The Inside Story on My Tattoos

by Nick Tarabay (Axel Finet)

When I got on the set of “Crash,” creator/executive producer Glen Mazzara had already written a description of my character and it became evident that I was going to have a big tattoo on my back. But what was it going to be about? One of the sentences Glen had written about Axel said “savoir.” And I when I saw that, it made perfect sense and it made it easier for me to do my research, too.

Axel perceives himself as a savior of the streets. His ultimate goal is to love and be loved, but he believes he’s here to save the streets. I have a friend who is a preacher, Jason, and I told him, “I think of myself as a savoir, this character is a savoir. Who were biblical characters that saved people?” We brainstormed until we found King David. I went to the library and got a book about King David, and decided Axel aspired to be like him. I read that King David had a good heart; he would build all these temples to people. However, it was said he would also send men to war and have sexual relations with their wives. There was the good part of him and the bad side, which worked perfectly for Axel.

So I got the big tattoo on my back that says “savoir.” I chose that. On my neck I got a skull and wings tattoo—that one is from Axel’s rougher days as a gang member. Then there’s the tattoo on Axel’s right arm that says: “Ignite 4-3-2-1.” That symbolizes how long it takes before Axel reacts: he goes off that fast! He gets things done with his right arm. He saves the streets with his right arm.

Then I have my own tattoo that we use on the show for Axel, too. It’s a knight’s helmet and armor. I’m personally fascinated with knights because knights stand for honor, love, devotion, and courage—all of which I aspire to.

I chose Axel’s tattoos, and the makeup department applies them. The main one on my back takes about 5 to 10 minutes to apply, and lasts just for the same day. The one on my neck, same thing. The one that lasts the longest is the one on my side, which lasts for weeks. I have no idea why it lasts so long.

The tattoos really help me lock on to the character. Especially a phrase like “savoir”: it’s like a light bulb going on. Acting is internal to external, but it can also be external to internal. So when you start embodying your character, all of a sudden you start feeling differently and moving differently and thinking differently. With the tattoos, it becomes someone else’s body almost.

I also hung out with cops—both technical advisors and cops in L.A. They told me about when you break into a house: how you enter, what you look for. I wanted to know about their life: what they say and how they look at things. Like, when they’re driving in a car or when they meet you, they’re always scanning. Right when a detective sees you, they’re already scanning and assessing you. I found out no matter how brutal this life could be, it becomes a job just like any other job. An acting job. A bank job. It’s a job. And it’s a job that makes them more aware.

The way I perceive Axel, he’s a good guy who believes that sometimes bad things might happen for good to prevail. To achieve the ultimate goal, he knows you have to make certain sacrifices and adjustments.