The biggest draw in Hollywood, Angelina and her 20 tattoos
She keeps covered up in chic, prim, business-like outfits for her dealings with the UN.
But this week Angelina Jolie displayed rather more flesh – and a sprawling tattoo collection – at the New York premiere of her new film, First They Killed My Father.
The 42-year-old’s backless gown showed off some of her inkings – thought to number about 20 – while accompanying her six children.
her designs include a Tennessee Williams quote, a Buddhist prayer and geographical co-ordinates of where her children were born.
The three largest tattoos on her back were added just last year – ancient Buddhist mantras down her right shoulder blade, a temple in the centre of her back, and, below it, a grid design known as a Yantra, believed to bring good luck.
A tattoo on her left shoulder blade is a script dedicated to her son Maddox, whom she adopted in Cambodia, and was done in 2003 in a Thai hotel. Just months before actorturned director Miss Jolie split from her husband of 12 years, Brad Pitt, last year, the couple had a former Thai monk flown to Cambodia where she was filming.
he drew designs on both stars using the same ink to symbolically – – and ironically – ‘bind’ them as husband and wife.
Miss Jolie also has gothic lettering on her neck reading ‘Know Your Rights’, the title of a song by The Clash, one of her favourite bands.
The Oscar-winning actress’s whirlwind marriage to actor Billy Bob Thornton in 2000 after a two-month courtship prompted her to have his name and a dragon tattooed on her shoulder. By 2002, the ink had been erased by laser. Miss Jolie said at the time: ‘I’ve moved on — that’s why it’s going.’ It was replaced with the co-ordinates of her children’s and Pitt’s birthplaces.