Many may recognize teen heartthrob, Chase Stokes, from his leading role in the Netflix original ‘Outer Banks’. While the actor sports a bathing suit for a lot of the series, fans may not have noticed his subtle, yet amusing body art.
Chase Stokes has a tattoo of a small smiley face located on the top of his wrist. The tattoo became fan news on May 29th, 2020 when Stokes posted a photo from a Facetime photoshoot. The photo captured the ‘Outer Banks’ actor in a bright patterned shirt, tan fedora, and gold chain bracelet. His exquisite fashion sense, however, was not what caught fans’ attention. Rather the tiny smiley face, usually hidden by his array of bracelets.
Slightly crooked, and small enough to hide, this piece of body art has stayed under the radar until now. Spiking followers’ interests, the photo has sparked questions of whether this is his only tattoo.
The Evidence We All Missed
Chase Stokes has hundreds of pictures across his social media platforms, as well as millions of followers. So how did this celebrity’s tattoo go unnoticed for so long, and when did he get it?
On May 1st, 2020 the actor posted a black and white photo of himself posing on his Instagram account. Even though this photo is not of the highest resolution, followers may have noticed what appears to be a small black circle on his wrist. Slightly blurred, it’s hard to tell what this is and could even be mistaken for a mole or birthmark.
Stokes reposted the same photo only 14 days later, to promote his ambassadorship with a foundation for Mental Health Awareness Month. Both posts show a clear mark on his wrist, yet, neither were clear enough to make out. On both occasions, fans seemed unfazed by the evidence of a potential tattoo, or simply not wanting to jump to conclusions.
Cute or Cringe?
Following his tattoo debut on Instagram, the ‘Outer Banks’ actor received many comments, specifically about his smiley face body art. It is unknown whether he got the feedback he hoped for, or if it was simply cringe-worthy.
Multiple fans claimed the smiley face tattoo was cute and sweet. Unsure if the young male actor was looking for that response from his new ink, it certainly became repetitive.
With the majority of his followers being young teenage girls, this type of response was not surprising. The Netflix star didn’t seem to respond to any of the “cute” comments made.
Overall, the responses were all positive and showered Chase with love, over his first known tattoo. Even though he has not opened up about the meaning behind his ink, his newfound ventures could be a hint in the right direction.
Battling With Anxiety
Many people all over the world deal with mental health issues and Chase Stokes is no stranger to that. Tattoos of smiley faces or semicolons can be a representation of mental health. The symbol can be a reminder to smile each day and actively work hard to be happy.
The young actor has publicly spoken out about his personal battle with anxiety on many occasions. While being interviewed on the Kelly and Ryan Show, he talked about his partnership with the ‘Bring Change to Mind’ foundation. Watch the full interview by clicking the link below.
It is still unclear if Stoke’s tattoo represents his struggle with anxiety and his on-going battle to win the fight. However, with all of the work he is doing to help others with similar issues, it isn’t far fetched to assume as much.
In an interview with Keke Palmer, the actor expressed that mental illness should be treated with the same resources and intensity that we would treat a physical injury. Watch the full interview by clicking the link below.
The Road Ahead
As of now, Chase Stokes fans have only been teased with one tattoo, tiny and subtle at that. Who knows if there will be any more additions to come, or if they will be any bigger than the current smiley face on his wrist.
Keeping the meaning under wraps, his large following continues to wait for the explanation behind his new ink. Only speculation can be made that it is linked to his battle with anxiety and partnership with ‘Bring Change to Mind’.
The ‘Outer Banks’ actor did such a good job at hiding his body art, that he may be hiding more. Only time will tell if he decides to share more personal moments with his devoted fans.