Joel Kinnaman’s Tattoos — ‘The Killing’ Star Still Regrets Getting Tattooed by Will Smith

Joel Kinnaman, the Swedish actor best known for his role in Suicide Squad, first got his tattoo at the age of 17.

The revelation came to light when Kinnaman took to , sharing a photo of himself getting inked on his left arm. 

On August 16, 2016, he wrote, “When I was 17 I got my first tattoo. I decided on a tribal because that’s obviously never gonna go out of style.”

Joel Kinnaman got his first tattoo at the age of 17. (Source: )

Similarly, throughout the years, he has inked several tattoos on several body parts with meaningful and aesthetically pleasing designs.

Among his collection is a tattoo featuring a house with several buildings in the background, placed on his right upper arm with a paragraph or verse just above it. Unfortunately, no clear photo of this text has surfaced.

Will Smith tattooed ‘SKWAD’ on Joel Kinnaman’s biceps

In 2015, Will Smith tattooed the word “SKWAD” onto Kinnaman’s bicep just below the tribal tattoo but later revealed he regretted letting Smith give him a tattoo.

He posted a photo, which has now been deleted, of the process on Instagram, where Smith proudly showed his amateur inking skills and wrote, “Got my #skwad tattoo.”

Kinnaman, however, didn’t seem entirely thrilled with the result, further adding, “Will has many many talents, tattooing is not one of them. It was like watching a drunk baby fly a helicopter. #suicidesquad #willsmith #harleystattooparlour.”

Will Smith tattooed ‘SKWAD’ on Joel Kinnaman’s biceps. (Source: )

Additionally, during an appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live, Kinnaman faced a direct question from a viewer about any regrets regarding Smith’s tattoo. 

Without hesitation, Kinnaman candidly confessed to the interviewer, stating, “The answer is yes. Absolutely. That was a horrible idea.” 

He humorously cautioned against letting a 47-year-old man, especially one without reading glasses, wield a tattoo needle on one’s skin, saying, “You know, don’t let a 47-year-old man without his reading glasses tattoo you.”

Joel Kinnaman’s former wife is also a tattoo artist

In April 2016, Kinnaman unexpectedly revealed that he had tied the knot with his tattoo artist girlfriend, Cleo Wattenstrom, during an appearance on The Talk via People. 

The actor was fast to correct co-host Aisha Tyler when she inquired about his “girlfriend’s” opinion of his Suicide Squad tattoo. He said, “My wife, my wife.”

Despite the exact details of their wedding remaining undisclosed, Kinnaman couldn’t resist sharing a lighthearted anecdote about his wife’s reaction to his Suicide Squad tattoo. 

He revealed that Wattenstrom laughed at the tattoo, saying, “She was laughing at it. A lot of tattoo artists are not so precious about their tattoos.”

Kinnaman and Wattenstrom had started dating in 2014, and their low-profile romance managed to stay mostly out of the public eye. 

However, after two years of what seemed like a blissful marriage, reports surfaced about their separation. Despite the challenges that led to their decision to part ways, sources insisted that the two remained on amicable terms and continued to maintain a friendship.

Joel Kinnaman played Christer Malm in the movie ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ 

In the 2011 mystery thriller film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Kinnaman delivered an impressive performance as Christer Malm. 

Directed by David Fincher and adapted from the 2005 novel by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson, the movie featured Kinnaman alongside renowned personalities such as Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, and many more.

The film revolves around the investigative efforts of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, portrayed by Craig, as he endeavors to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a girl from a wealthy family four decades earlier.

To aid in his quest, Blomkvist enlists the assistance of Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant computer hacker played by Rooney Mara.