Gregory Paul McLaren, better known today as Lucky Diamond Rich, was once an ordinary teenager living a quiet life in coastal New Zealand. As a young man, he loved music, street performances, and circus arts, dreaming not of fame but of freedom and adventure. Greg had a charming smile and bright, expressive eyes, and his ambitions were simple: to perform, amaze, and connect with people through art. His bedroom walls, adorned with circus posters, reflected a longing for movement and creativity—a life unbound by conventional expectations.
At the age of 16, Greg left home to join a circus troupe, marking the start of a transformation that would extend far beyond the stage. His first tattoo—a small juggling club on his thigh—was a private symbol of his new life, hidden from his mother’s eyes. This first step into body art coincided with his journey across the globe, performing in cities from Bangkok to Melbourne and Berlin. Each new location brought fresh friendships, creative collaborations, and, eventually, more tattoos. The designs began as sparse and symbolic, representing his circus life, inspirational phrases, and personal totems.
Over time, tattoos became more than simple decoration; they evolved into an inseparable part of Greg’s identity. His body turned into a living canvas, with layers of ink that sometimes covered previous designs two, three, or even four times. Every tattoo represented a story, a memory, or a milestone from his life as a performer. By adulthood, his skin was completely transformed, making him arguably one of the most tattooed people in the world. The tattoos, according to him, enhanced his sense of attractiveness and likability, becoming a defining feature of his persona.
Yet the transformation also sparked reflection on his past self. When Lucky Diamond Rich shared a “before” photo online, millions of viewers saw a strikingly handsome, bright-eyed young man who might have appeared completely different without his tattoos. The contrast highlighted not only the drastic change in appearance but also the choices that shaped his identity over decades. While tattoos gave him a unique and globally recognized persona, they also sparked debate about beauty, self-expression, and the permanence of personal decisions.
Today, Lucky Diamond Rich embraces his tattoos as a map of his life, a layered narrative etched into his skin. He expresses no regrets, viewing each piece as a testament to his journey and experiences. From a small-town New Zealander dreaming of freedom to a globally recognized circus performer covered in ink, his story reflects the interplay between personal transformation, art, and identity. While opinions may vary on whether the tattoos enhanced his attractiveness, there is no question that they made him an unforgettable figure in the world of performance art and body modification.
