Negotiation Body Language Secret # 595: Anxiety plus Defensiveness

Penelope Cruz is a very accomplished actress. She is only human though. Here she is displaying a very common sign of anxiety - scratching the neck with the opposite hand. If she were using her right hand here, it would still indicate anxiety, however in using the opposite hand, the arm acts as a temporary block. This additional nonverbal maneuver is indicative of a lower confidence & a defensive emotional tone.

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Body Language Secret # 323: Her Body Language Matches Her Words

Eva Mendes never gets enough credit. Sure she's gorgeous - and she certainly gets attention for her looks. But she's also incredible at matching her Nonverbal signals to her words and the overall dynamics of the scene and script. For being a good or great actor/actress is non just about delivering on a few words. Anyone can memorize and then speak a line. But to deliver it with just the right tone, volume, crescendo/decrescendo, pitch etc., not too many get right. And then add on Body Language - very few actors can combine all with consistency. I believe when we say, "She's a great actress" - what we really mean, is that she made me feel like I was there/she was REALLY the person on the screen/I forgot I was watching a movie, etc. Another way the pros say this is, she "suspended my disbelief". Well, you can't really suspend people's disbelief without pulling off the Body Language equation to the acting formula. Hats off to Ms. Mendes and so many other actors and actresses who, perhaps get attention for their attractiveness, rather than their acting. Thank you Eva.

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Sincerity Secret # 30: The Suppressed Smile

Actor Claudia Zanella sports a Suppressed Smile during the premiere of "Portrait of My Father" at the 5th International Film Festival in Rome. We, of course, can't say why she doesn't want to fully smile from just one photograph, but after a look at Claudia's lower face -  it's obvious she's working hard to prevent showing off her pearly whites. We've all seen this expression, and we've all displayed it many times. Sometimes, this particular facial signal can be mistaken for a pursing of the lips. But the contraction of the larger cheek and jaw muscles - rather than primarily the lips, rules out lip pursing. Ms. Zanella's eyes are also partially closed, which is an absolute requirement for a sincere smile.

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