According to The Sun's body language expert Judi James, despite their friendly interaction, Aniston is still keeping her ex at arm's length - literally. Photo / Getty Images
According to The Sun's body language expert Judi James, despite their friendly interaction, Aniston is still keeping her ex at arm's length - literally. Photo / Getty Images
There's really only one way to describe the world's reaction to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's fifteen-years-in-the-making reunion yesterday at the SAG Awards.
Complete meltdown.
It's hard to explain why so many of us have refused to let go of the notion that Hollywood's former golden couple, who married in 2000 and divorced five years later in 2005, are destined to reunite.
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston attend the 26th Annual Screen Actors' Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday. Photo / Getty
Their friendship reportedly sparked up again after their second respective divorces (Pitt and Angelina Jolie split in 2016 and Aniston and Justin Theroux in early 2018), with the Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star even spotted at his ex-wife's 50th birthday party last year.
And then, after months of little gossip tidbits about their blossoming friendship, came yesterday's truly spectacular backstage reunion.
Both actors, buzzing from big wins during the event, looked genuinely happy as they chatted away, with Pitt even – gasp – grabbing Aniston's arm at one point, in a moment that sparked millions of excited memes.
But before we start working on their celebrity couple name (Braddifer, thanks for asking) – we may need to pump the brakes.
According to The Sun's body language expert Judi James, despite their friendly interaction, Aniston is still keeping her ex at arm's length – literally.
According to The Sun's body language expert Judi James, despite their friendly interaction, Aniston is still keeping her ex at arm's length - literally. Photo / Getty Images
"While Jen did her bit on the red carpet, Brad stood to the side – pulling at her arm in what looked like a bid to get her full attention," James explained.
"It didn't look as though Jen fell into his arms though, because initially, she kept him at arm's length while she chatted.
"His way of holding her also suggested a more tentative approach. Instead of grabbing her hand for a more intimate or even friendly gesture, he grabbed her by the wrist … This looked possessive but also lacking in intimacy or even confidence about her reaction."
James also pointed out that Aniston had appeared to "grimace" during Pitt's acceptance speech during the evening, in which he made a joke about not getting along with his wife.
The biggest moment of the night, hands down. Photo / Getty Images
"Jen performed an upturned smile while Brad did his self-effacing speech … pulling the corners of her mouth down and keeping her lips shut," James said.
"This type of smile is a cross between a smile and a grimace – and suggested a rueful acknowledgement by Jen of the jokes Brad was making about himself and his marriage."
But fear not – according to James, not all romantic hope is lost for these two.
While it was brief and friendly, Pitt's kiss "did look loving" – and his eye contact "seemed very much like the look of love".
Maybe we're just too desperate for a never-gonna-happen reunion, or maybe they eventually will succumb to being Parent Trap'ped by the whole world – either way, we're going to keep gunning for Braddifer.
