Sarah Paulson’s tattoos are small references to people and moments in her life. They include initials for a friend and her dogs, a lyric, and a starburst on her foot.
Her newest piece is a tiny “DK” on her forearm, a tribute to Diane Keaton, her friend and former co-star in The Other Sister. Paulson has spoken about the tattoo with the same directness and humor she brings to her older ink.
The DK forearm tattoo
Paulson showed the “DK” initials in a January 2026 tribute to Keaton, whose 80th birthday would have been that month. Keaton died in October 2025; she and Paulson had worked together on The Other Sister in 1999.
The two letters are small, black and plain. There’s no portrait or frame—just a mark near the wrist that carries a full friendship for Paulson.
In her tribute, Paulson recalled traveling with Keaton, laughing until they cried, watching many movies and eating French fries. She thanked Los Angeles artist Daniel Winter, known as Winterstone, for a “forever reminder” of one of her “forever people.”
With just two initials, their spacing and line weight do most of the visual work.
A small mark with a big reason
Their connection went beyond sharing a film credit. The initials leave the story with Paulson: other people may see two letters, while she knows the years behind them.
A line she values
Paulson also has a longer forearm tattoo with a line from Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George: “Anything you do, let it come from you then it will be new.” The hosts read it aloud during her appearance on SmartLess.
Inked reported that she got it from Winterstone for her 45th birthday in 2019. The single-needle lettering stretches across much of the forearm but remains fine and delicate.
The lyric comes from a musical about making art and living with what has already been made. Paulson has worked in theater, television and film, often taking very different roles; the line suits that career, though she hasn’t said it was chosen for that reason.
A long quote needs room for its line breaks. Paulson’s fine lettering gives the words direction across the forearm without turning them into a heavy block.
The people behind the mark
Older interviews and profiles have identified the initials of Paulson’s dogs, Alice and Millie, on her inner wrist. It’s a spot she can see often while keeping the tattoo mostly to herself.
The reported pieces don’t share one visual style: a friend’s initials, a lyric and the dogs’ names. What connects them is the people and ideas they point back to.
Small initials need clear shapes and enough space to stay readable as they age.
A lighter note
On SmartLess, the hosts also mentioned a starburst tattoo on Paulson’s right foot. It’s a simpler, lighter image than the “DK” tribute or the lyric.
The foot is easy to cover with shoes and visible in sandals. A small starburst can read as a playful graphic without needing a specific explanation.
Shoes rub and feet bend, so an artist may keep a foot design clear and uncomplicated.
The common thread
Paulson’s documented tattoos point to Diane Keaton, a Sondheim lyric, Alice and Millie, and a starburst on her right foot. They show that a meaningful tattoo can be a memorial, an idea she values, a reminder of home or simply a shape she likes.
If you’re planning your own piece, start with what you want to remember and decide how much of that story needs to appear in the design. Initials may be enough for a private reference; a few words can make a connection clearer to other people.
The “DK” doesn’t try to sum up Keaton’s life or the whole friendship. It keeps one name close, and two letters are enough for that.