Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3862: Oscars Mistake - "La La Land" erroneously named Best Picture over "Moonlight" - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Last night at the Oscars, in the first few seconds while those on stage were realizing the mistake which was made, there were many others who perhaps momentarily believed a tremendous stunt was being staged - but there was no ruse.

From a body language point-of-view, this incident was laden with examples. A particularly illustrative nonverbal signal was displayed by one of La La Land's producers, Jordan Horowitz.

Once Warren Beatty handed the envelope to Faye Dunaway - and she erroneously announced "La La Land", the entire La La Land team, of course, then came on stage. Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt (also a producer) each gave speeches. That's when The Academy Awards' staff rushed on stage in an effort to fix this awful faux pas.

Jordan Horowitz said, “Guys, guys, I’m sorry. No. There’s a mistake, ‘Moonlight,’ you guys won best picture.”

Marc Platt then added, “This is not a joke. I’m afraid they read the wrong thing.”

The audience collectively and very audibly gasped.

Horowitz then reiterated, “This is not a joke, ‘Moonlight’ has won 'Best Picture.’ ” He then held his left hand to his chest - with his entire hand - including his palm - making full contact (primarily against his sternum but also involving his left, mid-upper chest [0:19 - 0:21]). Next, again with his left hand, he held the correct card high for the cameras and everyone to see and repeated, “‘Moonlight’ - Best Picture.”

Full contact of the entire hand - including the palm of the hand - particularly over the sternum and adjacent left chest - is a strong signal of sincerity. When people touch only with the tips of their digits - or gesture toward their chest without touching during moments of (otherwise) significant emotional content - they are projecting (without knowing it) low levels of sincerity.

We touch over this particular region of our bodies because it is "heartfelt" - for our heart beats just beneath the surface. It's full of emotional impact. Even those who have never held an infant will intuitively hold the child's head over this same area - because it "feels right", more protective and emotionally comfortable.

Thus Jordan Horowitz's body language immediately after he spoke, “This is not a joke, ‘Moonlight’ has won best picture”, told us he was being truthful. Of course after only a few more seconds - no one doubted his words. Yet in many such "everyday" settings, this and a myriad of other nonverbal signals are available for all to look - however, few will see them and know their meaning.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3861: Emma Stone, The Oscars and Sincerity

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3859: Steve Bannon Touches Reince Priebus' Leg at CPAC

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3857: Taunting a Snowplow Driver - Belleville, Ontario

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3855: Mike Pence regarding Donald Trump and Michael Flynn at NATO Headquarters

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3829: Mary Tyler Moore - Flirtatious, Sexy, Alpha Female Smile

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3785: Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson "Edge of Seventeen" - Behavioral Contagions, Mirroring and Laughing

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3558: Mila Kunis Nixes Ashton Kutcher's choice regarding Their Baby's Name

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2812: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone & La La Land - Backstage Interview Golden Globes 2017


_________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3861: Emma Stone, The Oscars and Sincerity - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

At the time of this writing, the 2017 Academy Awards have already begun. It's an hour or so before we know if Emma Stone will win an Oscar for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" for her portrayal of Mia Dolan in the film La La Land.

During this recent interview with Lee Cowan, Ms. Stone displays several excellent body language signals.

In the image above, Emma is reunited with a childhood mentor, Bobb Cooper of the Valley Youth Theater in Phoenix. Notice that during their hug, although Ms. Stone is not much shorter than Mr. Cooper, when she hugs him, she elevates up on her toes - with both feet - for an extended period of time. Although, of course, such toe elevation during a hug is not at all required for a sincerity to be present - we can be sure that when it is performed bilaterally (that is, with both feet) and for an extended time, it indeed is a signal that high sincerity and true affection are being experienced (and projected).

In this next image, Ms. Stone and Mr. Cowan are fairly closely mirroring each other. We cannot see most of Cowan's hands - but we can see much of Emma's. She is displaying a good example of an "Alpha-Beta Hybrid". As the categorical name implies, these are a class of nonverbal behaviors which are not too alpha - not too beta, but somewhere intermediate. To slice it even thinner, this particular alpha-beta hybrid is a bit closer to the alpha end of the scale (but certainly not "Hyper-Alpha).

Much of the time when the hands are positioned in the pockets - it does project a beta and sometimes submissive/low confidence emotional tone. Depending on the dynamics, the coexisting verbal cues and the other nonverbal signals with which it may be clustered - hands in the pockets can even be a signal for deception. Yet these examples don't apply to Stone in this scenario - for only her fingers on her right hand (and slightly more on her left) are in her pockets. Moreover, these are her front pockets - allowing a more assertive variation of an "Arms Akimbo" configuration. Her elbows, which are protruding laterally - but not excessively so, is an alpha quality.

Notice too, each of Emma's thumbs are hooked in her belt loops. This is a stronger alpha component adding to this body language cluster, and indeed contains a significant element of sexuality (not for her interviewer, rather that she is "on camera", being herself - rather than a character. This feeling of being "on display", given the right setting and situation, can make a person feel confident and sexy.

This last image is on the set of Saturday Night Live (which Stone has hosted on three occasions). Her "Thumbs Forward Arms Akimbo" is another example of an Alpha-Beta Hybrid body language display. When the thumbs are positioned forward (and thus the palms are directed up), it projects a confident, open-minded and supportive emotional tone. Depending on the other nonverbal signals present, there may also be an inquisitive component present too.

Good Luck Emma Stone!


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3860: Ian McKellen, The Oscars and a spot-on Maggie Smith Impression

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3858: Milo Yiannopoulos resigns from Breitbart with "Apology"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3856: "Belle" Clip - Beauty and the Beast

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3854: Donald Trump's Press Conference - "I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2814: Claire Foy's recounting of Meeting Kate Winslet

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3809: Horse Lays His Head On Coffin As He Mourns The Loss Of His Human Best Friend

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3729: The 3rd Presidential Debate - Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton - Part I - Vladimir Putin, Body Language & Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2802: Emma Stone & Jimmy Fallon Lip Sync Battle


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3812: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone & La La Land - Backstage Interview Golden Globes 2017 - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTO)

In this interview for the 2017 Golden Globes, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are being interviewed backstage after the awards. They each won best actress/actor for comedy or musical in La La Land.

Although it is rarely discussed, it's not unusual for several emotions to occur simultaneously. During 4:19 - 4:20 in the above video (captured in the image below), Ms. Stone and Mr. Gosling are both making similar expressions in response to an odd question (although Gosling's is a bit more subtle). On each of their faces we can see a mixture of dismay, disgust, critical evaluation ... and even a bit of anger. In common parlance, one may call this a "WTF?! Facial Expression".

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3811: Hayden Panettiere, Stephen Colbert and Personal Space

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3809: Horse Lays His Head On Coffin As He Mourns The Loss Of His Human Best Friend - Cross-Species Body Language & Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3807: Sarah Paulson's Fear of Flying

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3801: Marion Cotillard, Lip Syncing and Honest Anxiety

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3738: Gary Johnson Loses His Temper

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3703: Debate Advice for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3637: President Obama's Speech at the DNC, Hillary Clinton and Anxiety - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3573: Angela Merkel, the G7, Destroying Rapport and Body Language


_____________________________________________________________________________________