Raising eyebrows?

Reader question:

Please explain “raising eyebrows” in this sentence: It’s a decision that has kept raising eyebrows.

My comments:

The decision, whatever it is, is controversial. People are not comfortable with it. That’s for sure.

Because it “has kept raising eyebrows”.

That is, people’s eyebrows raise when they hear it.

It’s as simple as that.

In fact, body language experts have got the concept of “eyebrow raising” down pat.

According to their analysis, people automatically or involuntarily raise their eyebrows when they hear something unusual, be it something exciting, interesting, shocking, surprising or confusing.

In our above example, therefore, it is a decision that may have aroused any of those emotions in people – shock, anger, surprise, confusion.

That’s why their eyebrows keep raising.

Hence, we may safely infer, it is a decision that’s unconventional, a decision people cannot sit comfortably with.

Talking about comfortable, we can get comfortable with the phrase “raising eyebrows” by reading a few real media examples – as follows:

1. Earlier this month, Woody Allen’s new memoir, Apropos of Nothing, was dropped by its original publisher due to pushback surrounding the disturbing #MeToo allegations leveled against him. And though it was recently released by another publishing house, the contents of the book have continued to raise eyebrows for yet another unfortunate reason.

Why? Well, in addition to using the book to chastise those who have denounced him, Allen also apparently addressed long-standing critiques related to the dearth of Black characters in his films – and his logic is questionable at best.

As noted by Vulture, Allen tried to defend himself against accusations of racism via exclusionary casting by recounting examples of his past allyship, including his donations to the ACLU and how he marched with Martin Luther King Jr.

Not only that, but Allen also spent some time talking about wanting to be a “wannabe African-American jazz musician” (amongst other things) and detailed his appreciation of “primitive” New Orleans jazz musicians, before contending that he “named [his] children after [his] African-American heroes” – something he cited via his original plan of naming son Ronan Farrow after baseball player Satchel Paige.

Albeit all this, the controversial director went on to say that “while affirmative action can be a fine solution in many instances,” he does not believe that it works “when it comes to casting,” as “when it comes to casting, I do not go by politics but by what feels dramatically correct to me.”

“I always cast the person who fits the part most believably in my mind's eye,” Allen continued, echoing past statements he made to New York Observer in 2014. “When it comes to the politics of race, I have always been a typical liberal and sometimes maybe even radical.”

- Woody Allen Attempts to Address His Films’ Lack of Black Characters, PaperMag.com, March 26, 2020.

2. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at a British reporter over questioning about the “Signalgate” scandal.

In recent days, the Donald Trump administration has been rocked by the revelation that the editor in chief of The Atlantic magazine was accidentally added to a Signal group chat in which imminent war plans were being discussed.

While some hardline Republican politicians, including US president Trump himself, have attempted to downplay the situation, the major security breach has continued to raise eyebrows.

It was during questioning about Signalgate from a Sky News journalist that far-right Congresswoman Greene went off at the reporter and completely dodged answering questions.

US Correspondent Martha Kelner was attempting to ask a question about the defence secretary (who is involved in the scandal) when MAGA cheerleader Greene interrupted and demanded to know, “What country are you from?”

Kelner said she was from the UK and Greene immediately went off at her.

“We don’t give a crap about your opinion and your reporting. Why don’t you go back to your country, where you have a major migrant problem?”

As Kelner continued to try and ask questions, Greene repeatedly held her palm up towards her, and said, “I don’t care about your fake news”.

Greene deferred to “an American journalist”, who proceeded to say: “Yes, I’m American and I’d like to hear your answer to what she’s (Sky News journalist) asked.”

Again, Greene avoided answering the question and instead engaged in “whataboutery”, talking about the Biden administration

Some have dubbed Greene a “national disgrace” over the incident.

- Marjorie Taylor Greene backlash after telling UK reporter 'go back to your country' over Signal question, Indy100.com, March 27, 2025.

3. Timothee Chalamet raised many eyebrows during his Screen Actor Guild acceptance speech.

For those unversed, on February 23, while receiving the male leading award for his role as Bob Dylan in the biographical movie A Complete Unknown, Chalamet made shocking remarks in his speech.

The boyfriend of Kylie Jenner began his speech by saying, “I can’t downplay the significance of this award.”

He went on to add, “Because it means the most to me, and I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet claimed boldly.

The Dune hitmaker admitted that he wanted to be one of the greats, like Viola Davis, Marlon Brando, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Michael Phelps.

“I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I’m inspired by the greats. I’m inspired by the greats here tonight. I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there,”

“So I’m deeply grateful. This doesn’t signify that, but it’s a little more fuel. It’s a little more ammo to keep going. Thank you so much,” he concluded.

His remarked garnered mixed opinions and became a topic of many chats among seasoned Hollywood heavyweights.

Following his speech, an insider mentioned that his confidence and self-belief did not go unnoticed.

“In an industry that favors muscles and good looks, his talent and confidence tend to override those qualities,” a spy told RadarOnline.com.

- Here’s what Timothee Chalamet said about his lofty ambitions, Geo.tv, September 23, 2025.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

（作者：张欣）