Celebrities with Tattoos

Body art has become an accessory, like pocket-sized dogs and expensive purses, and the number of celebrities with tattoos is on the rise. Modern tattoos are artistic, stylish, and even sexy. From Nashville to Hollywood, many of today's hottest and most fashion conscience stars are inked.

Dennis Rodman

Tattoos in the Past

Tattoos used to signify membership in a dark sub-culture. They were acts of rebellion, and only the most defiant stars donned body art. Rock stars have always enjoyed thumbing their noses at convention, and rockers were among the first celebrities to flaunt their ink. Some famous musicians of yesteryear who have tattoos include:

• Gregg Allman
• Joan Baez
• Cher
• Janis Joplin
• Kris Kristofferson

Modern Day Celebrities with Tattoos

eminem tattoo

From their beginnings on the heavy metal soundstage, tattoos have made it to the catwalk, the red carpet, the small screen, and the big screen. No longer thought of as unattractive, tats cover some of the world's most gorgeous bodies, and celebrities in every genre proudly display their body art. Some reports state that as much as a shocking 80 percent of the entertainment industry has tattoos; a mere 20 percent of the general public are stained.

Music Stars

Considering that his music comes with parental advisories and such hardcore topics as gang fights and oral sex, no one is surprised to learn that rapper, 50 Cent is heavily inked. More surprising, though, is the fact that wholesome bubble-gum pop star, Mandy Moore has a tattoo. The cutie-pie singer and actress has a heart tat on her toe and shows it off in strappy sandals and high heels. Other inked music makers include:

Britney Spears tattoo

• Christina Aguilera
• Beyonce
• Bow Wow
• Fred Durst
• Eminem
• Kevin Federline
• The Game
• Janet Jackson
• Lenny Kravitz
• Avril Lavigne
• Tommy Lee
• Tim McGraw
• Christina Milian
• Pink
• Britney Spears
• Joss Stone

Hollywood Stars

Angelina Jolie tattoo

Angelina Jolie is one of the most famous celebrities with tattoos. With over twelve tats, she is a tattoo collector. She is known to have a fascination with knives, blood, and death, and her many tattoos only add to her illusion of being dangerous.

With her wild-child rep, it's no shock that Jolie is inked, but what about Brad Pitt's ex love? Jennifer Aniston seems as girl-next-door sweet as you can get, and yet she reportedly has a heart tattoo on her stomach.

Sometimes Hollywood tats are a group affair. Orlando Bloom and eight of his Lord of the Rings co-stars got matching body art in an elfin theme.

Some other Tinseltown favorites who favor body art are:

• Ben Affleck
• Jessica Alba
• Pamela Anderson
• Christina Applegate
• Drew Barrymore
• Catherine Bell
• Halle Berry
• Jessica Biel
• Yasmine Bleeth
• Sandra Bullock
• Holly Marie Combs
• Nikki Cox
• Penelope Cruz
• Johnny Depp
• Carmen Electra
• Jennifer Esposito
• Sarah Michelle Gellar
  

  Nicole Richie tattoos
• Allyson Hannigan
• Melissa Joan Hart
• Paris Hilton
• Lucy Liu
• Lindsay Lohan
• Eva Longoria
• Vanessa Marcil
• Jenny McCarthy
• Rose McGowan
• Alyssa Milano
• Christina Ricci
• Denise Richards
• Kelly Ripa
• Julia Roberts
• Meg Ryan
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Charlize Theron
• Debra Wilson

Professional Athletes

Dennis Rodman tattoos,© Janet Mayer

The former bad boy of basketball, Dennis Rodman is covered with tattoos. The tats, along with his multi-colored hair, piercings, affinity for dresses, and talent for creating trouble, all contribute to Rodman's reputation as one of the most controversial players ever to hit the court.

The Laker's Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, was the very epitome of a nice guy: polite, well-spoken, and impeccably groomed. All that changed after allegations of sexual assault were hurled his way. Suddenly the conservative Bryant has pierced ears and tattoos proclaiming his devotion to his wife and child.

Other tattoed athletes include:

• Laila Ali
• Stone Cold Steve Austin
• David Beckham
• Anna Kournikova
• The Rock
• Mike Tyson

Fake Tattoos

Some stars apparently like the idea of tattoos but are unwilling to make the commitment to permanent ink. Others, like Shakira, wear fake tattoos to help promote their movie or music projects. Whether for fashion or for marketing, the following celebrities frequently wear fake tattoos:

• Salma Hayek
• Alicia Keys
• Uma Thurman
• Shania Twain

Tattoos Popular with Celebrities

Lenny Kravitz

The tattoo designs of the celebrities are as diverse as the stars themselves. However, there are a few themes that arise again and again.

Sentimental Designs

Like everyday tattoo lovers, star often choose to wear their hearts on their bodies. Nicole Richie, for example, has a pair of ballerina slippers to honor the song her father, Lionel Richie, wrote for her. One of Angelina Jolie's many tattoos is a simple "H" to honor her brother, James Haven. Many other celebrities have made the often ill-fated decision to have a loved one's name inked on their bodies. These include Johnny Depp, Roseanne Barr, Tom Arnold, and Nicky Hilton. Stars who take this route often choose to remove their tats, alter the designs, or cover them up. Johnny Depp, for example, had his "Winona Forever" tattoo converted to read "Wino Forever" after his well-publicized break-up from Winona Ryder.

Mystical Symbolism

Other celebrities with tattoos go the mystical route, choosing either religious symbols or foreign etchings. Angelina Jolie has tattoos written in both Arabic and Latin. She also sports several tribal designs. Britney Spears has a Chinese symbol displayed on her belly. Rocker Pink's designs include the infinity symbol, an Asian dragon, and the Japanese symbol for luck.

Feminine Designs

Many celebrities with tattoos choose to balance the edginess of tats with designs that are all girl. Supermodel James King, for example, has fairies etched on her back. Britney Spears has several small tattoos in feminine themes, such as fairies and butterflies. Two of Drew Barrymore's most famous etchings are her angel and butterfly.

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