- Pete Davidson attended CinemaCon 2026 in promotion his new movie, How to Rob a Bank.
- The actor appeared at the event in a t-shirt that showed of his nearly bare arms after multiple tattoo removal sessions.
- He previously said that it would take 10 years to remove all of his tattoos.
Pete Davidson gave fans of his a taste of what his tattoo-free physique could look like when he starred in Reformation’s internet-breaking “official boyfriend” Valentine’s Day 2025 campaign with the help of a little body makeup, but the comedian is getting closer everyday to making tattoo-free his reality. Case in point: He recently showed off his arms, and they are looking noticeably bare.
On April 15, Pete attended CinemaCon 2026 to promote his new movie, How to Rob a Bank. For the occasion, he wore a red short sleeve t-shirt that showed off his forearms. He paired the top with grey sweatpants and accessorized with a black hat and black sunglasses.
So, why is Pete removing his tattoos? In an April 2025 interview Variety, the former Saturday Night Live star explained that working on his mental health and focusing on sobriety led to wanting to remove his body ink because remind him of a “sad person that was very unsure.”
“I used to be a drug addict and I was a sad person, and I felt ugly and that I needed to be covered up,” he told the outlet. “So I’m just removing them and starting fresh, because that’s what I think works best for me and for my brain."
Pete added, "When I look in the mirror, I don’t want the reminder of ‘Oh yeah, you were a fucking drug addict. Like, that’s why you have SpongeBob smoking a joint on your back.’ They should have meaning. Not just that I was high watching Game of Thrones.”
The removal process is a lengthy one—he explained that each tattoo removal requires a six-week healing process “each time you get one removed,” and that tattoo removal requires 10 to 12 sessions over 60 weeks. “It’s gonna take me another 10 years,” he said. “It’s pretty horrible. It’s like putting your arm on a grill and burning off a layer, and then you gotta do maintenance and let it heal properly. And it’s pretty tough. It sucks, I’m not gonna lie.”
