# What the hell is Tony Soprano's tattoo?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 6, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332 "2004-12-06T06:34:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PaulFitzroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PaulFitzroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulFitzroy)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332/1 "2004-12-06T06:34:23Z")

</div>

Does anyone know what it is? I’ve freeze-framed on the DVDs many times to try to figure out what Tony Soprano has tattooed on his right tricep; it just looks like an incoherent blob to me.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332/2 "2004-12-06T06:53:57Z")

</div>

From the [Sopranoland FAQ](http://www.sopranoland.com/faq.html)

> [@](#):
>
> What is the tattoo on Tony’s shoulder? Is it real?
> 
> It is a tiger and no, it is Temptu. Temptu has provided James Gandolfini with a variety of “tattoos” for his numerous stage and big screen roles. They have also created “tattoos” for other Sopranos actors (Aida Turturro’s is also a Temptu stock item) and for the other hit HBO show, OZ.:

[Link to pic.](http://www.sopranoland.com/cast/tony/tattoo.jpg)

It looks more like a leopard to me, though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332/3 "2004-12-06T06:57:53Z")

</div>

…though I guess it _is_ a tiger.

[Here’s a gif of the transfer](http://www.temptu.co.jp/shop/pro/painton/ssheet/slargepic/S-07.gif).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-tony-sopranos-tattoo/278332/4 "2004-12-06T07:30:46Z")

</div>

But the placement makes it look like it’s climbing, leading me to also think it’s a leopard. Though my first thought was a cheetah. You know, always outrunning things like death. I tend to see more in tats than even those that get them to be “cool”

_ **duffer** , 3 tats and getting the 4[sup]th[/sup] next month. A huge family crest across my back_😉