After months of speculation, America's boyfriend Noah Centineo and Instagram baddie Alexis Ren finally made their relationship public at the UNICEF Masquerade Ball on Oct. 26, and they did not disappoint. The couple looked gorgeous on the red carpet, and all for a good cause. Wholesome, cute, and heart-warming, right? Yes, but according to experts, Noah Centineo and Alexis Ren's body language at the UNICEF ball was a little, well... uncomfortable. But don't panic! NRE (New Relationship Energy) is real, and it seems like this couple might still be getting the red-carpet swing of things.
Some background: Their first public appearance comes six months after fans first started speculating that Centineo and Ren might be dating. Prior to the UNICEF ball, the most compelling evidence that a romance was brewing between the two was a fan's selfies back in May 2019. Although the fan took separate photos with each star, the background of both selfies looked suspiciously similar, making it clear Ren and Centineo were at the same place at the same time: a Vancouver café. The window decoration was the same, and stans made the case that they were on a coffee run together.
Then, in October 2019, the two made it Instagram official. First, Ren posted a picture of two coffees on a table captioned, "Where's maaaahhh babyyyy?" To that, Centineo replied with a coffee-in-hand selfie captioned, "I'm right here." He also posted a video of himself playfully scaring his rumored GF to his Stories, which was classic swoon-worthy Noah Centineo material.
Making their official red-carpet debut, the two were finally photographed together at the UNICEF Masquerade Ball. While this could seem like a victory for Centineo and Ren's stans, I spoke to two body language experts for their take on the first official photos of them together. Here's what they had to say.
In the first snap, body language expert Traci Brown points out how close Ren and Centineo are standing. They're fully facing each other with their body and feet and "they look almost glued together," Brown tells Elite Daily.
Body language expert Patti Wood also picks up on the significance of this stance. There's a little bit of sexual chemistry to be noted by Centineo's foot between his partner's legs, Wood says. But ultimately, Ren should be the focus when looking at their body language.
"Notice how she has her body angled, pelvis toward [him]," Wood tells Elite Daily. "Her body posture is straight up and down, saying 'he is mine' and blocking at least a part of him from others." This is what Wood calls the "ownership stance."
While this might seem like a gesture of unity, Brown points to the couple's facial expressions as a red flag. "The looks on their faces sure don't say that they have joy [in] being together," Brown says. "His eyebrows are showing worry or sadness, and she's outright frowning."
Of course, their distressed facial expressions could be the result of anything. After all, this is their first red-carpet appearance, so it's not like they're used to being in front of cameras together. They could also just be doing it for the 'gram. Who isn't guilty of smizing once in a while?
In this candid of Ren and Centineo, Brown makes note of how the couple walks in-step, and calls this matching stance "one of the hallmarks of a great couple." Still, while their legs are in sync and on point, the rest of their body language tells a different story.
There's a wide gap between them. "See how far he is reaching over to grab her hand?" Wood says. Once again, their faces tell an uncomfortable story. Brown points out that Ren's face is "expressionless, and looks bored," and that it looks like Centineo is "trying to check on her emotions."
While it is possible that they might be experiencing some relationship-related tension, they could also just be overwhelmed with all the paparazzi attention and the high stakes of their first big event together.
Finally, looking at second candid from the night, Brown observes how Centineo is looking toward Ren while she's not looking at him at all. "She's looking down, which is not what happy people tend to do," Brown says. Meanwhile, Centineo looks worried.
"They have a nice hand-hold," Wood says. "But she’s more concerned with holding up her dress and walking safely than she us with the connection." (I mean, if you're wearing pumps and a floor-length slip, that's not unreasonable!)
Brown's verdict is that their body language doesn't look they're "headed for success together," she says. Wood's take is that Centineo seems very much into Ren, while she might be feeling a little insecure in their relationship.
It's important to remember that, as mentioned before, the UNICEF Masquerade Ball was their first outing together. Maybe her body language came off as not "secure" because it's nerve-wracking for anyone to go to an event with a new partner. What's more is that Ren and Centineo's UNICEF photos were just the first few of — hopefully, fingers crossed! — many snapshots to come.
UNICEF ball photos aside, this couple seems cute and pretty darn smitten. Making your red carpet debut is probably just as stressful as any other relationship milestone. So, before anyone freaks out, maybe that's what this couple's clear discomfort was about. Either way, Centineo and Ren stans can stay vigilant, as always, for their faves' next set of photos together.
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