Zara McDermott’s Transformation to ‘A-List’ After Louis Tomlinson Split from Sam Thompson

Rumours of their romance shocked the nation earlier this year when Zara McDermott was first spotted enjoying a cosy date with Louis Tomlinson just a few months after her split from Sam Thompson. 

Zara and Sam enjoyed a very public relationship, with their love story documented on Made In Chelsea and the pair regularly appearing on each others social media in gushing posts as well as comedic skit videos. 

However Zara and Louis’s relationship is so far playing out very differently and according to a body language expert telling Daily Mail that there is ‘complete visual switch-up between reality favourite Sam and global star Louis.’

While the pair are going from strength to strength, they have been far more private when putting on a loved up display, and Zara has managed to propel herself to the status of an ‘A-list partner’, a move she is slightly smug about.

Last weekend Zara and Louis made a rare public appearance at the Las Vegas Grand Prix as they walked hand in hand at the sporting event. 

Averting their eyes from the camera, Zara appeared to smile to herself as she walked slightly behind the One Direction star who kept a straight face. 

Body language expert Judi James noted two seismic changes in how the former Love Island star acts with Louis, in comparison to with her former boyfriend Sam. 

She explained: ‘First there is a look of apparent reluctance to court or perform for the press cameras. 

‘The show-boating behavior has vanished and in its place Zara is performing an eye cut-off, looking down rather than into the lenses. 

‘This makes her look demure but, even more importantly, it makes her look A-list or at least like an A-list partner.’

While in previous loved up Instagram snaps with Sam, Zara would sit on his lap or jump into his arms while looking animated, now she has remains more composed. 

Judi continued: ‘This “reluctance to pose” is a complete contrast to her poses with Sam, and it suggests the kind of level of fame where the press has become an intrusion rather than a source of income.’

Judi also remarked that while with Sam she showed gestures of being ‘more dominant and in control’, she is ‘now being led rather than being the leader.’

Referring to the snaps taken of Zara and Sam in 2024, she said: ‘With Sam her rituals suggest both a committed desire to embrace the cameras as much as each other, with Zara showing gestures of being more dominant and in control.

‘She sits on his lap here as he grins straight at the lens and her arm encircles his neck in a dominant gesture of ownership and perhaps superior confidence. 

‘She also leans her head against Sam’s to signal affection and trust, with their mirrored smiles showing matching delight to be show-boating for the media here.

‘When they pose standing together we can see that ultimate gesture of proud ownership and control: the hand on Sam’s torso that signals he belongs to her in a non-verbal ‘territorial spraying’ gesture.

Comparing her body language to the pictures of Zara with Louis at the Grand Prix she said: ‘She walks behind Louis here as he tows her along with one hand. His ‘cool’ look defines him as very much the star while she is in role as the ‘plus one’. 

‘She suddenly looks compliant and submissive here with a coy-looking smile, although there’s also a sliver of smugness about the smile to suggest she’s secretly welcoming the status upgrade.’

After appearing in group shots together at Glastonbury in June, Zara and Louis went Instagram official in August after the star shared a snap of the pair enjoying a passionate smooch.

It’s understood that Zara has moved into multi-millionaire Louis’s north London mansion, having initially moved back into her parents’ house after leaving the Fulham home she shared with Sam.

An insider told The Sun: ‘They’re smitten and she has been spending all of her time at his place, she’s pretty much moved in. Zara has even started making her social media videos from there instead of her parents’ [home].

‘She had been back at her family home after her split from her ex…

‘But Louis’s home and her parents’ house are nowhere near each other, so it made sense that she is spending more time at his.

‘They’re in the honeymoon stage and want to be with each other as much as possible when they’re not working.

‘Zara spent loads of time travelling with Louis this summer and now they’re back in the UK she’s using his place as a base a lot of the time.’

Sam and Zara ended their relationship last December after spending Christmas apart.

A source close to the couple told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Sam and Zara have ended their relationship.

‘It’s been an incredibly difficult decision for them to part ways, they still care and have a lot of love for each other.

‘But after a tough year of working hard at their romance, they have split and will be focusing on their individual careers going forward into 2025.

‘There has been no scandal or fallout between them, it’s just the result of a difficult year, where they both had to spend a lot of time focused on their own projects.’