12 Celebrity Nipple Piercings You (Probably) Never Knew About

Updated on 8/17/2023 at 3:45 PM

Celebrity nipple piercings were thrust into the spotlight in 2004 during the infamous Super Bowl Nipplegate, but since then, the public view of them has shifted from wardrobe malfunction to empowering statement. Nowadays, every area of the body is fair game when it comes to piercings — from your belly button to your genitals — without society completely clutching their pearls.

In fact, nipple piercings are no longer considered the taboo adornment they once were, thanks in part to the "Free the Nipple" movement and celebrities who aren't afraid to subtly show them off on the 'gram (even despite the app's notorious censorship policies). Against all the odds, they're even trending yet again, with more and more stars from Noah Cyrus to Kendall Jenner getting in on the action.

For some, like actor Rooney Mara while filming "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the choice to get pierced was the result of character development. "I thought, she has it in the book, and she should have it [in the movie]," she explained in a 2011 Allure interview. "Because of all the tattoos and the makeup and the piercings, and the physical transformations my body has to go through, it would always feel sort of like I was in costume, even if I was naked."

Whatever the reason, it's not hard to see why nipple piercings have become so popular among red carpet regulars — they're chic, rebellious, and downright sexy. So if you're planning to add to your curated piercings, look no further than Hollywood's It crowd for plenty of inspiration. Keep reading to see the celebs who have gotten nipple piercings.

Bella Hadid

Bella Hadid joined the ranks of the nipple-piercing club as early as 2015, when a nipple ring shone through her sheer Balmain dress at a Vogue Paris anniversary party. Hadid's stylish nip bling could coerce even the most piercing averse into trying one themselves.

Rihanna

Leave it to the lingerie queen herself. The Savage x Fenty founder unapologetically showcased a nipple piercing through a mesh crop top in the visuals of her 2016 "Kiss It Better" music video, and we've been all ears (and eyes) since.

Kylie Jenner

After hinting on Snapchat about her "secret jewelry," Kylie Jenner debuted her piercings during a 2016 photo shoot in support of her upcoming pop-up shop — where fans got a glimpse of not one, but two, nipple piercings through a sheer bra.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner proudly claims to have gotten her nipple piercing before her sister, as part of a "rebellious" phase. In a 2015 interview with People magazine, she recounted the surprisingly mild process: "Honestly, it hurt, but wasn't as bad as everyone made it seem and maybe because everyone hyped it up and I thought it would be really, really bad. Then it wasn't as bad as I expected."

Bella Thorne

While some celebs only offer hints of their nipple piercings, Bella Thorne made her intentions very clear. The actress took to Twitter in 2017 to declare her nipple-piercing plans. "So like I'm getting a nip piercing ...😇," she tweeted, with the hashtag "PullingAKendall." In case you were wondering if Thorne actually went through with the piercing, her photos through the years have confirmed that her plans were successful.

Keke Palmer

The sheer top plus nipple piercing is a trend on its own, but Keke Palmer's choice of jewelry deserves to be a theme, too. With a silver bar on one side and a ring on the other (with nipple-grazing magenta braids, no less), the look is iconic.

Demi Lovato

No stranger to body art on display, Demi Lovato has subtly slipped a peek at their nipple piercing on several occasions. Their always-evolving approach to beauty (like the new ultra-cropped hair and "Choose Love" tat) keeps us tuned in to see what may come next.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus's self-expression has involved her breasts for years — from topless photos to #FreeTheNipple campaigning and a double (!) nipple piercing. In a 2015 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," Cyrus pointed out the unfair double standard of nipple exposure: "I'm showing my boobs and no one has a problem," she said. "But the nipples are covered so somehow that's OK."

Noah Cyrus

Following in her sister's footsteps, Noah Cyrus revealed that a fun night on the town in New York led to an impromptu double nip piercing. So if you're waiting to take the plunge, maybe this is your sign to let your adventurous spirit lead the way.

Chiara Ferragni

Chiara Ferragni, Italy's resident trendsetter, posed a question on her Instagram: "In this moment I was wondering If I should get my nipple pierced 👍🏻👎🏻?" Well, a steamy shower pic on her husband's IG account is proof of yet another social media manifestation.

Rooney Mara

With no prior piercings before her role as Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Rooney Mara fully committed to the character by piercing her ears, nose, brow, and nipple. And, like Kendall Jenner, she recounted a not-too-scary piercing process to Allure: "It was actually not that painful."

Janet Jackson

No list would be complete without Janet Jackson, whose nipple piercing made its way into homes across America and subsequently broke the internet (before breaking the internet was even a thing). But aside from the controversy, Jackson's sun-shaped nipple jewelry will forever be the coolest.