Joe Manganiello just showed the world a side of himself we’ve never seen, literally. The actor revealed a three-foot dragon tattoo running down his right side, and it’s covering scars from an emergency intestinal surgery in 2016. He says the surgery and a seven-year autoimmune battle cost him 60 pounds in just two weeks. Instead of hiding the scars, he turned them into something bold and personal.
The tattoo wasn’t just about looks. Manganiello explained it was his way of taking back control, saying it was his“effort to take back what little agency I felt that I had.”He described telling his body to stop attacking a dragon that was really himself, which is the kind of line that stays with you. It’s a raw look at what a serious illness does to your sense of self.
All of this connects to his new memoir,“Bloodlines,”where he opens up about the illness and the toll it took on his marriage to Sofía Vergara. She responded online with a post about“narcissistic men,”and Manganiello says he felt guilty about the marriage ending for a long time. He’s now engaged to Caitlin O’Connor. So what do you think: is a tattoo a good way to reclaim your story after something like that?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.