Amal and George Clooney, broke hearts all over the world when they got married in 2014.
Three years later, the celebrity couple seemed like they couldn't be any more in love after
welcoming twins Ella and Alexander, but are these parents really as into each other as
they seem? Lillian Glass, PhD, a body language and relationship expert thinks most of the
couple’s moments are played up for the cameras. That's pretty shocking, but there’s some
compelling evidence...
Amal and George are hyperaware they’re being watched.
In this pic, George just accepted a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Though
he and Amal might be happy in this moment, Glass says it doesn’t seem like it.
Here’s the evidence: Amal’s hand, which is almost balled into a fist instead of being
open, rests on George’s chest because that’s what loving couples are supposed to do. Meanwhile,
her shoulder is angled away from George, and she’s sporting what Glass considers a fake
smile. That said, this moment is an obligatory couple’s
photo at a big event—where the couple had already taken hundreds of photos—so that
could explain why it seems a bit forced. Still, Glass isn’t buying that there's any real
emotion behind the couple's pose, despite the fact that that’s exactly what they were
clearly trying to convey.
This photo, which was taken earlier that night, shows more of the same.
To the untrained eye, this moment might look sweet, but Glass says this is just as contrived.
They absolutely knew all eyes were on them that night, so doing a "candid moment" in
the middle of a crowd isn't convincing.
They know how to make an entrance. "They look like they’re posing for a magazine,"
says Glass about the couple heading to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding. That
might sound like a compliment, but it's, uh, not.
There’s too much distance between them, which means they’re disconnected, says Glass.
George’s hand in his pocket (part of his "magazine pose") only reveals how calculated
their entrance is.
George and Amal know how to pose. On the steps of the 2018 Met Gala—which,
yes, is basically the ultimate photo-op—George and Amal seemed to lose all the genuine emotion
that could have been present between them. Their eyes are locked, which would normally
be a good sign, but both their bodies are angled toward the cameras instead of each
other (peep George’s feet which are turned away from Amal). "They’re very good posers,"
says Glass. "But there’s just no genuine connection here."
Their closeness shows they're a team. While George's feet facing away from Amal
would normally point to a major disconnect for Glass, she does give the guy props for
how tightly he's holding onto Amal this time around.
Plus, their eyes, noses, and chins are parallel to each other, which Glass says means they
view each other as equals with similar priorities.
But they're not always in sync. Doesn’t it seem like Amal and George are
having the best of times at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival? Glass isn't so sure.
"Even though he’s pulling her close," Glass says, their steps are out of sync—a major
sign they’re on different pages and not feeling each other in this moment. They’re
also looking down instead of at each other.
George is all about the spotlight, but Amal? Not so much.
Glass says the lack of connection is clear here because of the way George is gripping
Amal’s hand. Her fingers didn’t even make it all the way through to complete the hand
hold, but George doesn't appear bothered by this at all.
This, according to Glass, proves he’s not holding her hand to offer support, or as a
loving gesture, but because he’s "supposed to."
They trust each other. Amal trusts George, and George is there for
her. And that makes this whole scene more than an act of chivalry played up for the
paparazzi. In fact, it speaks to the balance of their
relationship. While they make an effort to see eye-to-eye, they're also not afraid to
rely on one another when needed.