Key Highlights
- Angelina Jolie made a striking appearance at the 20th Rome Film Festival in a deceptively simple little black dress.
- The gown featured a dramatic, teardrop-shaped back cutout, perfectly framing her extensive and rarely seen back tattoos.
- The intricate body art, which includes a Bengal tiger and Buddhist spells, holds deep personal meaning for the actress, symbolizing her family and beliefs.
- Jolie has stated her tattoos are a vital form of self-expression, helping her maintain her identity outside of her film roles.
A Dress Designed to Make a Statement
Angelina Jolie redefined red carpet elegance with a “business in the front, party in the back” approach at the Rome Film Festival on October 18. Promoting her film Couture, Jolie wore what initially appeared to be a chic and simple mini column dress from the Alberta Ferretti FW25 collection. The LBD featured draped cape sleeves, presenting a picture of classic sophistication from the front.
However, as she turned, Jolie revealed the dress’s true purpose: a massive, teardrop-shaped cutout that unveiled the vast canvas of her back tattoos in their full glory. The audacious design choice was no accident; it was a deliberate and powerful fashion statement that put her personal story on full display.
The Stories Told in Ink
The tattoos showcased by the gown are an elaborate collection of body art that Jolie has cultivated for years. The most prominent pieces include a fierce Bengal tiger on her lower back, acquired in 2004, and a series of significant designs covering her upper back and shoulders.
Among them are a Buddhist spell tattooed in honor of her son Maddox, a grid-like design representing the four continents and the classical elements of earth, water, air, and fire, and a bold declaration inspired by The Clash that reads, “Know your rights.” Each piece is a nod to her life, her family, and her Cambodian citizenship, weaving a narrative that is deeply personal.
Fashion as Self-Expression
This is not the first time the actress has used fashion to highlight her body art. In August 2024, she wore another little black dress with a deep scoop back at the Venice Film Festival, and a few months prior, she debuted a new bird chest tattoo in a plunging teal gown.
For Jolie, her tattoos are more than just decoration; they are a fundamental part of who she is. In a February interview with Backstage, she explained their importance. “It was one of many things I did in my life that was separate from film and being on camera—that was me and not a character,” she said. “So I wasn’t just staying a blank slate, even literally. To have a self is very important when a lot of your job is to transform into other selves.” Her choice in Rome was another bold assertion of that very self.