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Meryl Streep And Martin Short Have ‘Nothing To Hide’ When It Comes To Their 'Ship

meryl streep martin short body language
Meryl Streep And Martin Short's Body LanguageGetty / Christine Giordano

Calling all Only Murders in the Building fans! If you’ve been online in the past—oh, I don't know—three months, chances are you’ve seen the rumors that there's a little ~something something~ going on between Meryl Streep and Martin Short.

You see, at the Golden Globes, Selena Gomez was spotted at Taylor Swift’s table chatting in what looked like a heated gossip session. (The photos of said sesh were totally iconic, BTW.) While the internet speculated that they were talking about Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, Selena shut down those rumors on Instagram, explaining that she just told Taylor “about two of my friends who hooked up,” per the Daily Mail.

Pretty much immediately, the internet started connecting the dots. Meryl and Martin—who are both single—played love interests on OMITB season 3, starring alongside Selena. And while they've been friends for years, the actors have recently been spending quite a lot of time together—and not just on set. For starters, Martin and Meryl have been seated together at several award shows this season, such as the Golden Globes. (Yes, the one where Selena and Taylor were spilling the tea—it all make sense now, right?)

While that can be chalked up to the fact that they are, ostensibly, coworkers at an industry event, they've also been spotted out on the town together. In late February, the pair were seen leaving dinner with friends at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California. A few weeks later, in mid-March, Meryl and Martin attended a performance of Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway, according to Instagram.

And even though a rep for Martin has said they’re "just very good friends", the internet still believes it could be more, due to their comfy-cozy body language. That's why Women’s Health tapped body language expert Lillian Glass, PhD, to analyze Meryl and Martin's gestures and explain what they reveal about their relationship.

Meryl and Martin have a very close relationship.

But...it's just a friendship, at least according to Glass. Exhibit A: This photo of Meryl and Martin with Da'Vine Joy Randolph and John Robert Hoffman at the Golden Globes on January 7. Meryl is a "hands-on person with" Martin, says Glass, signifying that she's very comfortable with their relationship.

But do you see how Meryl's hand is cupped on his shoulder? "Usually when that happens, it's kind of a friendship type of thing, like a really close friendship," Glass says. If they were involved romantically (or even friends with benefits), her hand might be around Martin's waist, or perhaps they would even hold hands, she explains.

meryl streep martin short body language
CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images

They're like-minded, but they don't like-like each other.

In another photo from this year's Golden Globes, the pair pose with their heads together and matching closed-lip smiles. Although Meryl and Martin's body language mirrors each other—which can sometimes signify romantic involvement—Glass believes that this mirroring is just friendly and shows that these two are simply "like-minded" because of Meryl's hand placement.

It's notable that Meryl's hands are folded together over her lap. That gesture means she's "protective of herself," Glass says, and not as open as she might be if they were more than friends.

martin short meryl streep body language
CBS Photo Archive - Getty Images

The pair have "nothing to hide" when it comes to their connection.

A few days after the Golden Globes, the pair sat together at the AFI Awards on January 12. Here, they appear to be in deep conversation, with Meryl looking straight at Martin. Her hands are open, which means that she's very open towards him emotionally, and when it comes to their communication, "they have nothing to hide," Glass says.

For Martin's part, he's relaxed in this convo, signified by his slumped-over posture and his lean in Meryl's direction. Again, this photo is just more proof that they're like-minded friends with a strong bond, Glass says.

meryl streep martin short body language
Michael Kovac - Getty Images

Meryl *might* be more in control of their friendship than Martin.

At some point during the AFI Awards, there was some light hand touching between Meryl and Martin. But—one more time for the people in the back—signs point toward a platonic, not romantic, relationship, Glass says.

As Meryl turns to Martin, she puts her hand over his, showing that "she's kind of in control of that friendship," explains Glass. But "there's such a camaraderie" and "a real warmth" between them in this photo, she adds.

Because Meryl and Martin are such close friends, it's only natural that they have a touchy-feely vibe together. "Does that mean they're close in the bedroom? Who knows," Glass says. What she does know is that this body language shows "companionship and real caring with one another."

meryl streep martin short body language
Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images

Their playfulness is purely platonic.

IDK about you, but in my opinion, this picture is totally giving bestie energy between Meryl and Martin, as she playfully pushes his face away from her. "They're dear, dear friends, because you don't do that with somebody you're enamored with," Glass says. There's clearly a fun vibe to their friendship, she adds, because they can tease each other.

So, *were* they the friends Selena said hooked up? In Glass' opinion: "It's just a very warm friendship," so... probably not. While that might disappoint fans hoping their showmance would turn into real-life celebrity coupledom, at least Oliver-Loretta 'shippers can look forward to their fictional relationship blossoming in OMITB season 4.

In the meantime, I'll be overanalyzing who else Selena could've been talking about at the Golden Globes.

meryl streep martin short body language
Jay L. Clendenin - Getty Images

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