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| Did Lola Petticrew Really Get Catherine's Tattoo for Furious? (Photo: Hulu) |
One of the biggest talking points in Hulu's Furious is not just the tense chase between FBI agent Alice Black and serial killer Catherine, but the striking red flower tattoo that appears throughout the series. While viewers are busy piecing together every twist in the psychological crime drama, Catherine's ink quietly tells its own heartbreaking story. Rather than serving as simple body art, the tattoo becomes one of the show's strongest visual symbols, revealing fragments of a past that refuses to stay buried and emotions that never truly fade.
Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, Furious places equal attention on both the investigator and the woman she is hunting, giving audiences an unusually intimate look inside Catherine's fractured world. Across the series, every appearance of the bright red poppy tattoo carries extra weight, reminding viewers that some scars never disappear, even when they are hidden beneath the skin.
It becomes impossible to separate Catherine from the design itself because the series deliberately turns both into reflections of the same painful history. The tattoo first proves its importance when Alice Black links it to Catherine's past, particularly the years surrounding the abuse she suffered at the hands of Adrian Murado.
Later, it resurfaces during another disturbing encounter involving a neighbour, but the context completely changes how audiences interpret it. The flower never simply exists in the background. Instead, it quietly connects different moments in Catherine's life, acting as an emotional timeline stitched together through trauma, survival and revenge.
One of the most fascinating details is how deliberately imperfect the design appears. The flower almost looks as though it was drawn by a child rather than an experienced tattoo artist. Even Alice struggles to identify whether it represents an actual poppy or simply a child's basic sketch of a flower. That artistic choice feels far from accidental.
The rough design reflects innocence interrupted far too early, preserving a version of Catherine that should have enjoyed an ordinary childhood but instead became trapped by experiences no child should ever endure.
As Catherine tracks down the people connected to her past, the tattoo transforms into something far more powerful than a reminder. It becomes fuel. Every confrontation, every carefully planned move and every calculated decision seems connected to the unresolved anger attached to that flower.
While others may only see a faded red drawing, Catherine sees years of stolen innocence that can never be recovered. Safe to say, this is one tattoo with considerably more emotional baggage than the average holiday souvenir.
The design also plays a surprisingly uncomfortable role during Catherine's relationship with Olivier. As old memories begin resurfacing, the tattoo triggers recognition that neither character fully expects.
What once appeared to be a simple visual detail suddenly becomes evidence of buried guilt, changing the emotional dynamic between them almost instantly. It is one of several moments where Furious trusts visual storytelling instead of lengthy dialogue, allowing audiences to connect the pieces themselves.
Fans have shared mixed reactions to Catherine's tattoo since the series premiered. Many viewers have praised how the symbol quietly evolves throughout the season without ever needing obvious explanations, calling it one of the strongest pieces of visual storytelling in the show.
Others admitted they initially believed the flower was simply part of Catherine's edgy appearance before gradually realising every scene involving it carried deeper meaning. Quite a few also joked that after finishing the series they would never look at floral tattoos in quite the same way again. That's probably not the travel brochure flowers were hoping for.
Naturally, many viewers have also wondered whether actor Lola Petticrew actually got the tattoo in real life. The answer is no. Catherine's distinctive poppy flower was created specifically for Furious as a temporary design to support the character's story rather than becoming a permanent addition to Petticrew's body.
Given how central the tattoo becomes to the narrative, the production team ensured it looked authentic enough to convince audiences it had always belonged there.
That does not mean Lola Petticrew is unfamiliar with tattoos away from the camera. The actor already has several real tattoos, including prominent pieces on both thighs, and has previously spoken about developing an appreciation for body art.
In an interview with The Independent, Petticrew explained that they originally avoided getting tattoos because spending extra time in the make-up chair hardly sounded like an actor's dream morning routine. Eventually, however, personal expression won the argument.
Petticrew has also described tattoos as something that helps maintain a sense of identity between different acting roles. Since performers regularly step into entirely new personalities, their own tattoos serve as a reminder of who they are once filming ends.
Ironically, while many productions require those real tattoos to disappear beneath layers of make-up, Furious reversed the process by adding another temporary design instead. Sometimes acting really is just professional pretending with better lighting.
The actor's connection to tattoos extends beyond individual expression. While filming the television adaptation of Trespasses, Petticrew and co-star Hazel Doupe became close friends and decided to mark the experience with matching tattoos.
Petticrew's reads "mór," meaning "big" in Irish, while Doupe's says "beag," meaning "small." Unlike Catherine's fictional poppy flower, those tattoos remain permanent reminders of a friendship formed behind the scenes rather than a painful fictional past.
Ultimately, Catherine's tattoo stands as one of Furious' most meaningful visual elements. It symbolises lost childhood, lasting emotional wounds and the relentless pursuit of justice through Catherine's own damaged perspective.
Meanwhile, Lola Petticrew's real tattoos tell an entirely different story rooted in identity and personal memories, making the contrast between actor and character even more interesting.
Next: Where Was Furious Filmed?
Did you spot the hidden meaning behind Catherine's tattoo while watching Hulu's Furious, or did its significance only become clear later in the series?