerEmbed.tsx
index d556e7669d..cf2db5b333 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/post-embeds/ExternalPlayerEmbed.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/post-embeds/ExternalPlayerEmbed.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {msg} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 import {useNavigation} from '@react-navigation/native'
 import {AppBskyEmbedExternal} from '@atproto/api'
-import {EmbedPlayerParams, getPlayerHeight} from 'lib/strings/embed-player'
+import {EmbedPlayerParams, getPlayerAspect} from 'lib/strings/embed-player'
 import {EventStopper} from '../EventStopper'
 import {isNative} from 'platform/detection'
 import {NavigationProp} from 'lib/routes/types'
@@ -67,14 +67,12 @@ function PlaceholderOverlay({
 
 // This renders the webview/youtube player as a separate layer
 function Player({
-  height,
   params,
   onLoad,
   isPlayerActive,
 }: {
   isPlayerActive: boolean
   params: EmbedPlayerParams
-  height: number
   onLoad: () => void
 }) {
   // ensures we only load what's requested
@@ -91,25 +89,21 @@ function Player({
   if (!isPlayerActive) return null
 
   return (
-    <View style={[styles.layer, styles.playerLayer]}>
-      <EventStopper>
-        <View style={{height, width: '100%'}}>
-          <WebView
-            javaScriptEnabled={true}
-            onShouldStartLoadWithRequest={onShouldStartLoadWithRequest}
-            mediaPlaybackRequiresUserAction={false}
-            allowsInlineMediaPlayback
-            bounces={false}
-            allowsFullscreenVideo
-            nestedScrollEnabled
-            source={{uri: params.playerUri}}
-            onLoad={onLoad}
-            setSupportMultipleWindows={false} // Prevent any redirects from opening a new window (ads)
-            style={[styles.webview, styles.topRadius]}
-          />
-        </View>
-      </EventStopper>
-    </View>
+    <EventStopper style={[styles.layer, styles.playerLayer]}>
+      <WebView
+        javaScriptEnabled={true}
+        onShouldStartLoadWithRequest={onShouldStartLoadWithRequest}
+        mediaPlaybackRequiresUserAction={false}
+        allowsInlineMediaPlayback
+        bounces={false}
+        allowsFullscreenVideo
+        nestedScrollEnabled
+        source={{uri: params.playerUri}}
+        onLoad={onLoad}
+        style={styles.webview}
+        setSupportMultipleWindows={false} // Prevent any redirects from opening a new window (ads)
+      />
+    </EventStopper>
   )
 }
 
@@ -129,13 +123,16 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
 
   const [isPlayerActive, setPlayerActive] = React.useState(false)
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = React.useState(true)
-  const [dim, setDim] = React.useState({
-    width: 0,
-    height: 0,
-  })
 
-  const viewRef = useAnimatedRef()
+  const aspect = React.useMemo(() => {
+    return getPlayerAspect({
+      type: params.type,
+      width: windowDims.width,
+      hasThumb: !!link.thumb,
+    })
+  }, [params.type, windowDims.width, link.thumb])
 
+  const viewRef = useAnimatedRef()
   const frameCallback = useFrameCallback(() => {
     const measurement = measure(viewRef)
     if (!measurement) return
@@ -180,17 +177,6 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
     }
   }, [navigation, isPlayerActive, frameCallback])
 
-  // calculate height for the player and the screen size
-  const height = React.useMemo(
-    () =>
-      getPlayerHeight({
-        type: params.type,
-        width: dim.width,
-        hasThumb: !!link.thumb,
-      }),
-    [params.type, dim.width, link.thumb],
-  )
-
   const onLoad = React.useCallback(() => {
     setIsLoading(false)
   }, [])
@@ -216,32 +202,11 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
     [externalEmbedsPrefs, openModal, params.source],
   )
 
-  // measure the layout to set sizing
-  const onLayout = React.useCallback(
-    (event: {nativeEvent: {layout: {width: any; height: any}}}) => {
-      setDim({
-        width: event.nativeEvent.layout.width,
-        height: event.nativeEvent.layout.height,
-      })
-    },
-    [],
-  )
-
   return (
-    <Animated.View
-      ref={viewRef}
-      style={{height}}
-      collapsable={false}
-      onLayout={onLayout}>
+    <Animated.View ref={viewRef} collapsable={false} style={[aspect]}>
       {link.thumb && (!isPlayerActive || isLoading) && (
         <Image
-          style={[
-            {
-              width: dim.width,
-              height,
-            },
-            styles.topRadius,
-          ]}
+          style={[{flex: 1}, styles.topRadius]}
           source={{uri: link.thumb}}
           accessibilityIgnoresInvertColors
         />
@@ -251,12 +216,7 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
         isPlayerActive={isPlayerActive}
         onPress={onPlayPress}
       />
-      <Player
-        isPlayerActive={isPlayerActive}
-        params={params}
-        height={height}
-        onLoad={onLoad}
-      />
+      <Player isPlayerActive={isPlayerActive} params={params} onLoad={onLoad} />
     </Animated.View>
   )
 }