Decoding the body language of couples

Did you know that by looking at a single random picture of any couple it is possible to discern how happy they are? See what our body-language experts have to say about the state of celebrity couplehood at last night's Golden Globes!


Reese's position at the front means that she takes the lead in the relationship. Ryan is quite content for this to happen but his fingers indicate that she is the type to snip a man's testicles off without a moment's hesitation. He is also revealing a humourous side to his usually serious nature, one that may prove useful in tv sitcoms which is where most actors end up when their movie careers falter.


Johnny and Vanessa's body stances are very much in sync with each other, enabling them to present a very strong united front. However Vanessa's head is turned towards Johnny as she would like him to pay her a bit more attention. If he had, he would have noticed her distinct lack of nutrition and dentalcare but then again the man seems incapable of brushing even his own hair.


This is a young couple very much in love. Although Heath is not looking at Michelle, he is holding her hand and his head is leaning down in her direction, showing that she is important to him. Likewise, Michelle's body is faced inwards and her shoulders are relaxed in the knowledge that unlike at least one of her former co-stars, she got pregnant to a straight actor who plays gay characters rather than vice versa.


Rupert and Wendi may be physically close together but their expressions seem to be distant and not focused on the same thing. Perhaps he is concerned about living several more years until the question of succession is definitively solved, while she is thinking of how best to secure a delicious chunk of her husband's legacy. Her firm grip on his shoulder indicates that she will be staying put for the time being. His tie is askew which has more to do with an incompetent valet rather than anything else.


Although they are not romantically involved, their natural ease around each other indicates that they have developed a good working rapport. But be aware that Gwyneth's slightly uplifted head and her sly use of her pregnant belly to encroach upon Sir Anthony's space, not to mention the fact that she is Gwyneth Paltrow, means that even though he received a Lifetime Achievement Award she is still superior to him in every way.



The love in this couple appears to be originating from Ang Lee and Ang Lee alone. We see Clint trying to create some distance between them with little success. We are always happy to be proven wrong in affairs of the heart but all the signs point to a short-lived affair that has shades of Play Misty For Me.


This is quite a new relationship for both Scarlett and Harvey and they are still testing the waters before making a commitment, as evidenced by the wandering eyes. However the positioning of her breasts and his obviously phallic necktie reflect a desire to connect on a physical level which suggests that at the very least they will both be leaving the party together.