Johnny Depp’s Tattoos and Their Surprising Meaning
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The 58-year-old actor is known for his passion for acting and his great love for tattoos.
Johnny Depp has nearly 40 different tattoos on his body. Every tattoo has a meaning, mirroring the different faces in the actor’s life.
Here is a list of Johnny Depp’s tattoos and their importance.
1. The words ‘Wino Forever’ on his right biceps
Johnny Depp got inked for his ex-girlfriend, Winona Ryder. The couple started dating in 1990, when they were shooting together for a romantic dark fantasy film, which was released in December 1990. He got the tattoo modified into ‘Wino Forever’ after they broke up in 1993.
This was a tattoo he got when he was 21, and it’s been there ever since. It’s not necessarily a reference to alcohol—he’s had them across his chest, but perhaps more of a tribute to his love of old-school rock music.
2. Three Hearts Tattoo
The first tattoo is “Three Hearts,” located on Depp’s right shoulder. The tattoo has three hearts, so it means a lot of things. One way to interpret this tattoo is that he has love in his life—his wife, Vanessa Paradis; their daughter Lily-Rose; and his son, Jack. Another way to look at the meaning behind this tattoo is that Depp has a strong connection with his family members because they’re all connected by heartstrings!
3. Gonzo Fist Tattoo
The “Gonzo Fist” is Depp’s signature tattoo. It looks like a clenched fist, but it has an alternate meaning: “The Gonzo” refers to his character in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. The first represents how he relishes taking chances and living on the edge—and how much he enjoys doing so with style!
4. Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
The whole phrase “Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas,” which is written across his knuckles, means that Depp has always been willing to take risks in life as well as in film roles since he was a young boy growing up on the island of Puerto Rico (where he also learned how to speak Spanish).
5. Mother’s Portrait Tattoo
The most famous of Depp’s tattoos is the one that reads “Mother’s Portrait,” which is located on his left forearm. He had it done in 1990 but has since been covered with a sleeve tattoo. This tattoo represents his mother, who died when he was six years old and left him to be raised by his father.
The motif of a portrait is common among many of Depp’s tattoos; he has several others like this one that depict different family members (his grandmother, brother, and sister), as well as other images such as skulls and crucifixes.
6. Salve Ogum Tattoo
This tattoo, which appears on Depp’s upper arm, is a Latin phrase meaning “salvation of the people.” It’s an ancient invocation to God that was popularized in the Middle Ages by St. Francis of Assisi.
Depp says he got the phrase because he enjoys using it as an exclamation and finds it meaningful: “It’s a great mantra for me. It gives me strength when I am weak or down on myself or feeling bad about something that has happened in my life; it helps me sort through things more quickly than if I didn’t have this tattooed on me.”
7. Number 3 Tattoo
The number 3 tattoo is one of Hollywood’s most popular and recognizable tattoos, with Johnny Depp no exception.
You can also get it if you want to celebrate something significant or important in your life, like a birthday or some other milestone event like graduation from high school or college.
8. Jack Sparrow- Pirates of the Caribbean Tattoo
Depp’s tattoo is a pirate skull and crossbones on his right forearm. The skull references Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, while the crossed bones represent death.
The meaning behind this tattoo is that it represents him being fearless in his acting career and having no fear about what he does or where he goes. The fact that it has been there for so long shows he really believes in what he does and wants others around him to feel secure with their own lives too!
9. Silence Exile Cunning Tattoo
This tattoo is a tribute to his grandfather, who was a logger and died at 50. Depp’s father also got this tattoo, but it was removed in adulthood when he became too embarrassed by it.
The meaning behind this particular tattoo is pretty simple: it represents Depp’s “own silence” and exile from Hollywood because he wasn’t willing to compromise his morals to get success as an actor. Of course, this can be seen as something that happened over time or even just one specific incident—but either way, it’s clear why these tattoos are so essential for him personally (and why they’re so meaningful).
10. A skull tattoo on his right forearm
The skull tattoo is the most prominent of all of Depp’s ink. It can be found on his right forearm and symbolizes his rebellious nature, which he has often expressed in his music and film. In addition, the skull reminds you that you should always live by your own rules and never let someone tell you what to do or say.
11. The Cherokee Indian chief
This tattoo represents how Johnny Depp sees himself as a leader who has made it through life despite many hardships. The image also shows that despite having struggled with drug use throughout his career (which led him into rehab), he still succeeded as an actor by becoming famous worldwide through films like Don Juan DeMarco and Alice In Wonderland (where he played White Rabbit).
12. The three rectangles
The three rectangles symbolize permanent phone doodles, as described by the actor. He got this tattoo in September 1994.
13. Crow Tattoo
It’s the name of Depp’s character in The Lone Ranger and one he uses in his latest movie Black Mass.
This tattoo has been said to symbolize luck and happiness, but it can also be seen as a reminder to stay true to yourself despite what others think of you.
14. Little Guitarist Tattoo
“Little Guitarist” is a tattoo inspired by Johnny Depp’s love of music. It depicts the musician with his fingers surrounding a guitar, and he has been seen wearing this design on his chest and neck.
The idea for this tattoo came after Depp bought a replica of Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster model guitar back in 1995. He had it modified so it could be played like an electric bass guitar, which led him to start playing bass as well as a guitar with different bands throughout his career.
15. Comanche Shield Tattoo
Comanche Shield Tattoo on his right leg. It features a circle with two lines crossed through it, which are said to represent the sun and moon (the sign for infinity). The Comanche tribe was once found in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas before they were pushed out by white settlers. They fought against their enemies fiercely before disappearing from history altogether.
16. Zigzag Tattoo
“Zigzag” is a tattoo on his left hand, which was inked by artist Rick James. The design references the zigzag pattern of his wife’s dress just before they met on the Fear and Loathing set in Las Vegas when Depp was filming with Hunter S Thompson.
17. Brothers Tattoo
The tattoo refers to the movie “The Outsiders,” in which Depp starred as Ponyboy Curtis. It also represents his brother, Paul Travolta (also in the film). In one scene, Ponyboy tells Johnny that he has become a man and can no longer be with him. This means he’s leaving Johnny behind—and, by extension, all of his other friends.
18. The Betty Sue Rose Tattoo
The Betty Sue Rose tattoo references the actress’s nickname and childhood nickname, “Betty.” This tattoo is located on Depp’s sleeve. It’s made up of an image of a rose with an American flag flying above it in the background. The “Betty” portion has been replaced by a picture of an angelic figure holding a cupcake inscribed with the words “Happy Birthday!”
19. Tonto
This tattoo is a tribute to his wife, Amber Heard, who was given the name Tonto after the character played by Johnny Depp in The Lone Ranger.
The symbol of Native Americans and Native American culture, this tattoo represents what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself and still be separate from it all simultaneously. It’s also a tribute to their son William (born in 2014).
20. JJ 13 Tattoo
This tattoo is the initials of Johnny Depp’s bodyguard, Jerry Judge. Depp got this tattoo in April 2019, after Jerry passed away.
21. Ouroboros Tattoo
The ouroboros symbolizes infinity. It’s often seen as a representation of cyclical time and the passage of things through cycles.
The tattoo represents Depp’s love for his daughter Lily-Rose Depp (born May 27rd, 1999). He has said that she was born on his birthday, hence why two roses are inked on her chest.
22. The skull and crossbones
The skull and crossbones are popular tattoo designs. In this case, the skull represents death, while the crossbones indicates that death can be avoided if you’re lucky enough to survive.
The significance of this tattoo is unclear to me—it could simply mean that Depp believes in getting tattoos, or it could be a reference to his character in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Captain Jack Sparrow. The latter wears a pirate hat with a skull while he roams around looking for treasure in Davy Jones’ Locker.
23. Sun Setting over the Sea Tattoo
The image is from one of the most famous scenes in “The Shining,” where Wendy Torrance (portrayed by Shelley Duvall) walks into Room 237, which features a painting of a sun setting over the sea with rays radiating out from it.
This tattoo shows Depp’s love for British director Stanley Kubrick, who directed “The Shining” and many other films that have influenced Depp’s acting career over time.
24. Snake Tattoo
The “Snake” tattoo is a small snake that wraps around Depp’s wrist. It has been speculated that this tattoo represents the fact that he was bitten by a snake during filming for his role in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, but there is no definitive proof. What we do know, however, is that the actor has had this tattoo since the 1990s, and it is still visible today.
25. Scam Tattoo
In Edward Scissorhands, Depp plays the title character with scissors for hands. He uses them to cut his hair, scalp (and even his face). In fact, he gets several tattoos with this image on them. The first tattoo is on his arm: “Scam” written in cursive font with an arrow pointing toward it from above. The word “scam” describes someone who tries to take advantage of others by manipulating them into doing things they don’t want or need to do.
However, there’s another meaning for scam—to deceive someone out of money/property by tricking them into believing something false about themselves or their situation so that they’ll pay up when they’re ready instead of just letting them go their merry way unharmed! If you’ve ever been scammed before, then this tattoo might seem like something Depp would get done himself because he deals directly with scams all day long in Hollywood!
26. Death is Certain Tattoo
This tattoo is a quote from the book “Death Is Certain” by William Styron. It’s written in Latin and means “death is certain, but not the time.” This tattoo was made when Depp was 23 years old, meaning he had been thinking about getting this tattoo for a while before he finally got the chance to do so.
While most people might think this tattoo means something negative or sadistic because it isn’t sure, it has many positive meanings: Death isn’t certain, but life is! ‘Wind Over Heaven-Cling’ Tattoo The tattoo reads “Wind Over Heaven-Cling,” and it’s a tribute to his late friend, actor River Phoenix. Depp said he wanted his own version of the tattoo after seeing Rivers in 1992. The meaning behind this tattoo is unclear, but we can assume that it refers to how strong winds blow away bad things from your life, like depression or grief.
Conclusion
That’s a lot of tattoos. Johnny Depp has quite an extensive collection. Here are some of them, along with their meanings. He has done this to honor his family, friends, and himself. We hope this article about “johnny Depp’s tattoos and their meaning” will help give insight into why he chose these specific designs instead of others.
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