Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3771: Tom Hanks Reenacts Iconic Forrest Gump Scene - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

During his recent guest appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Tom Hanks was asked to re-enact one of his more well-remembered scenes from his Oscar Winning performance in Forrest Gump (Hanks also received another best actor Oscar in the film Philadelphia).

From a body language perspective, it's profoundly illustrative to observe such skilled actors when they're "just being themselves" - and this example is no exception.

When Graham Norton asks him to re-enact the line from the film Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks (Sitting next to Mo Farah) immediately (and very briefly) touches his right eye with his right hand (2:21) as he squeezes his right thigh with his left hand (lasting about 2-3 seconds), an instant before he says "I would - be happy to do it, but you must show the lady with the cue card - because otherwise people will think I've actually memorized this so ...."

Hanks then proceeds to squeeze his left thigh for a longer duration.

Real-life often has a mixing of several simultaneous emotions. When Mr. Hanks touched his right eye, this was (subconsciously) signaling his telling of a little lie ("I would - be happy to do it ...") - but also at the same time, he was feeling anxiety about the act of delivering the line - thus his thigh squeezing.

Although professional actors "pretend for a living" (lying within the social contract of acting) - they're of course only human. Therefore their true selves (true emotions) are constantly "leaking" through - and are easily seen - if you know what to look for. The same is true in the every day world (for the other 99.99% who are not nearly as skilled as Hanks) - and their deception signals also leak through and are easily spotted - if you know what to look for.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3770: Fidel Castro, Ed Sullivan and Mirroring

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3768: Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Dies

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3765: Conjoined twins Jadon and Anias McDonald - See each other directly for the first time

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3763: Matt Smith, Claire Foy and Where NOT to be stung by a Wasp - Body Language, Emotional Intelligence and Predicting Empathy 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3707: The Presidential Debates Part III - Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton and Sniffing

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3674: Drake Presents Rihanna with Vanguard Award - 2016 MTV Video Music Awards 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3634: Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the Democratic National Convention, Emails and Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3563: Ariana Grande, Lip Stick, Microexpressions and Body Language 


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3379: Tom Hanks regarding his Forrest Gump Voice - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Bilateral eye rubbing virtually always is a signal of a disparity - disparity between what is known in the intellectual brain versus what the emotional brain is trying to come to terms with. In his appearance recently on The Graham Norton Show, Tom Hanks displayed a fantastic example of this nonverbal emotional dissonance.

When describing the thought process for origin of Forrest Gump's voice, Hanks recalls the director, Robert Zemeckis, initially wanting Michael Connor Humphreys (the boy who played the young Forrest) to alter the idiosyncrasies of his voice. It was Tom Hanks' idea however, that he should change his to match voice of Humphreys. This brilliant moment of insight gave the film one of its many endearing qualities. And it's in Hanks' recounting of these events, when he illustrates another emotional component often seen with the bilateral eye rub - that of suppressing frustration and suppressing impatience. (1:16 - 1:17).

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3378: Ben Carson Likens Some Syrian Refugees to "Rabid Dogs" - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2163: Beirut, Lebanon Car Bomb Video - What is often Confused for Body Language 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3149: Edward Snowden on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Government Surveillance (HBO) - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2746: John Kerry and Hugh Robertson - Eye Rub, Mouth Covering 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3077: Barack Obama, The 2015 State of the Union Address Part II & What John Boehner Doesn't Believe - Body Language Tells 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2944: Derek Jeter Answers Reporter's Cell Phone - Body Language Tells 


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