JULIANNE Hough's apparent faith in her figure has seen her go topless on vacation and pose nude on the cover of a magazine.
But according to a body language expert, the new DWTS co-host is not as confident about her appearance as it seems.
Julianne, 35, is known for showing body confidence and flaunting her toned physique on social media or TV.
The run-up to her Dancing with the Stars Season 32 appearance has been no exception.
On Instagram, the Footloose actress has been showing off her body while working out in a white sports bra and shorts.
During a September 21 interview on Live with Kelly and Mark! Julianne said she went topless on a river raft.
Body language expert Judi James noticed Julianne has been attempting to present an "emphatic signal of change.”
A summer stint in California saw the professional dancer pose on a surfboard in a clip shared on Instagram.
The blonde stuck out her tongue twice.
In an exclusive interview, James told The U.S. Sun: “Julianne was doing tongue poking to try and show off a playful side of her personality.
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“She was trying to say she is in naughty, rebellious child mode.
"She has also been using face-pulling, party girl poses.
"Julianne has swapped her rictus ballroom dancer smiles for a look that seems intended to shock.
“Her tongue protrusion images show her desire for a new phase in her life.
"But there are hints this could all be bravado based on a dented or bruised self-esteem."
James suggested Julianne's energetic facial signaling looked like an attempt at concealing.
“Face-pulling, facial contortion, the tongue-poke rejection signal, and throwing arms about are about someone masking," she said.
"Julianne does not want to share her true feelings.
"These types of gestures can also direct attention away from a clear view of the face.
“As a dancer, Julianne is body-confident.
"But she seems less sure about completely showing off her face all the time.
"Julianne perhaps needs to rebuild total confidence in her obvious beauty."
As a professional dancer, Julianne saw her career rocket when she joined DWTS in 2007.
From there she moved to the judging panel and eventually replaced Tyra Banks, 49, as a host.
Now Julianne co-hosts with Alfonso Ribeiro, 51, who started on the show last season.
James detailed further how the TV star's September 6 surfing montage exposed a change in direction.
"On the surface, Julianne used the tongue gesture twice in her reel to try and signal an irresponsible side, " she added.
"She was trying to say that she was not this sweet girl anymore.
“Julianne is not the first star who has used a tongue display to try and register change.
“Miley Cyrus made it her trademark look a few years back.
"This was a more sexual version where she mimicked heavyweight rockers like The Stones and Kiss.
“Since this pose is not shocking anymore Julianne would have other reasons for performing it in these photos.
"She even repeated the protrusion in the surfing clip and added the bull’s horn hand gesture.
"This gesture was once used to be taunting and even one of contempt.
"For Julianne, the tongue protrusion and bull's horn have a deeper meaning."
Julianne has experienced her fair share of personal turmoil through the years.
In 2021, she announced she had separated from her husband of three years, Brooks Laich.
The couple began dating in 2013 before tying the knot in 2017.
Otherwise, the star has enjoyed several long-term relationships and has been twice engaged.
These include American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.
Interestingly Julianne also told Redbook of a time when her self-confidence hit a low point.
This came following a fat-shaming experience at school.
“Now, when I’m self-conscious, I’ll do something completely crazy or goofy to get out of my own head, " she said in 2017.
Julianne continued: "Something fun that reminds me of the freedom I felt as a kid before all that happened."
In 2019, Julianne posed nude for Women's Health magazine. She opened up about her marriage and sexuality.
James suggested that since her divorce, Julianne may still not be feeling free.
"We see Julianne posing in front of the mountain and throwing her arms into the air, " she said.
"This signals her ongoing search for freedom even with her marriage break-up behind her.
"Her party poses on Instagram also show her throwing her arms about.
"Sometimes we get the Duchenne from her, which is a perfect smile.
"But then comes all the facial contortions and the tongue protruding fully.
"Sometimes her face is covered by hair, a hat or shades.
"Just like surfing video, Julianne sometimes obscures her face.
“When she does finally pose to the camera, Julianne often throws her mouth wide open.
"Or she does this tongue-reveal.
“In the coffee cup pose tongue her is out once again and this time licking at the cup.
“All these childlike displays she is using signal irresponsibility.
"Children first tongue-poke to reject food but then use it as a gesture to be rude.
"But with everything else she does, the pokes are a device to hide her face.
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"Julianne might be showing she needs to rebuild full confidence in her obvious beauty.
“She also seems to be looking for freedom, but may not be able to share her true inner feelings openly.”
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