'Barry' Has An Easter Egg Hiding In NoHo Hank's Tattoos

Rejoice, for HBO’s award-winning TV show Barry is back, baby! Or as NoHo Hank would say … yeah, he would probably say “Barry is back, baby!” too — even though NoHo Hank’s kind of mad at Barry right now. You know, because Barry shot all of Hank’s people at the end of season two. Still, NoHo Hank is super nice. He’d totally rejoice with us while also taking off his shirt and doing a little dance most definitely.

Speaking of, did you see all those chest tattoos our favorite Chechen guy flaunted in season three's opening episode? 

Wow, impressive, Hank. Are those baby cherubim? Super cool. But NoHo Hank’s tattoos are more than just “the coolest” (sorry, it’s hard getting his voice out of our heads). Every tattoo has some kind of meaning or backstory, according to actor Anthony Carrigan himself.

“They are very intentional. Each of the tattoos tells a story. The keys to his backstory are mapped on his body. So that’s all I can say about that—they do all mean something. I don’t want to give away too much, but they’re very strategically placed.”

Carrigan further mentioned that in criminal culture you can get into a lot of trouble sporting Russian prison tattoos if you did not earn them — like forgiveness, ha! — which means that yes, those that look like Russian prison tattoos are meant to look like Russian prison tattoos. NoHo Hank might not always make the smartest choices, but he does try to be respectful as much as a cold-blooded mobster killer can possibly be respectful.

So what do we know about some of these tattoos? Looking at the chest tattoos — in that marvelous bathroom scene where it was finally and officially confirmed that yes, Hank is queer, you guys — there’s a take on the classic Madonna and Child tattoo that, according to the Russian Prison Tattoo Manual of 2018 (also called “the internet”), means a person that has been a thief from a young age. It also serves as the thief's talisman and is supposed to keep a person safe from misfortunes. So, kind of a hit-and-miss for our Hank, then.

The little snake tattoo next to it could be a symbol of anti-authoritarian, but it could also represent Hank’s personality. See, in most prisons, a snake coiled around the neck or collar bone represents addiction. However, Hank’s little funky snake isn’t coiled nor placed near his neck (the scorpion in his neck means he’s done time). No, that little snake fella sporting what looks like a tiny hat seems to be doing a cute little wiggly dance instead. What a rascally charmer. Classic Hank. 

Then there are the chess pieces we’ve seen on his hand, which Carrigan explains is a simple indication of how Hank tries to always stay a couple of moves ahead.

This lighthouse tattoo on his other hand could indicate a desire for freedom. 

And while most of Hank’s tattoos relate to thievery — even the crosses are less religious and more representative of a thief’s devotion — the skull inside the cross indicates (and reminds us) that yes, funny guy NoHo Hank is and will always be a bad murderer:

But hey, at least he tries to be polite about it.

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Top Image: HBO