Zoey Deutch’s tattoo collection is made up of small pieces that don’t need to match: a portrait of her dog Maybelle, the dog’s name, a scorpion, moon and stars, “Yes,” “818,” and a bowl of matzah ball soup. Some were birthday tattoos; others are little things she wanted to keep close.
The mix is part of the appeal. A pet portrait sits alongside a bowl of soup and a simple word. The tattoos feel more like a record of things she likes than a planned sleeve or a single theme.
The short version: Deutch’s best-known tattoos include Maybelle’s black-and-grey portrait and name, a tiny scorpion, moon and stars, “Yes” on her foot, “818,” and a matzah ball soup tattoo. The collection is personal, playful and deliberately varied.
Zoey Deutch’s Maybelle dog portrait
The portrait of Maybelle is one of Deutch’s clearest tattoos. It’s a small black-and-grey face with floppy ears, a dark patch around one eye, and a little tongue showing. Those details make it look like one particular dog, rather than a stock pet design.
Deutch has called Maybelle a rescue and joked about whether a pet portrait is adorable or a bit unhinged. The tattoo is affectionate, but she can laugh at it too. Public references place it on her right calf, where the face has more room than it would at the ankle.
The shading stays soft around the muzzle and ears, with the nose and eye patch giving the portrait contrast. For a pet tattoo, the useful starting point is a clear photo that captures the feature you’d miss most: a crooked smile, a folded ear or a familiar expression. The artist needs enough room to keep those details readable.
The “MAYBELLE” name tattoo
The other Maybelle piece is just the name, in small black capitals with a period at the end. There’s no border or decorative script. That tiny full stop makes the lettering feel like a finished thought: “MAYBELLE.”
Steal Her Style’s archive credits Jon Boy at West 4 Tattoo and gives the date as May 24, 2016. Sources describe the placement around the ankle and heel; in the photo, the letters sit above a black shoe. The photo is the clearest guide to where the design sits.
The portrait and the lettering do different jobs. One holds onto Maybelle’s face; the other names her. They don’t have to repeat the same image to feel connected.
The matzah ball soup tattoo
Deutch’s soup tattoo is a small bowl with a matzah ball, broth and wisps of steam. She told the story on Jimmy Kimmel Live! while promoting Something From Tiffany’s: she was really into soup, got the tattoo on her ankle for her birthday, and wanted the steam to look hot. She loves it, though she joked that the steam can look a little like hair.
The image has enough detail to read as a meal, but it remains a light, fine-line drawing. That balance suits the story: it’s an oddly specific favorite, not a symbol that needs a grand explanation. A tattoo of a dish can carry a family or holiday memory, but it can also be there because you like the food.
Moon and stars in a fine-line style
The moon-and-stars design sits above Deutch’s ankle. It has a crescent with a star inside, with smaller stars above and below. Light shading and open space keep the little cluster from turning into a solid patch.
A moon and stars are familiar images, so spacing and line weight do most of the work here. The design has a dotted texture in the crescent and a vertical shape that follows the lower leg. Several of Deutch’s small tattoos are associated with Dr. Woo’s fine-line style, though the public sources don’t give every star a confirmed personal meaning. It may simply be an image she likes.
Context around the collection
This black-and-white still from Nouvelle Vague shows Deutch as Jean Seberg, standing in a fountain in a strapless dress. It’s here for context, not as evidence of a tattoo: the frame doesn’t show her ink clearly enough to identify a design.
Photos from films and fashion shoots can show someone’s look and the setting around them. They can’t confirm a small ankle tattoo from a distance. For that, the image needs to show the tattoo itself.
How to borrow the ideas without copying them
Deutch’s collection works because each piece starts with something specific to her: a dog, a favorite food, a hometown number or an image she likes. The designs don’t need a shared style to belong together. If you’re thinking about a pet portrait, bring photos that show what makes your animal recognizable. For a tiny object or food tattoo, decide which details matter and leave room for them to read.
Placement changes how a small tattoo feels. An ankle or foot design can stay tucked away, but shoes rub against the skin. A calf gives a portrait more space; lettering needs to remain legible while the leg moves. Ask to see the design at its actual size and on a curved surface before settling on it.
A dog, a scorpion, soup and a crescent moon don’t have to look like a set. The connection can live in the memories behind them. Deutch’s Maybelle portrait and name are affectionate, while the soup bowl keeps a favorite meal—and a joke about its steam—close by. The moon and stars add a different kind of image without needing an explanation.
If you’re browsing celebrity tattoo ideas, her collection is a reminder that a design can be personal without being elaborate. Start with something you like, and let the meaning stay yours.