Body language is often thought to be one of the most powerful forms of communication in existence. Without having to utter a single word, people give away their thoughts, attitudes, and feelings through their posture, their hand gestures, the position of their feet and even with their eye contact. And most of the time, they don’t even know they’re doing it! Particularly in Hollywood where charades and facades are required, body language is particularly useful for decoding what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Real body language experts looked at pictures of these 21 couples and made some interesting observations just by studying their positions, expressions, and level of interactions. According to these specialists, some of the couples you thought were crazy about each other aren’t as happy as they seem, and the couples you thought were in struggle-town actually appear to be doing okay!

Without being in the celebrity relationship in question, we won’t ever know for sure what things are really like. But these experts have made some guesses, and they seem pretty accurate—especially when the same kind of body language appears in multiple pictures of the couple! Read on to find out what body language your favorite stars have been using, and what it could say about their relationship.

21 Miley And Liam Have Adored Each Other For Nearly A Decade

Experts generally agree that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are the real deal as far as relationships go. Susan Constantine, a specialist who lives and breathes body language, says that you can tell from the way these two look at each other that they adore each other, and feel lucky to have one another.

In the first photo, taken early on in the relationship, Miley’s eyes show genuine happiness, even if her smile is for the cameras. In the second, taken more recently, it’s Liam who’s looking dreamily at Miley. Both angle their bodies toward each other, suggesting that they admire and respect each other, and the feelings have remained strong throughout their nearly decade-long relationship. The stars look like they’re full of joy to be in each other’s presence and want to show each other off to the world.

20 Zigi Didn't Last, But Their Relationship Was Based On Passion

Yes, we’re all still mourning the demise of Zigi, or the coupling of supermodel Gigi Hadid and former One Direction star Zayn Malik, which we’re sure would have produced some incredibly attractive children. According to psychotherapist Toni Coleman’s interview with The Cheat Sheet, their relationship was full of passion when it was working.

Coleman explains that couples who are in deep, passionate love tend to focus on each other more than couples who aren’t, and Zayn and Gigi were regularly seen looking at each other in an intense way. “They exhibit strong emotions in their expressions, maintaining good eye contact and often glancing at one another’s lips,” Coleman says. “This means their attention is focused solely on one another, and that being together elicits strong emotions.”

19 Kanye Believes His Wife Is The Most Beautiful Woman On Earth

The world seems to be split when it comes to opinions on perhaps the most famous power couple in the world, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West—or Kimye. While the majority of fans think that these two are perfect for each other and are worthy of the #couplegoals tag, others believe it’s all a bit orchestrated. So what do the experts have to say?

Kimye fans rejoice! Blanca Cobb, who’s an expert on both body language and lie detecting, thinks the couple is genuinely in love. In fact, Kanye’s body language in this picture shows that he adores his wife and wants the world to know that. Not only is looking straight ahead in a dominant sort of way, but he’s leaning into her, which suggests a desire to be closer to her. His arm around her is probably his subconscious way of letting everyone know she’s with him.

18 The Former President And First Lady Were A Single, Powerful Unit

Elite Daily reported that Susan Constantine also checked out the interactions between Barack and Michelle Obama, and has made some deductions about their relationship. In the majority of pictures of the couple, the former President and First Lady appear to mirror each other in their actions. They’re either focused on the same place, leaning in the same direction, mimicking each other’s leg and arm positioning without realizing it or sharing similar expressions. This suggests that they are a very connected pair and operate as a single unit rather than two separate people.

Constantine observes that they often appear to be very “grounded, respectful, loving, playful” and “attentive” toward one another, showing that they feel strongly about each other and are on the same page with pretty much everything.

17 Nicole And Keith Have An Honest Relationship With Nothing To Hide

Counselor and relationship expert David Bennett believes that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are honest and open about their love for one another. He told The Cheat Sheet that they exhibit behavior which suggests that their love is genuine rather than rehearsed, and neither makes an effort to keep it under wraps.

The biggest give away here is that they often engage in public displays of affection, making it pretty clear how they feel about each other. When they stand together, they are usually seen leaning toward each other, pressing their heads into each other, smiling and focusing on each other, all of which are strong gestures that reinforce that the couple isn’t trying to hide how they feel about one another, from each other or the world.

16 Jessica Alba And Cash Warren Are In Sync All The Time

One of the hallmark signs of a strong relationship is mirroring behavior, which sees both parties acting in the same or similar ways without even knowing it. Basically, this shows that each person in the relationship respects and admires the other person enough to want to emulate them and follow their example. According to Toni Coleman, Jessica Alba and Cash Warren are completely in sync, making their feelings toward each other clear.

The two are often seen mirroring each other, like in this picture where their hands are both crossed on the other’s back while they face out to the same direction with similar expressions on their faces. Behavior like this strongly implies that the couple is very connected with a relationship that’s based on respect and adoration.

15 Alex Rodriguez Feels Like He Is The Protector Of His Relationship With J.Lo

In most snaps of Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez, the couple seems to be adopting the same poses and roles, and experts agree that this is super interesting! The Cheat Sheet reported that the pattern which occurs over and over again could show that Alex has taken on the role of protector in the relationship, and feels that he has to take the lead and keep J.Lo safe from all those crazy paparazzi.

How can we tell? He’s usually the one to be walking ahead, which suggests he takes the lead. His hand is also on top of hers most of the time, and although this small detail would hardly be noticeable to most people, it actually symbolizes a person taking a more aggressive and dominant role in the relationship.

14 The Closeness Between Cassie And Sean Combs Shows They're Connected

Cassie and Sean Combs don’t always come to mind when you think of Hollywood power couples, simply because they’re on one week and seem to be off the next. But after doing some analysis, Toni Coleman believes that their love is strong nonetheless, and they’re actually super connected.

The couple is usually seen standing very close to each other and holding hands. Hand-holding alone isn’t a giveaway for a strong relationship because it’s an easy move to fake if you’re trying to make a sham relationship look real, but combined with all their other body langauge, it means a lot! Not only are these two often holding hands, but they walk in lockstep, which is a sign of strong couples, and Cassie has also been known to lean on Sean’s shoulder, which signifies trust and closeness.

13 Jay-Z Is More Possessive Than Beyoncé Is

The relationship between Jay-Z and Beyoncé is one of the most discussed topics in recent pop culture history. After cheating allegations and confessions, a tell-all album and a united front on the red carpet, everybody wants to know what’s really going on with the King and Queen. According to Blanca Cobb, what we can tell from pictures is that Jay knows he’s lucky to have Bey, and the latter takes on a more passive role.

In public at least, Jay is much touchier than his wife, and his constant putting his hands onto her shows that he’s possessive of her. Cobb believes that Bey’s reaction is interesting, since she doesn’t usually go to touch him back, and also doesn’t resist it. Instead, she passively allows him to be touchy without being touchy back, showing she’s perhaps not as possessive.

12 Will And Jada Are Still Full Of Spice

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been together for over 20 years, but if their body language is anything to go by, their marriage isn’t exactly lacking in excitement. David Bennett believes that their many public displays of affection on red carpets and in candid photos imply that their marriage is not in need of any spicing up, since they appear to be just like “teenagers in love”.

Even when they’re not kissing in public, these two are more often than not shown standing very close to one another. They often can’t resist placing their hands on each other, showing connection, love and passion. Rumors have circulated as to whether the couple is really monogamous or not, but whatever they’re doing sure seems to be working!

11 Meryl Streep's Husband Don Has Her Back (Literally)

If we’re going to talk about long-lasting Hollywood marriages, then we have to bring up Meryl Streep and Don Gummer. Meeting in 1978, the two hit it off after Don let Meryl stay in his apartment while he traveled. They were married in a quiet ceremony in her parent’s home, and even after four children and decades in the spotlight, nothing seems to be able to tear this couple down.

We know that a relationship that long-lasting has to be based on trust, and Blanca Cobb says that you can see Meryl trusts Don to have her back from the way she leans on him. This slight action shows that he has her back literally, but also emotionally, and she’d probably put her life in his hands.

10 John Legend And Chrissy Teigen Are Lovebirds And Best Friends

It’s pretty hard to find anyone who doesn’t get excited over John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s super-cute relationship. These two genetically blessed and talented souls have amassed millions of followers on social media and are thought of as the ultimate power couple, and Susan Constantine believes that although they are lovers, their body language shows that they are best friends too.

Constantine told Elite Daily that John seems to be more emotionally invested in the relationship than his wife since he’s often taking the standard stance of the lover by putting his hands around her waist. Chrissy takes the role of the friend in photos at least, by doing things like leaning her head into his. These two are also very vocal about their relationship, often talking about how much they enjoy each other’s company.

9 The Beckhams Could Be More About Image Than True Love

Many people worship the Beckhams, thinking of them as another example of true #couplegoals. Dr. Lilian Glass, however, is not one of them! In an interview with CBC, she explained that their body language had led her to believe that their relationship isn’t as real as people think.

“I don’t know why they’re together,” Dr. Glass stated, observing that they seem to be quite stiff when they’re together in public (though this could mean that they’re just uncomfortable with all the cameras and attention). She also explained that they don’t make a lot of eye contact or lean in the way other couples do, which suggests a lack of romantic closeness. Our love for this British super-couple makes us hope she’s wrong about this!

8 Selena Gomez Likes To Lean On Justin A Lot

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are another couple who seem to be on one day and off the next, but Susan Constantine says that there is a strong love between them, even if being together is a challenge at times. Though they’ve experienced many ups and downs together, the one thing that remains constant is their strong feelings toward each other.

In many pictures of the couple, they gaze at each other dreamily, implying not only that they’re close but that they have feelings of adoration for one another. Selena is often seen leaning on Justin, whether it’s just with one hand or with her whole head. Constantine explains that this could mean that the pop star leans on Justin for strength, and he serves as the protector in the relationship.

7 Rihanna Might Not Want Her Fast-Paced Life To Scare Away Hassan

There are so few photos of Rihanna and rumored beau Hassan Jameel together that you probably didn’t even realize they were a thing! But when they are spotted together, they give the impression that Rihanna doesn’t want all the craziness that surrounds her on a daily basis to scare off her man, who isn’t as used to the spotlight.

This photo taken recently in London shows Rihanna using an umbrella (ella-ella) to cover herself from the photographers swarming her. But upon closer inspection, you can see that someone whose nose looks an awful lot like Hassan’s is also being covered/protected by Rihanna’s umbrella. TMZ reported that this could be RiRi’s way of protecting her lover from all those photographers, and metaphorically, the fast-paced action that comes with being her boyfriend.

6 Eva Longoria And José Bastón Have A Deep Connection That You Can't Fake

They say that a baby has the power to bring two people closer than ever, and it looks like that’s exactly what’s happened with Eva Longoria and José Bastón. Eva, who’s expecting her first child in May 2018, often displays body language which suggests she shares a deep, strong bond with her new husband.

The Cheat Sheet reported that in many recent pictures of the couple, they are standing close and are connected in some way, whether it’s through hand-holding, hugging, kissing or even linking arms the way they are in this photo. Their desire to stay physically close when they’re surrounded by crowds and chaos shows that they feel comfortable with each other and connected enough to gravitate toward each other among hundreds of people.

5 Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Are Having Fun With Their Love

It doesn’t take a body language expert to see that Kristen Bell and Dax Shephard are having fun together. Recently, the spouses attracted attention after Dax rented out a whole ice skating rink for his wife, and a video emerged of the two holding hands, laughing, smiling and looking genuinely happy.

Toni Coleman believes that this kind of behavior shows that they are especially smitten because such couples are often seen touching each other in public. If they’re not holding hands, they’re grabbing each other’s clothes or resting their hands on the other’s back, and this shows a natural closeness and connection. Even when Kristen and Dax aren’t ice skating together, they’re not afraid to put their hands on each other and even kiss in public, showing how comfortable and in love they are.

4 Dwayne Wade And Gabrielle Union Can't Get Enough Of Each Other

Another couple who seems to be as comfortable as can be is Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union, who definitely aren’t afraid of a few PDAs every now and then. According to The Cheat Sheet, pictures of a recent trip to Greece showed the couple constantly hugging, touching and smiling.

It’s one thing to be touchy-feely with your lover on a private beach trip, but Gabrielle and Dwayne are also all over each other on the red carpet and at public events, implying that they can’t get enough. This suggests that their relationship is full of passion and fun, and they’re comfortable and close with one another. Their intense eye contact is another sign of the passion between them, as is their constant standing close to each other.

3 Jessica And Justin Are Like Mirrors Staring Back At Each Other

Mirroring in a relationship is often a very good sign, and that’s certainly the case with Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. There have been a few grand PDAs between them, but the body language experts working with The Cheat Sheet claim that it’s really this couple’s being totally in sync that proves how healthy their relationship is.

In many photos, Justin and Jessica subconsciously mimic each other. They are seen laughing and smiling at the same things, angling their bodies in the same directions and even doing similar actions with their hands, like in this picture where they each place their hand on the other’s back. They’ve already been married for half a decade, and are showing no signs of breaking up anytime soon!

2 It's All About The Smiles For Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds

A simple smile can reveal a lot. David Bennett believes that when it comes to the relationship between Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, it’s all about their smiles! Unlike other couples, these two always seem to display genuine smiles rather than fake ones. You can usually tell whether a smile is fake or not based on how tight and constricted it is, and whether or not it extends all the way to the eyes or if it’s just a forced action of the mouth.

Bennett believes that genuine smiles are a sign that a couple really loves each other, and they are used in abundance between Blake and Ryan. Not only do these two smile at each other in a way that makes it seem like they enjoy each other’s company, but they also laugh a lot together and like many other couples who are genuinely in love, touch a lot in public.

1 Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Are In Love And Don't Care What Anyone Thinks

Most of the world is currently obsessed with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and body language experts all around the globe have picked apart every single photo that’s emerged of the pair, trying to decode the state of their relationship. Relationship expert April Masini believes that the official engagement photo shoot in particular shows that the couple really is in love, and exudes a strong confidence.

This photo shows Meghan sitting in between her fiancé’s legs, with both parties staring directly into the camera. “This choice of pose is particularly intimate, especially for royals,” notes Masini, who believes such intimacy shows closeness together and faith in their love. “They’re engaging each other with their bodies, and the rest of us with their line of sight,” she adds, observing that the pose almost challenges those viewing to test their love, which they know is unbreakable.

References: cheatsheet.com, cosmopolitan.com, elitedaily.com, susanconstantine.com, wmagazine.com, instyle.com, cbc.ca

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