Saoirse Ronan was recently a guest on The Graham Norton Show. You may recognize her from her role as Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in the 2017 film, Lady Bird, for which she has been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
In the clip above, she describes her appearance in Ed Sheeran's video, Galway Girl. Moreover, she also told the story of a Sheeran-directed deliberate misspelling of a Tattoo (Galway Grill, rather than Galway Girl) - in her handwriting - on Ed Sheeran's arm.
What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a key moment of this video.
SAOIRSE RONAN (continuing at 1:14): ... No, I was very, very nervous about it - so I practiced for about half an hour before they actually tattooed it onto him
DEBRA MESSING: And that's what you came up with?
Immediately Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Rob Beckett, Graham Norton, and much of the audience all laughed at Saoirse Ronan.
Verbally, Ms. Ronan took this teasing fairly well in stride - yet her nonverbal displays told a considerably different story.
During 1:22, we can see Saoirse's eyebrows pull downward, her lower eyelids tighten, her nostrils flare, the region between her nose and her upper lip contract - comprising a nonverbal cluster display indicating anger.
During 1:28, Ms. Ronan is scratching her nose. There's no doubt she felt a true itch - however, this was elicited by the anxiety of being laughed at - on stage - in front of millions. It's is completely within context/normal.
Yet, the finger she (subconsciously) chose to itch her nose with - was her right middle finger. This was not by accident. She was very much thinking F- you! - and nonverbally this thought-emotion also manifested in this example of a "Partial Emblematic Slip".
It's called Partial - because it's not shown in the typical, very conscious/deliberate, full-frontal display.
It's termed Emblematic - because the middle finger display is one example of a nonverbal emblem - universally recognized for its meaning.
It's called a Slip - for it's not consciously displayed - but leaks out of one's psyche - into a physical act.
Of course, there are other partial emblematic slips which have nothing to do with the middle finger or profanity - but this is, perhaps, the most well-known and often-cited example.
Summary: Despite being an extremely accomplished and skilled actor, when Saoirse is just being Saoirse - and not in-character - she momentarily and nonverbally lapses - and, for those who know what signs to look for - let her anger show.
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See also:
Body Language Analysis No. 4201: Donald Trump's reaction to Rob Porter Resignation
Body Language Analysis No. 4199: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, and their Insane Mission Impossible Helicopter Stunt
Body Language Analysis No. 4197: Donald Trump calls people who didn't clap during his State of the Union address "Un-American" and "Treasonous "
Body Language Analysis No. 4195: Tom Brady and the Asymmetrical Smile
Body Language Analysis No. 4181: Ann Curry, Matt Lauer, "Verbal Sexual" Harassment, and NBC
Body Language Analysis No. 4147: Alabama Senator Richard Shelby regarding Roy Moore
Body Language Analysis No. 4118: Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit
Body Language Analysis No. 4088: Kit Harington's April Fools' Prank on Rose Leslie
Body Language Analysis No. 4056: Ed Sheeran and a Hesitancy to Disclose
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