
Actor Joaquin Phoenix has been vegan since he was three years old and is a huge animal rights activist. He leads annual global marches through major cities, and last week he even stopped off at a protest on his way to winning an award at Toronto Film Festival. But where did it all begin for this passionate ally to animals?
As the plant-based movement explodes, for many vegans the journey starts later in life thanks to shocking documentaries, such as Cowspiracy or Dominion, which reveal the truth behind the meat and dairy industries.
But for Phoenix, it all started when veganism was a blip on the radar compared to today.
In the 1970s when the actor was only 3 years old, he had a profound experience which made him ditch animal products for good.
In an interview with Collider, Phoenix revealed:
“Really it was seeing these fish being killed when I was on a boat as a kid. I guess to stun them they were throwing them against the side of the boat. I just had a profound strong reaction. It felt like a real injustice. It wasn’t just me, it was my siblings, all of my siblings, except for the youngest, Summer, she wasn’t born. My mom was pregnant with her. I don’t know how to explain it. I think it made me distrustful, and angry, and frightened of humans, humanity. I just thought it was such a gross abuse of power in a way. I think that during that moment we knew that we were not going to eat meat anymore. We said to our parents, “Why didn’t you tell us?” It’s amazing. I remember my mom’s face, I remember her crying. She didn’t know how to answer. It became very obvious we weren’t going to eat meat anymore.”
Protest
Last week The ‘Joker’ actor dropped by St George Subway Transit Station on his way to the Toronto Film Festival awards to support the BeFairBeVegan ad campaign and pose in front of the group’s billboards.
BeFairBeVegan was hosting an event inside the subway, which is covered in striking pro-vegan messages such as ‘Imagine being born to be caged’.
After the event, Anita Krajnc, member of vegan activist group Toronto Pig Save, said: “He’s so busy, the only window he had was 3 to 5 p.m. today and he has this big award, yet he took time out to come see BeFairBeVegan Toronto because it’s so close to his heart.
“He’s going to change the world for us and we’re so happy to have him here.”
March for the victims
Earlier this year Phoenix spearheaded a global march in which activists carried the dead bodies of animals which were taken from factory farms.
He was pictured carrying an animal through Los Angeles in an eye-catching demonstration.
Chickens, lambs, pigs and many other animals were carried through the streets of London, Paris, Mumbai and other iconic cities across the world.
Phoenix has fronted many huge animal rights campaigns, including Million Dollar Vegan which offered Pope Francis $1million to go vegan for Lent.
Phoenix also produced the pro-vegan Netflix documentary What The Health? and narrated influential movie Dominion.
How influential can Joaquin Phoenix’s activism be? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
The Lord of the Rings franchise under fire after horse dies on set for the second time
- tb_admn
- 27th March 2023
PETA renews calls for Hollywood to replace animals with CGI Amazon’s television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come under fire after a horse died during rehearsals for a season 2 scene in the UK. The horse was one of about 30 on set that day and died of cardiac …
Puma ditches kangaroo leather for ‘better’ vegan fabric
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 3rd March 2023
Puma’s King soccer boots are made with vegan K-Better, a new animal-free upper material. Puma SE is officially phasing kangaroo leather out of its soccer boots this year. Instead, it will begin using a vegan fabric following rising consumer opposition to animal-made products. The German sporting goods company has redesigned its legendary KING football boot …
Continue reading “Puma ditches kangaroo leather for ‘better’ vegan fabric”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …