Author: Miriam Porter.
With veganism on the rise around the world you don’t have to look very far to find celebrities using their influence for good. Many passionate people are using their fame as a platform for change and raising awareness on crucial social justice issues. These celebrities acknowledge that with social power comes the responsibility to take action and not be silent while others are suffering.
Whether they are raising vegan children and working on crucial animal rights campaigns; manufacturing cruelty-free makeup and shoes; speaking up for seals and creating vegan fashion lines; providing a safe haven for rescued farm animals; or standing in solidarity with the Animal Save Movement and bearing witness to pigs on the way to slaughter, they are caring individuals raising the roof for animal rights. Read on to learn what these five exceptional celebrities are doing to inspire positive change and encourage more people to take action for animals.
Alicia Silverstone
If you haven’t read The Kind Diet you need to get your hands on a copy and dive right in. It’s the book I was reading when my son and I made that final leap from vegetarian to vegan over nine years ago. In her book, Silverstone outlines the benefits of eating plant-based, why she will never support eating animals or animal products again and provides delicious and healthy alternatives. Her website evolved as an extension of her book and is packed full of information about how to live a happy, healthy and kind life.
Silverstone is a passionate actor, author, activist, environmentalist, entrepreneur and proud vegan. As an actor she is known for her roles in Clueless, Batman & Robin and many other film and television roles. She is raising her son Bear Blu to be just as compassionate to animals as she is and is often posting on social media about the healthy meals they make together. Her work with People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) spans many years and includes an anti-wool campaign where she explains why she would rather go naked than wear wool, quite literally. She had previously sworn off leather and down feathers and continuously urges her fans to do the same. Silverstone advocates for others to adopt a vegan lifestyle and posts inspiring photos of rescued animals living at Farm Sanctuary in addition to adorable photos of her and Bear.
Kat Von D
Kat Von D is a talented vegan tattoo artist, makeup mogul, musician, author, entrepreneur and reality television star. She opened her own tattoo shop in Hollywood before launching her makeup line, Kat Von D Beauty (which has since been renamed KVD Vegan Beauty), and her shoe line, Von D Shoes. Her shoe designs use only vegan materials and she supports a kind and compassionate working environment. Von D’s popular and bold brand believes in making the world a better place while celebrating fearless self-expression.
Born in Mexico, this passionate vegan activist now lives in Los Angeles. She is committed to animal rights and is often seen wearing vegan slogans on her clothing or hanging out with rescued animals at Farm Sanctuary. She approaches her multiple business ventures as a wonderful opportunity for people to choose compassion over cruelty and encourages vegan lifestyles.
Jon Stewart
The former host of The Daily Show is an American comedian, director, producer, writer and activist. He is now also a committed vegan, thanks in part to his compassionate wife Tracey. After learning about the cruelty involved in the meat and dairy industries they switched to a plant-based diet. Last year Stewart promoted a vegan lifestyle to his fans while hosting a screening of The Game Changers, a documentary about exceptional athletes following a plant-based diet. In addition to switching their diets away from animal products, the Stewarts turned their farm into an animal sanctuary in order to provide a safe home for abused factory farm animals. Following the success of those rescues, they purchased another farm in New Jersey to rescue even more lucky souls. Hockhockson Farm Foundation believes in educating others about the benefits of kindness to animals while promoting whole foods plant-based eating. The adorable and very lucky residents at Hockhockson include ducks, roosters, goats, horses, pigs, sheep and many feral felines.
Pamela Anderson
Canadian superstar and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson has been extremely vocal about Canada’s horrific seal hunt for decades and has made many passionate attempts to shut it down for good. Anderson is frequently on the front lines in Ottawa and has called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end the annual massacre. She has appeared in numerous PETA ads around the world in different languages urging the government to end the hunt. Anderson became famous after starring in Baywatch and went on to work as a model, author, television personality and entrepreneur.
This committed vegan has been an activist her entire career attempting to expose the truth about meat and dairy industries, animal agriculture, the fur industry, zoo animals in captivity and the environment. In fact, she has done so much great work she is now a PETA Honorary Director. She started the Pamela Anderson Foundation and you can read all about her charity and activism. This innovative entrepreneur created her own line of cruelty-free shoes, Pammies, where she sold an alternative to UGG’s made from recycled electronics. Most recently she has partnered with French brand Ashoka Paris and launched a vegan handbag collection using apple skins and recycled plastic bottles.
Joaquin Phoenix
Was there ever really a time when Joaquin Phoenix didn’t stand up for animal rights? This talented actor and passionate mega star is fully committed to raising awareness for all animals whose voices need to be heard. While many of his loyal fans know him for brilliant performances for his roles in Her, Walk the Line, Gladiator and Joker, his animal rights supporters still talk about his narration in the powerful documentary Earthlings. Phoenix has supported numerous influential PETA campaigns and spoken out against animal cruelty since I can remember. He raises awareness about the wool industry, fishing, factory farming, animal agriculture, the leather industry, and dairy and meat industries and has vocally pledged to end speciesism. An activist since age three he doesn’t seem to be slowing down in the slightest. Phoenix is often seen bearing witness at pig vigils with LA Animal Save, a chapter of the Animal Save Movement, where he gives water to thirsty pigs headed to slaughter. The Oscar-winning actor also joined activists from Toronto Pig Save in front of Fearman's slaughterhouse. in Burlington. Phoenix held a sign that said "Fearmans slaughterhouse showed me no mercy" in the spot where activist Regan Russell was violently struck by a transport truck carrying pigs and killed on June 19, 2020.
Two days after winning his first Academy Award for the Joker (did you catch his passionate plea to ditch dairy in his brilliant Oscar acceptance speech?) Phoenix helped rescue a cow and her newborn calf from slaughter. They named the calf Indigo and she will now grow up free from harm at Farm Sanctuary.
“My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we’ll always remember that friendships can emerge in the most unexpected places; and no matter our differences, kindness and compassion should rule everything around us.”