If Brad Pitt ever runs out of bedtime reading material, he can always look at Angelina Jolie's back. The actress showed off her body art in a backless dress at the New York premiere of her CIA movie drama The Good Shepherd.

Mind you, Pitt, 42, would have to be adept at deciphering the native Cambodian language of Khmer to read the incantation on her left shoulder blade, which protects her from bad luck.

The only one in English says "know your rights" while, if he wants pictures, there's a tiger on Angelina's lower back.

The 31-year-old star made sure fans could see her designs - which are usually covered with make-up for the cameras - by pinning up her long hair.

And there are more tattoos under the dress - she is believed to have about 12 of them, although the name of her ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton has been masked with another design.