The Way Cher’s Boyfriend Alexander Edwards Holds Her Hand Is A Show Of Protection
Do you believe in life after love? I do, and it’s all thanks to Cher and her boyfriend, rapper and music executive Alexander “A.E.” Edwards.
The “Believe” singer, 77, met Alexander, 38, at Paris Fall Fashion Week in fall 2022. Apparently, after chatting for about 15 minutes, Alexander—who shares a child with model and rapper Amber Rose—was given her number by a mutual friend, Cher told People. “It was really shocking, because people just don’t give out my number,” she explained to the publication. “I had been telling all my friends, ‘We’re too old to go out with really younger men, and I will never fall in love on text.’” (Spoiler alert: She broke her rules for him.)
Then, in early November 2022, after several public outings of the couple, the Oscar winner confirmed their ‘ship on X. And a month after that, on Christmas, she tweeted a picture of a gorgeous diamond ring that Alexander gifted her, which sparked engagement rumors. However, the rumors were shut down by a source who revealed to TMZ that the couple broke up in May 2023 before reuniting that September, per Us Weekly.
Fast forward to 2024, and this couple is still going strong, most recently attending this year’s Paris Fashion Week, which began in late February. Given the pair's private nature—they're not photographed together very often—fans may be curious about what their outward gestures reveal about the inner workings for their relationship. To test that theory, Women's Health spoke to Patti Wood, a body language expert based in Atlanta, Georgia, for insight on this couple.
Meet the Expert: Patti Wood is a body language expert with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Body Language and Nonverbal Communication based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Cher is balanced and grounded in this relationship.
In this snap from 2024 Paris Fashion Week, Cher and Alexander's upper bodies and feet are angled toward each other in what Wood calls a "love V," which is "when the bodies of the couple actually form a V." This mirrored body language means "they anchor and ground each other," she explains.
Alexander is also making an effort to lean into Cher, signifying that he wants to be connected a little bit more than she does, says Wood, and his head tilt toward Cher shows that he's proud to be with her.
Additionally, the couple's fingers and thumbs are interlocked in an relaxed handhold, showing that their relationship is balanced, Wood says. Need more proof? Wood points to Cher's relaxed smile showing her upper teeth as further evidence that "she seems to be more balanced and grounded in this relationship." Plus, the way she stands up straight means "she's showing her strength," says Wood.
They want to be seen as a couple.
At another Paris Fashion Week event in 2024, Cher and Alexander posed for this cute photo. Their bodies are touching and overlapping in another V position, signifying "that they like to be seen as a unit," Wood says. Cher's fingers are stretched out, signifying that she's relaxed, and her hand placement on A.E.'s lower belly shows physical and sexual intimacy, she adds.
Alexander's hands are also resting in a relaxed manner on Cher's shoulder in a way that says, "I'm confident. I don't need to hold on tight," Wood explains. And when it comes to his head, he's leaning into her again and has a big grin on his face. But it's not a smile for show, says Wood: "He's actually feeling happy and good with her."
Cher wants to be her own person, but she also really likes Alexander.
In this photo, Cher's ankles are crossed, with her feet pulling away from Alexander, as her knees lean into him at the same time. These contrasting leg placements say that "she wants to be seen as her own person," but she also really likes him, says Wood. This is further evident through their bodies melding into one another, all the way up to their shoulders. Plus, the placement of her hand on his inner thigh shows "sexual connection," as if Cher is saying, "This is my man," Wood explains.
For Alexander's part, he's leaning a bit more into her with his head and upper body, and he's reaching farther to grab ahold of Cher's knee. "He wants her closer" physically, Wood says. And while he's sitting in a sexual position with his legs spread, his hand blocks his crotch, which symbolizes him saying that he's taken...with Cher.
Cher and Alexander are in sync...literally.
"They're decades apart, but they're walking in sync," Wood says. "That lets you know they have a stable relationship." (On cobblestones, nonetheless!)
While Alexander is doing his typical body tilting towards Cher, it's "more protective in this case," Wood says. (This is likely due to the public nature of their outing.) The pair's fingers are also interlocked, again, but not holding on too tight, which shows this is a comfortable point of touch for them. Their overall body language is genuine—"they're not just doing it for cameras," she adds.
Lastly, the fact that Cher is putting her arm all the way over her body to grasp the inside of Alexander's shows that he is hers, and she wants to be connected to him.
Alexander takes care of Cher.
Aaand they're still in sync. Compared to the photo above, Alexander walks with Cher in more of a caretaking manner in this picture, especially since he's holding her hand with both of his to provide more security for her. It's as if he's saying: "I'm taking care of you, I'm noticing what's going on for you," Wood explains.
Overall, Chalexander is in a great spot right now, Wood says, adding that their body language is free of red flags. "They're good and stable and affectionate—just normally, healthy affection," she says. You deserve it, Cher!
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