Pete Davidson spent thousands of dollars to get covered in ink, to then spend even more to get rid of all of it. The former SNL star made a rare public appearance, showing off his nearly tattoo-free arms while speaking at CinemaCon 2026 for Amazon MGM Studios at The Dolby Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Davidson, who was dressed casually in a short-sleeved shirt, sweatpants, and Crocs Classic Clogs, revealed dramatically faded arms and hands after a years-long transformation that involved getting rid of his extensive collection of tattoos.
© Amazon MGM Studios via Getty ImaPete Davidson on April 15, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to several outlets, including People, Davidson spent six years and around $200,000 removing them. Per insiders, the decision was personal. “He just woke up one day and wanted them gone, and it’s been a years-long process,” a source shared. Another insider added that the move symbolized a “fresh start,” noting, “Things are really going well for him, everything is moving in the right direction, and he’s been receiving fantastic reviews for the movie.”
Why Pete Davidson Removed His Tattoos
During an appearance on Today, Davidson described the removal process as “pretty terrible,” and even warned people about getting inked: “So if anybody out there is watching and thinking about getting a tattoo, make sure you really want to get it.” Kim Kardashian’s ex-boyfriend also showed his fading ink, “It’s pretty gone.”
Pete’s process began in 2020 after getting sober. “I got sober, and I saw myself in the mirror, and I was like, ‘Nah. Who that?’ I was like, ‘I got to change it up a little bit,’” the comedian admitted.
“I honestly never thought that I would get the opportunity to act and I love it a lot,” he said on Late Night with Seth Meyers. “You have to get there three hours earlier to cover all your tattoos, because for some reason, people in movies, they don’t have them that much,” he said about his acting career. “So now I’m burning them off, but burning them off is worse than getting them.”
© WireImagePete Davidson at Rockefeller Center on May 31, 2019 in New York City.
While speaking to Jimmy Fallon, Pete added: “It’s worse [than getting them]. They have to burn off a layer of your skin and then it has to heal for, like, six to eight weeks and you can’t get in the sunlight,” he explained, causing the crowd to gasp. “And then you’ve gotta do it, like, 12 more times.”
Davidson also revealed that he had “probably, like, 200” tattoos, saying, “Yeah, I was a sad boy.” Now he is on a mission to “be an adult”; therefore, he’s going through the process of removing almost all of them.
In 2022, Pete made headlines after revealing several tattoos dedicated to Kim, including a cursive lettering that said “Jasmine and Aladdin” with an infinity sign in the middle. He also got the letters “KNSCP” which are believed to be the initials of Kim and Kanye West’s children.