As a whole, this body language is reminiscent of teenagers,
says Wood. She cites the softness of the couple's facial expressions and
demeanors "that has an innocence about it."
Zendaya's smile, in particular, is one that Wood sometimes
sees in new mothers. "It's a joy of beginnings, of a certain kind of
love," she explains. And it makes sense—after all, Tom is holding her in a
very vulnerable way with her whole back up against him and their faces smushed
together. The way their bodies are pressed against each other "typically
indicates connection and trust," Wood says. "She feels really
safe."
And if you look at Tom's face, "there's a certain kind
of wonder in his eyes," Wood explains of his soft gaze. It's almost as if
his facial expression says: "I can't believe this is happening," as
if he still can't believe how lucky he is to be with Zendaya.
The way they hold hands shows they support each other.
celebrity sightings in new york city february 16,
2022GOTHAM//GETTY IMAGES
In this February 2022 pic, Zendaya and Tom were spotted
leaving their hotel together. Here, Tom is "taking the lead in front of
her to protect from the paparazzi," says Wood. He's in a "guarding
position," purposefully walking in front of his girlfriend to make sure
she stays safe, Wood explains.
Despite the distance between their bodies, the couple's
handhold is secure, meaning Tom's not pulling Zendaya, and the grip is not
forced. You can tell because Zendaya isn't off-balance, even though she's
walking in heels—her whole body is "not leaning forward having to catch up
with him," Wood says. Instead, this handhold is one of support and
connection.
Wood also likes that while Zendaya is standing in her own
strength and power—due to how she's standing up straight and strutting in her
heels—she's still looking towards Tom. "That tells me she trusts
him," Wood says. "She doesn't have to be the center of attention for
the cameras in front of them."
Zendaya likes to share all types of moments with Tom.
bnp paribas open 2024 final dayMATTHEW STOCKMAN//GETTY
IMAGES
Here's Tomdaya looking absolutely adorable—if not completely
absorbed—by a match at the BNP Paribas Open. While it looks like this pic was
taken at a rather tense moment, Zendaya still leans into Tom and mirrors his
facial expressions, as if saying, "I want to share this with you, I want
to experience with you," Wood explains.
Their playful and joyful energy shows they feel safe with
each other.
tom holland zendaya body languageSPLASH / SHUTTERSTOCK
In this pic, Zendaya is sporting what Wood calls a
"Julia Roberts smile," where she's grinning with her full mouth open,
showing her teeth, and dropping her jaw. She's also projecting the smile with
her eyes as she looks in Tom's direction, which signifies that she wants to
share this moment of joy with him, says Wood.
For Tom's part, he's buoyant. His smile is significant
because it shows his upper teeth and his mouth is open, a type of smile men
typically reserve for true happiness, according to Wood. "When you look at
his smile, you can tell it's a surprised, happy, joyful smile," she says.
These two clearly have a lot of fun together, but that fun
can even be characterized as child-like. Not only do they look giddy here, but
this photo was also taken in a spontaneous type of moment "that kids can
go into very easily," Wood adds. (They're not posing for the pic—Zendaya
looks like she's trying to suppress a laugh with her fist while Tom is reaching
toward the person taking the photo.)
"When you can be vulnerable enough to experience
playfulness and joyfulness like a kid...you feel safe with your partner,"
Wood says. All together now: Awwwww.
Okay, so... if you need me, I'll be patiently waiting for MY
Peter Parker and MJ's next Spider-Man film to drop!