Taylor & Kylie's Knicks Hug, Analyzed By A Body Language Expert
The hug seen around the world.
Game 4 of the NBA finals brought a lot of people together — even Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner. After the New York Knicks’ historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs, the crowd at Madison Square Garden couldn’t stop celebrating with hugs and high fives. Swift cheered on the victory with the Haim sisters and Mariska Hargitay, but what really broke the internet was her embrace with Jenner on the court.
On June 11, a video of Swift and Jenner hugging went viral on TikTok. The interaction definitely raised some eyebrows, considering the Life of a Showgirl singer’s well-documented feud with Jenner’s older sister, Kim Kardashian. However, it would appear Swift isn’t holding grudges against the rest of the Kar-Jenner family.
According to body language expert and author Patti Wood, Swift and Jenner’s hug showed some signs of underlying tension and nervousness, but also some genuine joy.
“In the video, Taylor’s hand goes up. Notice how her fingers are straight up and her thumb is slightly bent? I’d say that’s a ‘hello’ wave, but with a stop motion,” Wood says. According to her, this “nonverbal signal” hints at some hesitancy to interact on Swift’s part.
Initially, Jenner looked unsure if Swift would say hello. However, the Kardashians star Kylie’s eyes got very big — something Wood calls an “eyebrow flash” — which tends to invite people in. However, as they both leaned into the hug, there were still some underlying nerves, per Wood.
“Kylie’s fingers were very stiff, straight, and spread out. This could be related to her long nails, but typically, your fingers look more relaxed and rounded in a hug. It’s a sign that this did not feel super natural,” Wood says.
“What is natural came after the hug,” she continues, referring to Swift and Jenner’s brief conversation, recapping the game. “They had a little moment where they share in the joyful connection of the game.” Per Wood, the way their heads went back and mouths were open and lifted indicated genuine excitement.
However, Wood notes that Jenner displayed some signs of “nervousness and anxiety” as their conversation wrapped up. “Kylie adjusted her shirt and bra strap, taking her arm and hand all the way across her body,” Wood says. “That’s a shielding motion, which is protective. Even though she was smiling, it showed underlying tension and fear of how she was being perceived.”
As Wood puts it, “This beginning and end of their interaction were tense, but the middle — when they were talking — was full of shared joy.”
Here’s hoping for another Swift-Jenner moment at Game 5.
