Channing Tatum's Tattoos Are Rarely Seen

Published on 11/7/2023 at 7:20 PM

Channing Tatum and his girlfriend of two years, fellow actor Zoë Kravitz, recently announced they got engaged in November 2023. While the "Batman" star is among some of the most decorated actors in Hollywood, with over 50 tattoos on her body, Tatum has gradually built his own ink collection over the years as well, now boasting six uniquely meaningful pieces. However, like his personal life, the actor likes to keep his tattoos private, rarely drawing attention to them in the public eye. That might be why there's still, to some extent, mystery lingering around many of his designs.

Tatum began his collection years ago when he got his first tattoo to commemorate fond childhood memories. His second design was a matching Balinese script that he got with his now ex-wife, Jenna Dewan. The couple officially split in 2018 after nine years of marriage, but his ink supposedly lives on. He also has another rarely seen piece that he addressed in a 2022 Wired Autocomplete interview with "The Lost City" costar Sandra Bullock. At the time, he shared he had five tattoos, with his fifth addition placed on his leg. Slightly pulling up his right hem, he casually added that he "got another little one with the Ranger boys," eliciting a sweet response from the "Bird Box" actor as she snuck a brief look at it. Judging by the clip, the mysterious tattoo is likely on his ankle, though what it is, exactly, remains enigmatic. And he clearly isn't done adding to his collection, because in February 2022, Tatum took to his Instagram Stories to share his newest work of art: a leg tattoo that he got with his fitness-trainer buddy Trey Allen.

From his designs with Dewan to the powerful portrait he has from famous celebrity artist Dr. Woo, we rounded up all of Tatum's tattoos (or at least the ones that are publicly known). Check them out and learn what they mean to the actor ahead.

Channing Tatum's "L333" Leg Tattoo

In September 2023, Tatum showed off a freshly minted piece reading "L333" on his Instagram Stories. The design is inscribed on the back of his left calf, just below the knee bend. "Basically a prison tattoo," he simply captioned the cryptic ink. He got this with his fitness trainer, Trey Allen, who got a similarly coded "N853" inked across his left knee.

It's worth noting that in the photo shoot for V Magazine's 2022 cover story, Tatum's back showed two tiny tattoos, his right shoulder blade reading "33" and his left side reading "37." His recent leg tattoo appears to spell out some combination of the same digits. However, it is unknown if the ink on his back is permanent.

Channing Tatum's Forearm Tattoo

In May 2022, Tatum added a beautiful portrait to his left forearm, courtesy of celebrity tattooist Dr. Woo. The piece holds a powerful meaning as it portrays a silhouette approaching a light source, having made their way through a dark tunnel. "The light will guide u in the dark," the LA-based artist captioned a close-up of the design on his Instagram.

Channing Tatum's Shoulder Tattoo

Tatum has an indecipherable sketch inked at the top of his left shoulder. Besides being aesthetically pleasing with a fine-line style, the tattoo's significance to the actor is a mystery.

Channing Tatum's "Side by Side" Ribcage Tattoo

Tatum has the phrase "side by side" tattooed horizontally on the left side of his ribcage in Balinese. It's one half of the matching ink the actor got with Dewan, whose tattoo is placed on her left foot. The former couple got this twin ink during their 2009 honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia. Though it isn't clear if Dewan still has hers, in a March 2022 Wired Autocomplete interview, Tatum silently confirmed that he still has his piece of ink as he counted all his tattoos, noting their placements.

In 2012, Tatum shared with People the inspiration behind the design. "We always wanted to get a tattoo of something together," he said. "We weren't going to do each other's names. We wanted to do something symbolic. It was in one of our vows to each other. We took it from that."

Channing Tatum's "Twin" Finger Tattoo

Tatum also has another matching tattoo with Dewan. He shared with GQ in a 2011 profile that the two got the word "Twin" in white ink underneath their wedding bands. Because the tattoos are difficult to spot due to their near-invisible color, it isn't clear whether the former couple still have the ink on their respective left fingers.

Channing Tatum's "IH" Arm Tattoo

On the inside of his right bicep, Tatum has the initials "IH" tattooed in big letters that converge geometrically. The actor revealed in a 2011 GQ story that the abbreviation stands for "Iron Horse," his uncle's ranch in Alabama, and represents the many childhood-defining memories he experienced there.