Victoria Beckham has finally shared why she’s frequently seen with a ‘miserable’ and ‘moody’ expression in public.
From an outsider’s perspective, it might seem that the 51-year-old often appears stern due to the constant attention from the paparazzi. After all, being continuously photographed can be quite overwhelming.
However, in her new Netflix documentary, Victoria Beckham, the fashion designer and former pop star disclosed that her lack of smiles on the red carpet is influenced more by her husband than by any perceived aloofness.
Yes, it seems that the responsibility partly lies with her husband, David Beckham, the soccer player-turned-fashion icon.
The couple, married since 1999, is among the most photographed in the world. While David is often captured smiling, Victoria’s trademark pose with a pout has become an essential aspect of her public persona.
Victoria explained to the documentary team that she attributes her expression to David, claiming he has consistently taken her ‘good side’ during photographs.
“Here’s a fact, I’ve looked miserable for all these years because when we stand on the red carpet, this guy had always [stood] on the left,” she stated.
“Now I didn’t realise that when I smile – which I do! – I smile from the left, because if I smile from the right, I look unwell. So I’m smiling on the inside but no one ever sees it. So, that’s why I look so moody.”
But there’s more than just positioning at play, as Victoria revealed that her self-assurance was deeply affected after the Spice Girls disbanded and she embarked on a solo career in the early 2000s.
“When people are mean and you’re hearing things and you’re seeing things and you’re constantly made to feel you’re not good enough, that really hurts.”
“I became so self-conscious,” the mother-of-four elaborated.
“People thought I was a miserable cow that never smiled and they’re not wrong,” Victoria humorously remarked.
She went on to say, “The minute I see a camera, I change. The barrier goes up, my armor goes on and that’s when the miserable cow who doesn’t smile comes out.”
“I’m so conscious of that and I don’t like that, I’d rather not be that person. I’d love to have the confidence to walk out of a restaurant and smile but I just can’t do it.”