Body Language Expert Reveals What Fans Totally Missed In Tom Hanks' Viral Outburst - EXCLUSIVE
It reads like a corny movie: Lonely boy from unstable broken home finds his calling and his soul as an actor. But that's exactly how Tom Hanks transformed himself into one of Hollywood's most beloved and in-demand performers. A big part of Hanks' appeal is his rep for being a genuinely nice guy; the gossip columns never run headlines like "Tom Hanks Fires Staff in Rage Over Burnt Toast." But that doesn't mean he never loses his cool — come on, the guy is human, after all. It just means that it happens so infrequently that it's a surprise to hear about it.
That was the case on June 16, when Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were captured on camera walking to a waiting limo after dining in a Manhattan restaurant. As seen here on NBC News, the couple was moving swiftly as fans start clustered around them with their cell phones. One of the followers got so close that he bumped into Wilson, knocking her off balance. She cried out, and Hanks quickly rushed to her defense. Putting himself between his wife and the group, he put out his hands and shouted, "Back the f**k up!" with a face of concern. Security helped Hanks and Wilson get into their car, and the moment was over — but the video quickly went viral.
But was Hanks as aggressive as some are saying? The List spoke exclusively with a body language expert who explains the real meaning behind Hanks's actions.
Rita Wilson's reaction helped show an unexpected side of Tom Hanks
As The U.K. Sun reported, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson had just left a Manhattan restaurant after watching a screening of "Elvis." Hanks stars in the upcoming film as Colonel Tom Parker, the manager who helped the singer soar to rock 'n' roll fame. (The King's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, has given it her seal of approval, per People.) As the happy pair headed for their limo, they were followed by excited fans, including one who appeared to be carrying a "Cast Away"-style volleyball for Hanks to sign. He bumped into Wilson's shoulder, startling her. She cried, "Stop it!" and Hanks sprang into action.
Body language expert and TV personality Blanca Cobb, M.S. Psy unpacked the dramatic moment. "If your woman has a look of surprise like Rita did, where her eyebrows are arched up and her forehead tensed, then it's going to get your attention," she tells The List exclusively. "And Tom reacted when he saw the fear on Rita's face, where the corners of her lips were pulling back toward her ears. It's instinctive to protect those you love and yourself ... [and] Tom Hanks isn't messing around when it comes to protecting his wife. He used himself as a shield so Rita could get to the car safely."
Cobb adds that despite Hanks' obvious anger and frustration, he didn't do any real damage to his good-guy rep. In fact, she says, he showed remarkable restraint.
Tom Hanks was protective but not aggressive
One can imagine how certain other Hollywood A-listers might have reacted to seeing their spouse nearly getting pushed to the ground by a stranger. Fists, ambulances and lawsuits would have been involved. Tom Hanks, on the other hand, just wanted a little breathing room.
"Tom's stance was assertive, and yet not combative," body language expert Blanca Cobb, M.S. Psy explains to The List. "He took control of the situation with his choice words, firm voice, straight back, and hands." She points out that Hanks extended his fingertips instead of his entire hands to the fan, which speaks volumes. "When someone gets aggressive, they're more likely to use the palm of the hands against someone's chest [to] move that person harder and further backwards," she explains. "This suggests that Tom wasn't trying to be aggressive. He just wanted the fans to 'back the f**k up,' just like he said. Tom wanted space." (Ironically, Hanks once refused to go to space — as in outer space — on Jeff Bezos's pricey rocket.)
If anything, this encounter just proves the love between Hanks and Wilson; they celebrated their 34th anniversary in April. "The reason fans across the world are shocked by Tom's reactions is because he plays laid-back, easygoing, fun-loving characters in movies," says Cobb. "And this seems so out of character; on-screen, I agree. [But] in real life, we've all got a little bit of Rocky Balboa in us when it comes to protecting those we love."