The actress, known for films like ‘Transformers’ and ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ has racked up over 20 tattoos in her lifetime

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Tattoos are permanent — until they’re not!

Just ask Megan Fox, who has gotten rid of more than one tattoo. This month, the actress, 37, was featured in an Instagram post made by New Jersey-based tattoo artist Jesse Krydick, who was visiting Los Angeles on a nationwide tour. The photo shows Fox’s torso ornamented with a dainty star-and-moon-speckled snake wrapped around flowers, with its tongue reaching for a triangle — covering what previously was a tribute to her ex-husband Brian Austin Green.

Before the intricate snake design took up a majority of Fox’s right hip, the actress had the word “Brian” etched in small, cursive typography in the same spot. Fox and Green’s divorce was finalized in 2022, which meant it was time for something new for the Transformers actress.

“Was able to completely hide the old tattoo underneath the new snake and flowers she wanted… very grateful for all of the opportunity tattooing has given me and all of the cool people I’ve met along the way,” Krydick wrote in the post before thanking Fox for her trust.

This is not the first time the Jennifer’s Body actress has gone back on a tattoo, and certainly not the first time her body art has become the center of public attention. Throughout her career, Fox has subtly gained (and lost) several tattoos, usually keeping quiet about them until asked. Currently, Fox is sporting over 20 tattoos — even though they’re not always visible on the big screen or red carpet.

Most of Fox’s pieces are done in traditional style, and are all colorless except for one design on her ankle. Here’s a rundown of the actress’ intricate ink lineup — starting from the top!

The Chinese symbol for “strength” on the back of her neck

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Even though Fox’s long hair frequently covers this small design, the actress has the Chinese symbol for “strength” tattooed under her hairline on the back of her neck.

“We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” on her right shoulder

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Fox’s gothic quote tattoo across the back of her shoulder is a nod to a familiar master playwright. The phrase “we will all laugh at gilded butterflies” is a callback to act 5, scene 3 of William Shakespeare’s 1606 play King Lear. Shakespeare writes: “so we’ll live, and pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh at gilded butterflies,” which doesn’t exactly match the permanent phrase Fox decided on, but instead, shows her own artistic take on the literature.

The Spanish world “el pistolero,” or “the gunman,” under her left collarbone

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Ever since meeting on the set of Midnight in the Switchgrass in March 2020, Fox and Machine Gun Kelly have been an inseparable and very public duo. Throughout that year, social media posts, public outings and that one time Fox starred in MGK’s “Bloody Valentine” music video confirmed a blossoming relationship between the actress and rapper to many fans. But nothing sets love in stone like a tattoo.

When the pair made their red carpet debut at the 2020 American Music Awards in November, Fox’s green strapless dress revealed a new tattoo on her left collarbone — one that read “el pistolero,” or “the gunman” in Spanish. Many fans hypothesized that the lowercase script was a dedication to her new love interest.

Friedrich Nietzsche quote “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music” on her back

When Fox was promoting her film Passion Play in 2010, the actress sat down with MTV to laude her co-star Mickey Rourke — so much so, she said he inspired a sizable tattoo that covers her ribs. “I actually got a tattoo that is sort of in honor of him,” she told MTV at the time. “It’s on my ribs. I don’t know if it’s been photographed yet, but it’ll come out eventually, I’m sure. I just love him very much and think he’s very special.”

That quote, according to the publication, got taken out of context by various tabloids. What once started as praise for the 70-year-old actor turned into rumors of infidelity and forbidden love, so Fox clarified what she meant in a later interview at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“It was not about that. I have a tattoo that is a [Friedrich] Nietzsche quote that sort of basically is about marching to the beat of your own drummer and not being afraid to do that. I was saying that it reminds me of Mickey, of course, because he clearly is not marching to anyone else’s drummer, drumbeat, and that’s all. It’s not necessarily an homage to him.”

“There once was a little girl, who never knew love until a boy broke her heart” on her ribcage

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On her ribcage, Fox has this poem scrawled on her skin. She has not spoken about its origin.

Outline of a bird on her left ribcage

When Fox and Kourtney Kardashian bared all for a SKIMS campaign in September 2021, there was nowhere to hide the faint outline of what looks like a bird in flight on the front of the actress’ left rib cage.

The never-before-seen tattoo is notably lighter and daintier than all of Fox’s other tattoos, which makes it difficult to even make out what exactly the design is.

Snake design covering the old “Brian” tattoo

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Green and Fox were married for over a decade, share three kids and, until this month, Fox had the 90210 actor’s name written in cursive across her hip.

In place of Green’s name, Fox opted for a cover-up tattoo that depicts a dainty star-and-moon-speckled snake wrapped around flowers, with its tongue reaching for a triangle. The cover-up tattoo was done by artist Jesse Krydick, who flaunted the work of art on Instagram on July 11.

She used to have a portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her right forearm, but has since removed it

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Green’s name was not the first tattoo Fox decided to get rid of. It’s not visible anymore, but the actress used to have Marilyn Monroe’s face in the middle of her forearm.

In a 2009 interview with The New York Times, Fox dissected the meaning of her infamous portrait tattoo on camera. “I’ve always liked her and, like I said, been intrigued by her because she created a character that she lived behind. So she was always playing a character within a character in all of her movies. I think the psychology behind that is very interesting,” she explained. 

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“I didn’t want to be literal,” she continued, adding that she didn’t want to put someone on her arm who she was trying to emulate. The old film legend also served to warn Fox about the dangers of the industry — a reminder to not let herself be treated poorly, she said.

Two years later, the actress revealed to Amica, an Italian magazine, per The Independent, that Monroe’s mental health struggles were the reason she was ditching the ink. “I’m removing it,” she told the publication. “It is a negative character, as she suffered from personality disorders and was bipolar. I do not want to attract this kind of negative energy in my life.”

“The darkest fairytale” on her forearm that matches MGK’s

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A few months before their engagement, the couple did a joint-interview for the cover of GQ, where they sat in the backroom of a studio and gave each other matching tattoos. Fox’s tattoo sits in the middle of her forearm, while Kelly, already clad in tattoos, had to find another open space on his hip.

“The darkest fairy tale” is a phrase that Fox told GQ “alludes back to one of the first text messages we ever sent each other.” Later in that same interview, MGK references the phrase again when talking about the couple’s extremely intense relationship.

“It’s ecstasy and agony for sure,” the rapper said. “I don’t want people to think anything’s perfect with us. I didn’t say it was the darkest fairy tale for no reason.”

Voodoo doll on her ring finger that matches MGK’s

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To ring in Fox’s 36th birthday last year, MGK posted a carousel of pictures on his Instagram, including a photo that portrays two voodoo dolls with pinned hearts and visible stitches on each of their respective ring fingers.

19 fine-line finger tattoos 

On the same day her “Brian” cover-up tattoo went public, tattoo artist Syd Smith also revealed on Instagram she had added 19 fine-line tattoos to all of Fox’s fingers. The designs include sparkles, the number 11 on each pinky, abstract dotted designs, an eye, a moon and what looks like an hourglass on its side.

Yin-Yang-inspired tattoo on her wrist

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Fox has never confirmed what the circular design on the inside of her wrist stands for, however, it seems to emulate the traditional yin-yang symbol — with a twist.

Moon and star on her ankle

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Fox’s only color tattoo, the moon and star tattoo is another piece that the actress has been relatively quiet about, not giving any confirmation as to what the tattoo may represent.