Body Language Analysis No. 4132: Drake's Tattoo of Denzel Washington - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Denzel Washington, a two-time Academy Award-winning actor, was recently a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon promoting his most recent film, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

During the show (beginning at 3:35 in the above video), Jimmy Fallon asked Washington about Drake's recent Tattoo of Denzel. The tattoo, on Drake's arm (by artist, Inal Bersekov) pictures Washington as his character Bleek Gilliam - from the 1990 film, "Mo' Better Blues".

Beginning at 4:12, Washington continues, saying, "... That's quite - that's crazy. No but it, I think he got, he got, some other, like, people he admires - tattoos as well."

Fallon said, "Oh, maybe I'm on there."

Denzel then responds immediately - bursting with sincere laughter. He also rapidly scratches (during 4:23 - 4:24), four times, with his paired, left index and left middle fingers - just in front of his left ear on his "cheekbone" (zygomatic process).

When a person scratches or rubs the region in front of their ear - just after someone else makes a statement/answers a question, etc. - or just as/just before THEY (the person doing the scratching/rubbing) says something - with very high probability, HE BELIEVES or KNOWS what was just said was a lie. In an analog/watered-down sense, this can also be a tell indicating, "I disagree with you".

In this example with Denzel, it's obvious to us all that Jimmy was joking, Moreover, Washington is a world-class actor - and yet he still can't/doesn't suppress the subconsciously-driven, but very natural act of calling-out a lie when he hears one (even if it was told in jest).

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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4131: Michael Flynn's Clandestine Plans

Body Language Analysis No. 4129: Charles Manson's Eyes

Body Language Analysis No. 4125: Michael Flynn, Trick Arrows, and Suppressing Strong Emotions

Body Language Analysis 4121: Roy Moore's Far Too Frequent Expression

Body Language Analysis No. 4108: Sarah Huckabee Sanders' White House Briefing regarding Paul Manafort and George Papadopoulos

Body Language Analysis No. 4056: Ed Sheeran and a Hesitancy to Disclose

Body Language Analysis No. 4044: Kim Jong-un's Choreography

Body Language Analysis No. 3994: Vladimir Putin at G20 - Donald Trump agreed with me

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3911: Simone Biles gets Pranked on "Ellen"

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2962: Denzel Washington, Lenny Kravitz & David Letterman - Body Language of .... (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This interaction between friends - Lenny Kravitz and Denzel Washington on "The Late Show with David Letterman", provides a great teaching example on the body language of witnessing deception and sincerity. Kravitz is recounting the movies featuring Washington that the two watched on a boat of the coast of Italy. Most people probably don't believe Kravitz when he says, ".... I got him to watch - all of his movies. We sat on that boat ....." (Did you catch the telling pause just before he says, "... all ...", during 1:19? What other verbal indicators of deception did you hear?).

In this image (captured at 1:33) we see a brief "tongue in cheek" display. Depending on the other nonverbals with which it is clustered, the tongue in cheek can indicate several thought-emotions.

Here it is the witnessing of deception (What else can it indicate?).

Note the dramatically increased blinking frequency Denzel exhibits for a few seconds before and after this moment (1:29 - 1:34). What other nonverbals support Denzel is being sincere and witnessing a lie?

A nose rub/nose touch a moment later (during 1:34 - 1:36) is another highly reliable portion of this deception-witnessing cluster.





It is a profoundly important point to make - that even though Denzel Washington is an two-time Academy Award winning actor, when he is "being Denzel", he is subject to all the same nonverbal tells as those whom are unschooled in acting. Despite all his experience and expertise - he can't suppress them.

If Denzel were the one who was telling a fib, in what manner would his body language differ?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2961: KTVA Reporter Quits on-air, Drops F-Bomb and Reveals Herself as Owner of Alaska Cannabis Club

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2665: Nick Saban's "Tongue in Cheek" Body Language - What Does It Mean?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2745: Vladimir Putin's Deception regarding Crimea

Negotiation Secret # 29:  Eye Rub When Someone Else is Speaking - Angela doubts Vladimir

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2511:  Barack Obama & Vladimir Putin  Handshake at 2013 G20 Meeting

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2519:  Vladimir Putin Speaks Syria,  Chemical Weapons and Disarmament -  Body Language just after his New York Times Op-Ed

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2750: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp and Lies - Body Language

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