The Secrets Behind Johnny Depp’s 40 Tattoos And What They Really Mean

This article was originally published on worldtravelling.com and has been republished here with permission.

Johnny Depp started his acting journey with his role in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” when he was just 19. Since then, the acting prodigy has been in leading roles everywhere. To date, his most impressive part must be Captain Jack Sparrow, and we cannot imagine “Pirates of the Caribbean” without Depp. The actor’s popularity led to a growing interest in his personal life and the many unique tattoos on his body.

Johnny has over 30 tattoos relating to his life’s ups – but also the downs; this is how he claims to have documented his life story. Here are the most famous and meaningful of his tattoos.

‘Cherokee Tribe’ Tattoo

Johnny Depp’s first tattoo was a tribute to his great-grandmother. The “Cherokee Tribe” found a place on his right arm and was said to honor his Indian lineage. In two interviews (2002 and 2011, respectively), Johnny indicated his Native American heritage. The actor said his great-grandmother grew up either Cherokee or Cherokee Indian.

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According to Depp, he started getting inks when they were “forbidden” in Hollywood, close to 1983 and 1984. He was only 17, so his first tattoo came at a relatively young age. Interestingly enough, Johnny Depp was also awarded an honorary member of the Comanche Nation in 2012. He was adopted into a Native American activist’s family after learning about Depp’s indigenous roots.

Betty Sue Tattoo

On Depp’s left arm, he has a tattoo dedicated to his late mother. The tattoo shows a heart with the words “Betty Sue” written through it. Betty Sue, or Betsy Sue, was the name of the actor’s mother. On May 20, 2016, she passed away after losing the battle to an illness. However, the tattoo was done way before her passing on May 31, 1988, by a tattoo artist named Johnathan Shaw.

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After his parents split, Depp spent most of his time with his mother. In an interview, he stated that his mother was “cruel” and “violent” to him during his childhood years – so much that Depp wanted to hide from her. He described her as a “Hellcat.” Depp said that although she was mean, she was hilarious, and that is how he wanted to remember her.

The Brave Movie Symbol Tattoo

The “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” star has a ton of tattoos on his arm, but the brave symbol is one of the more abstract ones. We can see this tattoo on his right arm, and he has even used the tattoo’s symbol in numerous scenes of the film “The Brave.” For those of us who don’t know, The Brave was co-written and directed by Depp himself, and was released in theaters in 1997.

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Once again, Jonathan Shaw was approached for the job, and the tattoo artist did this ink in 1998. Depp briefly explained the meaning of this symbol as a big question. He wants us to always think about our actions, our current place in life, and where we want to be. Overall, this tattoo stands for exploring, questioning, and investigating life.

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Three Rectangles

Not all of Johnny Depp’s tattoos are big and bold. Some are more discreet, but that does not mean they are any less special. For instance, the actor has a unique geometric tattoo on the index finger of his right hand. The tattoo is of three rectangles, and he got them around September 6 to September 13, 1994. Upon asking, Johnny Depp explained the tattoo as “permanent phone doodles.”

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This is undoubtedly one of those inks where there is more than what meets the eye. The three rectangles also align with one of Depp’s faiths: 3 is a magical number. He also has a tattoo surrounding the digit three, which we will get later. From the looks of it, Depp made that term up.

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Number Three

It’s safe to say that we are all a little superstitious, even Captain Jack Sparrow himself. Depp has the number “three” tattooed on his left hand. However, he has provided contradictory answers to why he has a random digit inked on his skin. He got the tattoo between February 1, 1994, and March 21, 1994. He was asked the tattoo’s meaning numerous times, and in a 1995 interview, the actor said that he had always felt close to the number three. There was no specific reason why he loved this number, but he just did.

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The history of the tattoo is quite simple. Depp and his friends got together, and the actor requested his tattoo artist friend to draw a three on him. Depp believes that three is a magical number because it has meaning regarding friends and family. He referred to it as a meaningless tattoo in another interview.

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Lily-Rose Tattoo

People choose to show their love through tattoos, and Depp is no different. The words “Lily-Rose” are tattooed on the left side of his chest. Lily-Rose is his daughter, who he shares with ex-wife Vanessa Paradis. She was born on May 27, 1999, and Depp got this tattoo in November 1999. Jonathan Shaw returned for the case and did the ink on the actor. In an interview, Depp talked about how the birth of his daughter was a life-changing moment for him.

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He said that his daughter made him realize why he was alive and gave him the motivation to continue on the eccentric path he had chosen. Before her, he might not have been living at all. After Lily-Rose was born, everything was about and for her.

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Jack Sparrow-Pirates of the Caribbean’ Tattoo

Over his career, Johnny Depp has done several iconic roles. However, the one that most people know and love him for is Captain Jack Sparrow. The sly pirate is the main protagonist of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
His witty dialogues were perfectly delivered by Depp, who embodied the character entirely. The actor got an ink on his right forearm to honor the role that made him a household name.

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This time, the tattoo artist behind the work is Mark Mahoney, who did the ink in 2003 after the film had wrapped up. In the tattoo, we can see a bird flying inward with the name “Jack” under it. Jack is Depp’s son, who was born in 2002. An extremely doting and affectionate father, Johnny Depp makes sure to reinstate how much his children mean to him from time to time.

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‘Question Mark’ Tattoo

In 1991, Depp got a tattoo of a peculiar question mark on his right leg. Not only that, but the ink also had a little cross with it. His regular tattoo artist and long-term friend, Jonathan Shaw, did the tattoo. Depp tattooed the same thing onto Jonathan’s knee, making us understand that the duo did this as a sign of friendship. Friendship couple tattoos are common amongst people who wish to carry a resemblance to their best friend along with them forever. Even Johnny Depp has one dedicated to his friend.

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It is unclear what this sign means, but we know this must be something significant to the duo. Depp and Shaw have been friends for over three decades. The artist came forward to publicly support Depp when he got into a legal issue with ex-wife Amber Heard.

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‘Silence Exile Cunning’ Tattoo

Quote tattoos are rather popular and, at this point, quite frankly, overdone. People like a quote and decide to get it tattooed on themselves as a life mantra. Johnny Depp has multiple tattoos showing different facets of his life, and one is the “Silence Exile Cunning” tattoo. The tattoo on his left forearm was done in December 2002 and taken from the book “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” written by James Joyce.

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First published in 1916, the novel is written in a modernist style. It follows the intellectual and religious awakening of a young man named Stephen Dedalus. The line is a direct reference to the conclusion of the book. A rough summary of the novel would be the experience of an artist as they perceive their surroundings.

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“Three Hearts” Tattoo

Done on the left arm, the three hearts tattoo on Johnny Depp shows how much he loves his family. The three hearts denote his ex-wife and the mother of his children, Vaness Paradis, and children Lily-Rose Depp and Jack Depp. Two of the three red hearts are connected to show how his children have a deep, meaningful bond.

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Once again, we can see the number three pop up on his inks. Fortunately, unlike many people, Johnny Depp never grew to dislike or regret any of his tattoos. He could have chosen to remove the third heart and keep his children only after their split, but he decided to keep the tribute. As he had once said, “Tattoos are like journals.”

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Grandfather’s Portrait Tattoo

Johnny Depp was lucky enough to have a great relationship with his grandfather. Jim passed away when Johnny was only nine years old. This inking was done on the same day as his mother’s portrait, which fans speculate is December 20, 2009. Depp has gotten this tattoo at Shamrock Social Club in Sunset Boulevard.

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Johnny was asked to discuss the tattoo in an interview with Vanity Fair Magazine. He said it was a portrait of his grandfather, who meant a lot to him. He was the perfect role model for Johnny, driving a bud during the day and running moonshine when night fell. The actor would describe him as the Robert Mitchum kind, a man’s man who spoke things as they were.

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His Mother’s Portrait

Despite her abusing him physically and verbally, Depp shared a close relationship with his mother, Betty Sue. He has a portrait of her tattooed on his left forearm. On May 20, 2016, his mother passed away from long-term sickness. This is not Johnny’s first tattoo dedicated to his mother, as he also has her name inked on his left arm. The portrait tattoo came 21 years after the name tattoo in 2009. Depp got it done at ‘Shamrock Social Club’ on Sunset Boulevard.

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When asked about the meaning of his tattoo at the press conference for one of his films, Depp explained how it is his mother. She used to work as a waitress at the Holiday Inn, Kentucky, and this portrait was of her wearing her waitress uniform. Depp considers his mother his best friend and deeply acknowledges all the hard work she had to do to rear her family.

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‘Gonzo Fist’ Tattoo

The “Edward Scissorhands” actor found a lifelong friend in Hunter S. Thompson, an American author, and journalist. Thompson spearheaded the “Gonzo Journalism” movement, a form of journalism done without objective claims, having the report depict the story from a first-person narrative. The Gonzo Fist tattoo on Depp’s left leg is an homage to his friend who passed away in 2005. Thompson, unfortunately, took his own life due to severe health conditions.

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The tattoo also has the journalist’s birth year (1937) on top of the words. In an interview, Johnny said that he still feels the presence of his friend with him. For him, certain people never went away – people he loved and thought about every day, and Thompson is one of them.

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“Skull with Crossed Bones’ Tattoo

Johnny Depp may have gotten fame for his roles on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “21 Jump Street,” and “Alice in Wonderland” amongst many others, perhaps none of his roles fetched him as much recognition as that of Captain Jack Sparrow. Sparrow is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the film “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Depp has been a staple for the franchise, appearing in every one of the films to date.

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Although he is suspected of not returning for the new installment, the movies take up a big chunk of Depp’s heart. This is why he has not one but two tattoos dedicated to the films. The second one is a “Skull with Crossed Bones” ink we can see on his right arm.

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‘SALVE OGUM’ Tattoo

On the outer portion of his left arm, the “Fantastic Beasts” actor has a tattoo reading “Salve Ogum.” This is a reference to a deity, Ogum of the Yoruba religion. Ogum is an Afro-American deity and is represented as a crowned comic-strip character. It is possible that Depp himself drew the symbol’s layout before he got the inking. “Salve” is a Latin/Portuguese word that stands for “save” or “hail.”

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Tattoos’ are Depp’s talisman. He got this one done in 2010 from Jonathan Shaw when the duo was vacationing in Hawaii. Whenever the actor comes across a quote or symbol that holds significance in his head, he puts it on his body. This ink is quite large and takes up a big part of his arm.

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Dots Tattoo

Even the most miniature tattoos can have the most beautiful meanings. Johnny Depp has dots tattooed on his left ankle. The tattoo has rarely been photographed and Depp never provided clear specifications. This has given rise to many speculations as dots can mean various things, depending on context and culture. In Christianity, it can be used to pay respect to the father, son, and the Holy Spirit. As Johnny Depp is agnostic, this tattoo may not have any religious reference.

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A three dots tattoo signifies “Mi Vida Loca” in Latin American principle, which translates to “my crazy life” in Spanish. Moreover, a dot tattoo can mean fighting against mental conditions, resilience, moving on, etc. Depp struggled with substance abuse for years, so it can be speculated that this tattoo has something to do with that.

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‘Rook’ Tattoo

Depp is a family man. His mother and grandparents meant the world to him, and this tattoo shows that once more. The “Rook” tattoo on his left wrist is a homage to his grandfather. “Rook” is based on the “Rook” card game from Eastern Kentucky. Johnny chose the number three instead of the conventional two used in the game because we all know about his favorite number. He got the ink done in August 2011.

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Three months later, he answered questions about his brand new tattoo in an interview with BBC. Depp said that this old-school card game holds tons of memories for him as he used to play that game frequently with his grandfather. According to the actor, his grandfather was a Rook master.

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The Broken Arrow

After winning his defamation case against Amber Heard, Johnny Depp got a new tattoo. Norwegian website VG reports that the actor had a broken arrow tattooed “on his wrist’s underside.”

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According to the publication, the tattoo was created by Aleksander Stubberud Aas and Jonathan Herrera of Oslo’s Attitude Tattoo Studios. The process took six hours. The new tattoo of Depp symbolizes “a new beginning and new hope” after “burying battle axe.”

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‘Harley Davidson Skeleton Key’ Tattoo

Johnny got a Harley Davidson Skeleton Key tattoo on his left friend. His friend Damien Echols got a matching tattoo but in a different place. Mark Mahoney was the artist behind these works. When asked about the meaning of their matching tattoos, Damien shared a touching story. The skeleton key was chosen because Damien believed that such a key could open almost any door as a child. Once someone had that key, no barriers could stand in their way. For little Echols, this was a magical moment.

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That is still what the skeleton key means to Damien. He and Depp were on the phone, exchanging photos of possible matching tattoos, and keeping track of the progress. Echols got the tattoo done from a shop called Majestic Tattoo on Franklin Street.

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‘NO REASON’ Tattoo

On April 24, 2012, Johnny’s “No Reason” tattoo was shown to the public for the first time at CinemaCon. The tattoo on his right wrist matches Marilyn Manson’s tattoo on his left wrist. There are two explanations for this tattoo. Fans speculate that the tattoo is a tribute to Manson’s song, “Overneath the Path of Misery,” released in 2012. Manson, however, described his tattoo differently in Rolling Stone magazine.

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He claimed there was “no reason” for picking this tattoo. He and Johnny may have thought that the matching “no reason” tattoos would be fun and exciting, so they got it done. Given how passionate and unconventional Johnny regards tattoos, the second claim is believable.

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‘Les Fleurs du Mal’ Tattoo

The giant tattoo on Depp’s back reads “Les Fleurs du Mal,” which translates to “The evil flowers” in English. Depp inked a new chapter of friendship with long-term friend Marilyn Manson when the two got these matching tattoos on March 23, 2012. This unique tattoo is taken from the works of Charles Baudelaire, a French poet. Manson described the experience as “painful but fun.”

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The tattoo, in its full glory, is a huge tree with a skeleton covering the two friends’ backs. Inspiration was drawn from the book “Flowers of Evil, ” one of Manson’s favorite books. Fans and the media first saw the tattoos when Depp was reshooting for Lone Ranger towards the end of September 2012.

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‘Brothers’ Tattoo

One of Depp’s more emotional tattoos, the Brothers inking on the right part of his chest, holds special value. The tattoo is done in Theban alphabets and was designed by Damien Echols, one of Depp’s close friends. Depp and Echols even have matching tattoos. In place of Jonathan Shaw, this tattoo was done by Mark Mahoney in 2012. Depp naturally gets his tattoos from either Shaw or Mahoney.

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The “Brothers” inking has the runes inside spelling Damien’s and Johnny’s names. During an interview, Depp claimed it was one of his favorite tattoos and something that means quite a lot to him. Damien and Johnny have been friends for decades now. They are so close that they would term each other brothers.

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“Zigzag” Tattoo

Another tattoo paying tribute to this Native American heritage, the zigzag inking on Johnny’s left arm, was done in 2012. Depp was officially adopted into the Comanche Nation in May 2012. Less than a week later, Damien Echols posted on social media announcing that he had gotten a similar inking on his left hand. Echols went on to explain the significance of the tattoo. The “zigzag” or “Zo” is a common symbol among Native Americans.

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The straight horizontal line across the glyphs signifies closing links with Father Sky and movement toward Mother Earth. If the Z’s midline slants, it signals the road of the soul – the spirit’s journey. If the line slants to the right, it symbolizes forces that strongly call to a person’s soul – issues or passions that force them to take a stance. The two horizontal lines mean the journey of life.

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‘Little Guitarist’ Tattoo

Not many of us knew that Johnny Depp started off as a musician, not an actor. Depp is a member of Hollywood Vampires, a band that does covers of old rock tunes. Other bandmates include Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Tommy Henriksen, and Alice Cooper. As we can understand from the inking, Depp is a guitarist. He owns an impressive collection of vintage guitars, including a 1956 Fender Stratocaster, SG Junior, an old Ibanez 2459 Destroyer, a Les Paul Double Cut, and a Les Paul Junior.

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The little guitarist can be seen on the back of Depp’s upper left arm and made its first appearance on June 23, 2012, in Creede. Drawn by the actors soon, the little guitarist was done in Austin. Bill Carter confirmed that he has the same tattoo, and Depp’s ex-wife, Vanessa Paradis, owns a t-shirt with that drawing.

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Crow Tattoo

On September 9, 2012, Depp, Echols, Bill Carter, and a few others got matching tattoos of a crow, a tribute to the 1994 film titled “The Crow.” The film follows the story of a man who was assassinated and came back to life. Depp and his friends wanted to pay respect to the day the WM3 were convicted of their crimes. Echols says he explores this theme in his book, narrating the after-life of someone who came back from death.

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After they wrapped up the second day of the West Memphis Three premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, a local tattoo artist was asked to come into Depp’s hotel and do the tattoos on the back of his right hands.

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‘Snake’ Tattoo

Depp has numerous tattoos paying respect to his native origins. The snake tattoo on his right wrist was done in 2012 when he visited the Comanche Nation Fair in Oklahoma. This was after Depp was adopted into the Comanche Nation. A snack symbolizes primordial energy within the Native American Culture. This animal is considered as a sign of renewal, transformation, and new beginnings. Many people like to think it is not a snake but lightning. In both cases, the theme is power.

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This is not the first tattoo that Depp would get for his Comanche standing, and this would not be the last. The tattoos depicting the actor’s roots are bold and big on his body as he is not afraid to talk about his ancestors.

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‘Comanche Shield’ Tattoo

When Depp was made an honorary member of the Comanche Nation, he was given another name: Mah Woo May. It means shape-shifter, perhaps a reference to the wide variety of characters Depp can portray effortlessly. Since he has received so much love from the Native American community, Depp loves them back. Another tattoo he got dedicated to the community is a Comanche Shield on his right calf.

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The two colors of the shield, red and blue, are brightly inked on the “21 Jump Street” actor’s leg. To the Comanche, their shields were more than mere objects; they were sources of protection, a religious symbol, and pieces of artistry. Comanche warriors usually carried two shields, one to use in battle and the other for protection from bad spirits.

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‘man is a giddy thing’ Tattoo

Johnny Depp often looks to his children for new tattoo ideas. He has a faceless man tattooed on his left arm, and Jack, his son, drew it. The letters below the man read “man is a giddy thing,” a line from the Mumford and Sons track “Sigh No More.” This reference may also have been drawn from Shakespeare’s famous play, “Much Ado About Nothing.” The world saw the tattoo for the first time on June 19, 2013, at a Press Conference for the Lone Ranger.

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We may wonder what this quirky quote means. According to the play, when Benedick calls men “giddy,” he references humankind and all men in general. His experience over the past had led him to believe that as a species, men (not women) are reactive, emotional, and fickle.

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‘SCAM’ Tattoo

Johnny Depp had already covered up one of his exes’ tattoos before; he probably did not anticipate needing to do the same when he married actress Amber Heard in 2016. He modified this tattoo twice! On the knuckles of his right hand, he had the word “SLIM” tattooed on – a pet name for the “Aquaman” actress. After Heard filed for divorce in 2016, Depp changed it to “SCUM.” However, the alphabet “U” was changed to “A” in 2018, and the inking now reads “SCAM.”

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There are messy celebrity separations, and then there is the split of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. The ex-couple have sued each other for multiple counts of abuse and defamation. After seeing their interactions in court, it is clear there is no good relationship between them.

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‘Wind Over Heaven-Ching’ Tattoo

Over the years, Depp has proved time and time again that he believes in staying patient and following his mantra. The actor is quite eccentric and experimental with his choice of scripts. He has a “Wind over Heaven-Ching” inking on the bicep of his right arm, which is believed to be from “Wind Over Heaven.” This is taken from I Ching, an old Chinese text named Book of Changes.

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It means that forcing our way will bring only misfortune. We should remain focused on our paths and gently remove obstacles. In itself, the tattoo is relatively simple. It’s five straight lines parallel to each other, with the middle having a break in the center.

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‘death is certain’ Tattoo

Johnny Depp is a part of “The Death is Certain Club,” which consists of tattoo artist Jonathan Shaw, Jim Jarmusch, and Iggy Pop. All of them are in a tattoo pact. Shaw told the story of how he first met Depp in 1984. He had been living in Brazil as a tattoo artist, and he had recently moved to Los Angeles. Shaw knew a band of musicians called the Rock City Angels.

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While the group lived in a historic establishment in Hollywood, he started hanging out with them. Their new guitar player turned out to be Depp. Back then, Johnny was a kid hanging out with many rock-n-roll enthusiasts high on substances. Soon after they became friends, Depp and Shaw, along with the other two, got those words tattooed on their right ankle.

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‘Ouroboros’ Tattoo

Depp is always taking inspiration from global cultures and traditions for tattoo ideas. He has an Ouroboros inking on his right arm which signifies an ancient symbol. The symbol shows a dragon consuming its tail, and it carries different meanings in different cultures. This symbolic animal comes from ancient Greece and Egypt and shows the serpent having its tail in its mouth, devouring itself continually and being reborn.

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Usually, it signifies infinity, eternity, and the circle of life (birth and death). This symbol entered Western culture through ancient Greek magical tradition and Egyptian iconography. People adopted it as a sign for Hermeticism, Gnosticism, and alchemy.

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‘JJ 13’ Tattoo

As Winona Ryder once said, Johnny Depp is extremely protective and loving of the people around him. The actor has a tattoo saying “JJ 13” on his left arm, a tribute to his belated bodyguard, Jerry Judge. The judge passed away on April 5, 2019, and Johnny got the tattoo in the same month. For Johnny, Jerry was a “Life Angel” who had performed his duties as Depp’s bodyguard for about two decades.

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The tattoo has two parts. Within the name “JJ 13” Johnny also got a portrait of Judge inked on him. Judge cameoed in many of Depp’s movies. After his passing, it was clear that the actor had lost an irreplaceable friend. Despite having a team to help with security, Judge was always with Johnny. He was even there the day Amber Heard accused the star of abusing her.

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‘3’ Tattoo

It seems like Johnny has gotten a tattoo for everyone he has ever loved. This is the only tattoo where the star has something dedicated to himself. It’s a simple tattoo on the upper bicep on his right arm. It’s got his initials in calligraphy ink and his favorite number, “3.” Johnny believes the number three to carry magical properties, as he can tie it to anything – from birth to death to start a family. This is one of the many tattoos he has used, the number three.

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A simple tattoo like this would make no sense to us, while it could mean the world to Johnny. Numerology says that whenever someone sees an excess of three in their lives, it is generally a sign of optimism, curiosity, creativity, and communication.

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‘Anchor Fish’ Tattoo

Apart from heritage and spiritual themes, Depp has a nautical concept with his tattoos. A continuation of that would be the anchor and fish tattoo on his right arm. That brings us to wonder whether this was a tribute to his grandfather, who was a sailor. For men out on the sea, an anchor tattoo meant that the sailor hoped to return home safe and sound. An anchor is what stops the ship from drifting onto the vast oceans forever.

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Back in the day, sailors would combine their anchor inks with the initials or name of a loved one. This reminded them that people were waiting for them back home. However, anchor tattoos are also subjective, so they can have different meanings based on where they are done.

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‘Sun setting over the Sea’ Tattoo

There are speculations about this tattoo of Johnny Depp. Currently, we can see the view of a sun setting over the sea on the inner part of his right arm. This is a cover-up because the original tattoo was of a pinup lady standing with her legs crossed.

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Fans think this may have been a tattoo of his ex-wife, Amber Heard, which got a cover-up after their split. Now it is seen as him bidding farewell to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” saga. The tattoo is rather big and takes up a lot of Depp’s already-decimating real estate. We can see the beautiful view through what seems to be a keyhole. He got this ink done somewhere between 2016 and 2017, shortly after his separation from Heard.

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The Myth behind Captain Jack Sparrow Tattoo

Desiderata is one of the most well-known and storied poems in literature. Captain Jack Sparrow had it tattooed on his back. The myth says this poem was found in a Baltimore church in 1692, 200 years after America’s discovery. Rewritten in 1920 or 1906, the case exploded.

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Many men and women find Desiderata inspiring. Reverend Frederick Kates published “The Old St Paul’s Church, Baltimore, AD 1692” in 1959 for his parishioners. That year, the church was formed. The case was publicized. Adlai Stevenson’s copy of Desiderata was recovered in 1965.

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Mickey Mouse on the Back of Sparrow

When Jack Sparrow is in Davy Jones’ locker, he experiences hallucinations of numerous other Jacks. One is bare-chested and covered with tattoos, including two on his back. If we pay attention, we can see that they are actually buried in Easter eggs.

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The first is a Mickey Mouse tattoo, while the second is a sea turtle tattoo. Because of Jack Sparrow’s legend that he escaped an island with sea turtles tied to his feet in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, sea turtles have gained notoriety.

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Wino Forever

Over the years, celebrities have gotten a ton of questionable tattoos. Many of them changed with (not-so) clever cover-ups, while many celebrities chose to remove the ink from their bodies. Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder were the IT couple of the ’90s. Their whirlwind romance prompted Depp to get a ” Winona Forever tattoo.” However, after their engagement broke off, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor changed the tattoo to form “Wino Forever.”

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Ryder and Depp remained friends after that. Depp said that he did not regret the tattoo at all. His tattoos are a journal, and he likes carrying them everywhere. Depp emphasizes the importance of the tattoo as it signifies a necessary time of his life.

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‘Suprematism Triangle’ Tattoo

The Suprematism Triangle was painted by Ilya Chashnik, a world-renowned Russian artist, in 1925. Jonathan Shaw, who was also the tattoo artist behind Depp’s “Betty Sue” tattoo, did the Suprematism ink on Depp again in 1993. Concept-wise, Suprematism is an art form that uses a limited color palette and focuses on fundamental geometric patterns, like rectangles, squares, circles, and triangles.

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As Britannia terms it, suprematism was a Russian branch of Futurism and Cubism. It has been explained as the proper way to represent is always through what gives us the fullest possible sensation and disregards familiarity and objects that invoke those feelings. The tattoo has been a matter of speculation as the inverted triangle has some other significance.